---
title: Now they lived a very lonely and happy life; and as they had no chil… — Andersen's Fairy Tales · tree and pragmatics
description: Now they lived a very lonely and happy life; and as they had no children themselves, they had adopted a little common snail, which they brought up as their own; but the little one would not grow, for he was of a common family; but the old ones, especially Dame Mother Snail, thought they could observ
---

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# Andersen's Fairy Tales, The Happy Family, sentence 10

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Now they lived a very lonely and happy life; and as they had no children themselves, they had adopted a little common snail, which they brought up as their own; but the little one would not grow, for he was of a common family; but the old ones, especially Dame Mother Snail, thought they could observe how he increased in size, and she begged father, if he could not see it, that he would at least feel the little snail's shell; and then he felt it, and found the good dame was right.

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** snails, little one, forest, Dame, good dame · **What happens:** live, have, adopt, bring up, not grow, be · **To what, where:** lonely life, children, snails, little common snail, size, father · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is a sentence of «Andersen's Fairy Tales» by H. C. Andersen, The Happy Family. The page gives its syntax tree — a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies — and its pragmatics clause by clause: who acts (snails, little one, forest, Dame), what happens, when and where, as Mova's frames read it from the tree.

<!-- .note-en -->
**Parsed by Mova, not checked by a teacher.** This tree is Mova's own parse (the `en` model, on the CPU, when the site is built); it may be wrong.

