---
title: There was nothing in the way of fighting that Kala Nag, the old wise… — The Jungle Book · tree and pragmatics
description: There was nothing in the way of fighting that Kala Nag, the old wise Black Snake, did not know, for he had stood up more than once in his time to the charge of the wounded tiger, and, curling up his soft trunk to be out of harm’s way, had knocked the springing brute sideways in mid-air with a quick 
---

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[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg236/15/136/)

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# The Jungle Book, The Jungle Book, part 15, sentence 136

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
There was nothing in the way of fighting that Kala Nag, the old wise Black Snake, did not know, for he had stood up more than once in his time to the charge of the wounded tiger, and, curling up his soft trunk to be out of harm’s way, had knocked the springing brute sideways in mid-air with a quick sickle cut of his head, that he had invented all by himself; had knocked him over, and kneeled upon him with his huge knees till the life went out with a gasp and a howl, and there was only a fluffy striped thing on the ground for Kala Nag to pull by the tail.

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** nothing, Kala, way, life · **What happens:** be, not know, stand up, curl up, knock, invent · **To what, where:** way, soft trunk, springing brute, mid-air, Kala, fluffy striped thing

<!-- .vabout -->
This is a sentence of «The Jungle Book» by Rudyard Kipling, The Jungle Book, part 15. The page gives its syntax tree — a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies — and its pragmatics clause by clause: who acts (nothing, Kala, way, life), 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:pg236:15:136
# text = There was nothing in the way of fighting that Kala Nag, the old wise Black Snake, did not know, for he had stood up more than once in his time to the charge of the wounded tiger, and, curling up his soft trunk to be out of harm’s way, had knocked the springing brute sideways in mid-air with a quick sickle cut of his head, that he had invented all by himself; had knocked him over, and kneeled upon him with his huge knees till the life went out with a gasp and a howl, and there was only a fluffy striped thing on the ground for Kala Nag to pull by the tail.
1	There	there	PRON	EX	PronType=Dem	2	expl	_	_
2	was	be	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	nothing	nothing	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Neg	2	nsubj	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	way	way	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	fighting	fighting	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	_
9	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	114	nsubj	_	_
10	Kala	Kala	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	114	nsubj	_	_
11	Nag	Nag	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	10	flat	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	17	punct	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
14	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	17	amod	_	_
15	wise	wise	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	17	amod	_	_
16	Black	Black	ADJ	NNP	Degree=Pos	17	amod	_	_
17	Snake	Snake	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	10	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	21	punct	_	_
19	did	do	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	21	aux	_	_
20	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	21	advmod	_	_
21	know	know	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	10	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	26	punct	_	_
23	for	for	SCONJ	IN	_	26	mark	_	_
24	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	26	nsubj	_	_
25	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	26	aux	_	_
26	stood	stand	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	21	conj	_	_
27	up	up	ADP	RP	_	26	compound:prt	_	_
28	more	more	ADV	RBR	Degree=Cmp	26	advmod	_	_
29	than	than	ADP	IN	_	30	case	_	_
30	once	once	ADV	RB	NumForm=Word|NumType=Mult	28	obl	_	_
31	in	in	ADP	IN	_	33	case	_	_
32	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	33	nmod:poss	_	_
33	time	time	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	26	obl	_	_
34	to	to	ADP	IN	_	36	case	_	_
35	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	36	det	_	_
36	charge	charge	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	33	nmod	_	_
37	of	of	ADP	IN	_	40	case	_	_
38	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	40	det	_	_
39	wounded	wounded	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	40	amod	_	_
40	tiger	tiger	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	36	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
41	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	44	punct	_	_
42	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	44	cc	_	SpaceAfter=No
43	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	44	punct	_	_
44	curling	curl	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	26	advcl	_	_
45	up	up	ADP	RP	_	44	compound:prt	_	_
46	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	48	nmod:poss	_	_
47	soft	soft	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	48	amod	_	_
48	trunk	trunk	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	44	obj	_	_
49	to	to	PART	TO	_	55	mark	_	_
50	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	55	cop	_	_
51	out	out	ADP	IN	_	55	case	_	_
52	of	of	ADP	IN	_	55	case	_	_
53	harm	harm	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	55	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
54	’s	's	PART	POS	_	53	case	_	_
