---
title: “Oh, what would I not give to come to my child!” said the weeping mo… — Andersen's Fairy Tales · tree and pragmatics
description: “Oh, what would I not give to come to my child!” said the weeping mother; and she wept still more, and her eyes sunk down in the depths of the waters, and became two precious pearls; but the water bore her up, as if she sat in a swing, and she flew in the rocking waves to the shore on the opposite s
---

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# Andersen's Fairy Tales, The Story of a Mother, sentence 31

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
“Oh, what would I not give to come to my child!” said the weeping mother; and she wept still more, and her eyes sunk down in the depths of the waters, and became two precious pearls; but the water bore her up, as if she sat in a swing, and she flew in the rocking waves to the shore on the opposite side, where there stood a mile-broad, strange house, one knew not if it were a mountain with forests and caverns, or if it were built up; but the poor mother could not see it; she had wept her eyes out.

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** weeping mother, mother, eyes, water, one, house · **What happens:** not give, come, say, weep, sink down, become · **To what, where:** more, depths, two precious pearls, mother, swing, rocking waves · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is a sentence of «Andersen's Fairy Tales» by H. C. Andersen, The Story of a Mother. The page gives its syntax tree — a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies — and its pragmatics clause by clause: who acts (weeping mother, mother, eyes, water), 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:pg1597:21:31
# text = “Oh, what would I not give to come to my child!” said the weeping mother; and she wept still more, and her eyes sunk down in the depths of the waters, and became two precious pearls; but the water bore her up, as if she sat in a swing, and she flew in the rocking waves to the shore on the opposite side, where there stood a mile-broad, strange house, one knew not if it were a mountain with forests and caverns, or if it were built up; but the poor mother could not see it; she had wept her eyes out.
1	“	"	PUNCT	``	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Oh	oh	INTJ	UH	_	4	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
4	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	16	nsubj:outer	_	_
5	would	would	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	8	aux	_	_
6	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
7	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	8	advmod	_	_
8	give	give	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	acl:relcl	_	_
9	to	to	PART	TO	_	10	mark	_	_
10	come	come	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	xcomp	_	_
11	to	to	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	13	nmod:poss	_	_
13	child	child	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	”	"	PUNCT	''	_	4	punct	_	_
16	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
17	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	19	det	_	_
18	weeping	weeping	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	19	compound	_	_
19	mother	mother	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	23	punct	_	_
21	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	23	cc	_	_
22	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	23	nsubj	_	_
23	wept	weep	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	16	conj	_	_
24	still	still	ADV	RB	_	25	advmod	_	_
25	more	more	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	23	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
26	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	30	punct	_	_
27	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	30	cc	_	_
28	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	29	nmod:poss	_	_
29	eyes	eye	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	30	nsubj	_	_
30	sunk	sink	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	23	conj	_	_
31	down	down	ADP	RP	_	30	compound:prt	_	_
32	in	in	ADP	IN	_	34	case	_	_
33	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	34	det	_	_
34	depths	depth	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	30	obl	_	_
35	of	of	ADP	IN	_	37	case	_	_
36	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	37	det	_	_
37	waters	water	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	34	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
38	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	40	punct	_	_
39	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	40	cc	_	_
40	became	become	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	23	conj	_	_
41	two	two	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	43	nummod	_	_
42	precious	precious	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	43	amod	_	_
43	pearls	pearl	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	40	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
44	;	;	PUNCT	,	_	48	punct	_	_
45	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	48	cc	_	_
46	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	47	det	_	_
47	water	water	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	48	nsubj	_	_
48	bore	bear	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	16	parataxis	_	_
49	her	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	48	obj	_	_
50	up	up	ADP	RP	_	48	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
51	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	55	punct	_	_
52	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	55	mark	_	_
53	if	if	SCONJ	IN	_	55	mark	_	_
54	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	55	nsubj	_	_
55	sat	sit	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	48	conj	_	_
56	in	in	ADP	IN	_	58	case	_	_
57	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	58	det	_	_
58	swing	swing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	55	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
59	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	62	punct	_	_
60	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	62	cc	_	_
61	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	62	nsubj	_	_
62	flew	fly	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	16	parataxis	_	_
63	in	in	ADP	IN	_	66	case	_	_
64	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	66	det	_	_
65	rocking	rocking	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	66	compound	_	_
66	waves	wave	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	62	obl	_	_