## The tree {#tree}

```conllu
# sent_id = book:pg1597:20:10
# text = Now they lived a very lonely and happy life; and as they had no children themselves, they had adopted a little common snail, which they brought up as their own; but the little one would not grow, for he was of a common family; but the old ones, especially Dame Mother Snail, thought they could observe how he increased in size, and she begged father, if he could not see it, that he would at least feel the little snail's shell; and then he felt it, and found the good dame was right.
1	Now	now	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	3	advmod	_	_
2	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
3	lived	live	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
5	very	very	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
6	lonely	lonely	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	happy	happy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	conj	_	_
9	life	life	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	14	punct	_	_
11	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	14	cc	_	_
12	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	14	mark	_	_
13	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	14	nsubj	_	_
14	had	have	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
15	no	no	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	16	det	_	_
16	children	child	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	14	obj	_	_
17	themselves	themselves	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs|Reflex=Yes	14	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	21	punct	_	_
19	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	21	nsubj:pass	_	_
20	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	21	aux	_	_
21	adopted	adopt	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	14	parataxis	_	_
22	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	25	det	_	_
23	little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	25	amod	_	_
24	common	common	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	25	amod	_	_
25	snail	snail	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	21	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
26	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	29	punct	_	_
27	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	29	obj	_	_
28	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	29	nsubj	_	_
29	brought	bring	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	25	acl:relcl	_	_
30	up	up	ADP	RP	_	29	compound:prt	_	_
31	as	as	ADP	IN	_	33	case	_	_
32	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	33	nmod:poss	_	_
33	own	own	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	29	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
34	;	;	PUNCT	,	_	41	punct	_	_
35	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	41	cc	_	_
36	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	38	det	_	_
37	little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	38	amod	_	_
38	one	one	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	41	nsubj	_	_
39	would	would	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	41	aux	_	_
40	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	41	advmod	_	_
41	grow	grow	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
42	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	49	punct	_	_
43	for	for	ADP	IN	_	49	case	_	_
44	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	49	nsubj	_	_
45	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	49	cop	_	_
46	of	of	ADP	IN	_	49	case	_	_
47	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	49	det	_	_
48	common	common	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	49	amod	_	_
49	family	family	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	41	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
50	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	54	punct	_	_
51	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	54	cc	_	_
52	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	54	det	_	_
53	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	54	amod	_	_
54	ones	one	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
55	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	57	punct	_	_
56	especially	especially	ADV	RB	_	57	advmod	_	_
57	Dame	Dame	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	54	nmod	_	_
58	Mother	Mother	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	57	flat	_	_
59	Snail	Snail	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	57	flat	_	SpaceAfter=No
60	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	61	punct	_	_
61	thought	think	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
62	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	64	nsubj	_	_
63	could	could	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	64	aux	_	_
64	observe	observe	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	61	ccomp	_	_
65	how	how	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	67	advmod	_	_
66	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	67	nsubj	_	_
67	increased	increase	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	64	advcl	_	_
68	in	in	ADP	IN	_	69	case	_	_
69	size	size	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	67	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
70	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	73	punct	_	_
71	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	73	cc	_	_
72	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	73	nsubj	_	_
73	begged	beg	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
74	father	father	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	73	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
75	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	80	punct	_	_
76	if	if	SCONJ	IN	_	80	mark	_	_
77	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	80	nsubj	_	_
78	could	could	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	80	aux	_	_
79	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	80	advmod	_	_
80	see	see	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	73	conj	_	_
81	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	80	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
82	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	88	punct	_	_
83	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	85	mark	_	_
84	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	85	nsubj	_	_
85	would	would	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	88	aux	_	_
86	at	at	ADP	IN	_	87	case	_	_
87	least	least	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	88	obl	_	_
88	feel	feel	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	80	conj	_	_
89	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	91	det	_	_
90	little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	91	amod	_	_
91	snail	snail	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	93	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
92	's	's	PART	POS	_	91	case	_	_
93	shell	shell	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	88	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
94	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	98	punct	_	_
95	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	98	cc	_	_
96	then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	98	advmod	_	_
97	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	98	nsubj	_	_
98	felt	feel	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	parataxis	_	_
99	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	98	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
100	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	102	punct	_	_
101	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	102	cc	_	_
102	found	find	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	98	conj	_	_
103	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	105	det	_	_
104	good	good	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	105	amod	_	_
105	dame	dame	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	107	nsubj	_	_
106	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	107	cop	_	_
107	right	right	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	102	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
108	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

## Pragmatics {#pragmatics}

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **live** | past | snails *= snail* | a lonely life |  |  | now | the old ones  Dame *obl* | vn lodge-46 «NP V ADV»: agent=Theme life=Location |
| 2 | **have** | past | snails *= snail* | no children |  |  |  | snails *= snail* *obl* | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent child=Patient |
| 3 | **adopt** | past · perfect · passive |  | snails *= snail* |  |  |  |  | vn appoint-29.1 «NP V NP NP»: subject=Theme snail=Attribute |
| 4 | **bring up** | past | snails *= snail* | a little common snail |  |  |  | as snails's own | vn remedy-45.7 «NP V NP.patient»: agent=Agent which=Patient |
| 5 | **not** **grow** | would | the little one |  |  |  |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 6 | **is** | past | forest |  |  |  |  | for a common family | tree rules |
| 7 | **think** *speech: other* | past | snails *= snail* *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn consider-29.9-2 «NP V how S»: agent=Agent clause=Theme |
| 8 | **observe** | could | snails *= snail* |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |
| 9 | **increase** | past | forest |  |  | size |  |  | vn caused\_calibratable\_cos-45.6.2-1 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=Patient |
| 10 | **beg** *speech: request* | past | Dame |  | father |  |  |  | vn beg-58.2-1-1 «NP V NP PP.Topic»: agent=Agent father=Recipient |
| 11 | **not** **see** *a condition, not said to happen* | could | forest | life |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer it=Stimulus |
| 12 | **feel** | would | forest *not said here* | the little snail's shell |  | least |  |  | vn hunt-35.1 «NP V NP PP.location»: agent=Agent shell=Theme at least=Location |
| 13 | **feel** | past | forest | shell |  |  | then |  | vn hunt-35.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Theme |
| 14 | **find** | past | forest *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn declare-29.4-1-1 «NP V what S\_INF»: agent=Agent |
| 15 | **is** | past | the good dame |  |  |  |  | right *property* | tree rules |

<!-- .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.

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**Text:** «Andersen's Fairy Tales» by H. C. Andersen, Project Gutenberg book 1597 (public domain in the USA). **Tree:** Mova's own parse, Elamur Cosmic License. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), the chapter read in order.

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