---
title: By what stratagem did the robber captain preserve his life when the… — Fairy Tales, The Sword of Strength, pa… · tree and pragmatics
description: By what stratagem did the robber captain preserve his life when the prince attacked him? Exam question 2 of lesson 684 «Fairy Tales, The Sword of Strength, part 24: the prince is blinded and goes to the giant» of the books course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of t
---

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# Exam question 2 · Fairy Tales, The Sword of Strength, part 24: the prince is…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
By what stratagem did the robber captain preserve his life when the prince attacked him?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 2 · **The right answer:** option 3 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** robber captain, prince · **What happens:** preserve, attack · **To what, where:** life, captain

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 2 of lesson 684 «Fairy Tales, The Sword of Strength, part 24: the prince is blinded and goes to the giant» of the books course of Mova's primary school, asked in stiff, formal language. The page gives the question's syntax tree — a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies — and its pragmatics clause by clause, then the 4 options as the student saw them, each with its tree and pragmatics. Every text is parsed by Mova itself. How the student answered it, with the score of every option and why: [the test at school](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/school-run/books/684-pg2435-part24/#e2).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:684-pg2435-part24:e2:1
# text = By what stratagem did the robber captain preserve his life when the prince attacked him?
1	By	by	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	8	obl	_	_
3	stratagem	stratagem	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
4	did	do	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	8	aux	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	robber	robber	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	compound	_	_
7	captain	captain	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
8	preserve	preserve	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
9	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	10	nmod:poss	_	_
10	life	life	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	_
11	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	14	advmod	_	_
12	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	prince	prince	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	nsubj	_	_
14	attacked	attack	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	8	advcl	_	_
15	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	14	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **preserve** | past · do-support | the robber captain | captain's life |  |  |  |  | vn defend-72.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent life=Beneficiary |
| 2 | **attack** | past | the prince | captain |  |  |  |  | vn attack-60.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent he=Patient |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He fastened a cloth about his throat and played dead

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:684-pg2435-part24:e2:o1:1
# text = He fastened a cloth about his throat and played dead
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	fastened	fasten	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	cloth	cloth	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	about	about	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
7	throat	throat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	played	play	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
10	dead	dead	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **fasten** | past | He | a cloth |  |  |  | about his throat | vn shake-22.3-2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent cloth=Patient |
| 2 | **play** | past | He *not said here* | dead |  |  |  |  | vn use-105.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent dead=Theme |

### Option 2 · ← Mova's choice {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He wound the shawl of his dead wife about his neck and feigned death, then fled into the forest that very night, leaving the prince unharmed

<!-- fold The tree, 26 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:684-pg2435-part24:e2:o2:1
# text = He wound the shawl of his dead wife about his neck and feigned death, then fled into the forest that very night, leaving the prince unharmed
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	wound	woun	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	shawl	shawl	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
7	dead	dead	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	wife	wife	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	_
9	about	about	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	11	nmod:poss	_	_
11	neck	neck	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod	_	_
12	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
13	feigned	feign	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
14	death	death	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	17	punct	_	_
16	then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	17	advmod	_	_
17	fled	flee	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
18	into	into	ADP	IN	_	20	case	_	_
19	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	20	det	_	_
20	forest	forest	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	obl	_	_
21	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	23	nsubj	_	_
22	very	very	ADV	RB	_	23	advmod	_	_
23	night	night	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	20	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	25	punct	_	_
25	leaving	leave	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	17	advcl	_	_
26	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	27	det	_	_
27	prince	prince	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	25	obj	_	_
28	unharmed	unharmed	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	25	xcomp	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **woun** | past | He | the shawl of his dead wife about his neck |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **feign** | past | He *not said here* | death |  |  |  |  | vn establish-55.5-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent death=Patient |
| 3 | **flee** | past | He *not said here* |  |  | the forest | then |  | vn escape-51.1-1-1 «NP V PP.initial\_location»: agent=Theme into forest=Initial\_Location |
| 4 | **night** |  | that |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 5 | **leave** | gerund | He *not said here* | the prince |  |  |  | unharmed *property* | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent prince=Theme |

### Option 3 · ✓ the right answer {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He wound the shawl of his dead wife about his neck and feigned death

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:684-pg2435-part24:e2:o3:1
# text = He wound the shawl of his dead wife about his neck and feigned death
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	wound	woun	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	shawl	shawl	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
7	dead	dead	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	wife	wife	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	_
9	about	about	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	11	nmod:poss	_	_
11	neck	neck	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod	_	_
12	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
13	feigned	feign	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
14	death	death	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **woun** | past | He | the shawl of his dead wife about his neck |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **feign** | past | He *not said here* | death |  |  |  |  | vn establish-55.5-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent death=Patient |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He wrapped his dead wife's shawl round his neck and lay down

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:684-pg2435-part24:e2:o4:1
# text = He wrapped his dead wife's shawl round his neck and lay down
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	wrapped	wrap	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	5	nmod:poss	_	_
4	dead	dead	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	wife	wife	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	's	's	PART	POS	_	5	case	_	_
7	shawl	shawl	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
8	round	round	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	10	nmod:poss	_	_
10	neck	neck	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
11	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
12	lay	lay	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	conj	_	_
13	down	down	ADV	RB	_	12	advmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **wrap** | past | He | his dead wife's shawl |  |  |  | round his neck | vn spray-9.7-1 «NP V NP.theme»: agent=Agent shawl=Theme |
| 2 | **lay down** | infinitive | He *not said here* |  |  |  |  | down *property* | vn create-26.4 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |

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**Text:** the tests of Mova's primary school, written for Mova (`world/data/school/`), as the course runner gave them to the student. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each text read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

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