67	to	to	ADP	IN	_	69	case	_	_
68	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	69	det	_	_
69	shore	shore	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	62	obl	_	_
70	on	on	ADP	IN	_	73	case	_	_
71	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	73	det	_	_
72	opposite	opposite	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	73	amod	_	_
73	side	side	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	62	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
74	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	77	punct	_	_
75	where	where	ADV	WRB	PronType=Rel	77	advmod	_	_
76	there	there	PRON	EX	PronType=Dem	77	expl	_	_
77	stood	stand	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	62	conj	_	_
78	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	84	det	_	_
79	mile	mile	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	81	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
80	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	79	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
81	broad	broad	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	84	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
82	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	84	punct	_	_
83	strange	strange	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	84	amod	_	_
84	house	house	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	77	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
85	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	87	punct	_	_
86	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	87	nsubj	_	_
87	knew	know	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	77	parataxis	_	_
88	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	87	advmod	_	_
89	if	if	SCONJ	IN	_	93	mark	_	_
90	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	93	nsubj	_	_
91	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	93	cop	_	_
92	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	93	det	_	_
93	mountain	mountain	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	87	obj	_	_
94	with	with	ADP	IN	_	95	case	_	_
95	forests	forest	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	93	nmod	_	_
96	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	97	cc	_	_
97	caverns	cavern	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	95	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
98	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	103	punct	_	_
99	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	103	cc	_	_
100	if	if	SCONJ	IN	_	103	mark	_	_
101	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	103	nsubj:pass	_	_
102	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	103	aux:pass	_	_
103	built	build	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	87	conj	_	_
104	up	up	ADP	RP	_	103	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
105	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	112	punct	_	_
106	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	112	cc	_	_
107	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	109	det	_	_
108	poor	poor	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	109	amod	_	_
109	mother	mother	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	112	nsubj	_	_
110	could	could	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	112	aux	_	_
111	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	112	advmod	_	_
112	see	see	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	16	parataxis	_	_
113	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	112	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
114	;	;	PUNCT	,	_	117	punct	_	_
115	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	117	nsubj	_	_
116	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	117	aux	_	_
117	wept	weep	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	112	conj	_	_
118	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	119	nmod:poss	_	_
119	eyes	eye	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	117	obj	_	_
120	out	out	ADV	RB	_	117	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
121	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	16	punct	_	_
```

## Pragmatics {#pragmatics}

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **give** *in a quote* | would | the weeping mother *= mother* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **come** *in a quote* | to-infinitive | the weeping mother *= mother* *not said here* |  |  |  |  | to my child | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V PP.initial\_location»: agent=Theme to child=Initial\_Location |
| 3 | **say** *speech: express* | past | the weeping mother |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |
| 4 | **weep** | past | mother | more |  |  |  |  | vn breathe-40.1.2 «NP V NP.theme»: agent=Agent more=Theme |
| 5 | **sink down** | participle | mother's eyes |  |  | the depths of the waters |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |
| 6 | **become** | past | mother *not said here* | two precious pearls |  |  |  |  | vn become-109.1-1-1 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Patient |
| 7 | **bear up** | past | the water | mother |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent she=Patient |
| 8 | **sit** *a condition, not said to happen* | past | mother |  |  | a swing |  |  | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Agent in swing=Location |
| 9 | **fly** | past | mother |  |  | the rocking waves |  | to the shore; on the opposite side | vn spatial\_configuration-47.6-1 «NP V NP.theme PP»: agent=Agent in wave=Location |
| 10 | **stand** | past | mother *not said here* | a broad strange house |  | there |  |  | vn admire-31.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer house=Stimulus |
| 11 | **not** **know** | past | one |  |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer |
| 12 | **is a** *a condition, not said to happen* | past | house | a mountain |  |  |  | with forests and caverns | tree rules |
| 13 | **build up** *a condition, not said to happen* | past · passive |  | house |  |  |  |  | vn caused\_calibratable\_cos-45.6.2-1 «NP V NP.patient»: subject=Patient |
| 14 | **not** **see** | could | the poor mother | house |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer it=Stimulus |
| 15 | **weep out** | past · perfect | mother | mother's eyes |  |  |  | out *property* | vn breathe-40.1.2 «NP V NP.theme»: agent=Agent eye=Theme |

<!-- .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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