55	way	way	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	44	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
56	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	58	punct	_	_
57	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	58	aux	_	_
58	knocked	knock	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	55	acl	_	_
59	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	61	det	_	_
60	springing	springing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	61	compound	_	_
61	brute	brute	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	58	obj	_	_
62	sideways	sideways	ADV	RB	_	58	advmod	_	_
63	in	in	ADP	IN	_	64	case	_	_
64	mid-air	mid-air	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	58	obl	_	_
65	with	with	ADP	IN	_	69	case	_	_
66	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	69	det	_	_
67	quick	quick	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	69	amod	_	_
68	sickle	sickle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	69	compound	_	_
69	cut	cut	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	58	obl	_	_
70	of	of	ADP	IN	_	72	case	_	_
71	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	72	nmod:poss	_	_
72	head	head	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	69	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
73	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	77	punct	_	_
74	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	77	mark	_	_
75	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	77	nsubj	_	_
76	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	77	aux	_	_
77	invented	invent	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	58	conj	_	_
78	all	all	ADV	RB	_	77	advmod	_	_
79	by	by	ADP	IN	_	80	case	_	_
80	himself	himself	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs|Reflex=Yes	77	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
81	;	;	PUNCT	,	_	83	punct	_	_
82	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	83	aux	_	_
83	knocked	knock	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	21	conj	_	_
84	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	83	obj	_	_
85	over	over	ADP	RP	_	83	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
86	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	88	punct	_	_
87	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	88	cc	_	_
88	kneeled	kneele	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	83	conj	_	_
89	upon	upon	ADP	IN	_	90	case	_	_
90	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	88	obl	_	_
91	with	with	ADP	IN	_	94	case	_	_
92	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	94	nmod:poss	_	_
93	huge	huge	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	94	amod	_	_
94	knees	knee	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	88	obl	_	_
95	till	till	SCONJ	IN	_	98	mark	_	_
96	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	97	det	_	_
97	life	life	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	98	nsubj	_	_
98	went	go	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	88	advcl	_	_
99	out	out	ADV	RB	_	98	advmod	_	_
100	with	with	ADP	IN	_	102	case	_	_
101	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	102	det	_	_
102	gasp	gasp	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	98	obl	_	_
103	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	105	cc	_	_
104	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	105	det	_	_
105	howl	howl	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	102	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
106	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	109	punct	_	_
107	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	109	cc	_	_
108	there	there	PRON	EX	PronType=Dem	109	expl	_	_
109	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	114	cop	_	_
110	only	only	ADV	RB	_	114	advmod	_	_
111	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	114	det	_	_
112	fluffy	fluffy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	114	amod	_	_
113	striped	striped	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	114	amod	_	_
114	thing	thing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	acl:relcl	_	_
115	on	on	ADP	IN	_	117	case	_	_
116	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	117	det	_	_
117	ground	ground	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	114	nmod	_	_
118	for	for	ADP	IN	_	119	case	_	_
119	Kala	Kala	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	117	nmod	_	_
120	Nag	Nag	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	119	flat	_	_
121	to	to	PART	TO	_	122	mark	_	_
122	pull	pull	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	114	acl	_	_
123	by	by	ADP	IN	_	125	case	_	_
124	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	125	det	_	_
125	tail	tail	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	122	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
126	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

## Pragmatics {#pragmatics}

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **be** | past | nothing |  |  | the way of fighting; there |  |  | vn exist-47.1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in way=Location |
| 2 | **not** **know** | past · do-support |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer |
| 3 | **stand up** | past · perfect | Kala |  |  |  | time |  | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 4 | **curl up** | gerund | Kala *not said here* | Kala's soft trunk |  |  |  |  | vn braid-41.2.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent trunk=Patient |
| 5 | **is** | to-infinitive |  |  |  | harm's way |  |  | tree rules |
| 6 | **knock** | past · perfect | harm's way *not said here* | the springing brute |  | mid-air |  | with a quick sickle cut of Kala's head; sideways *property* | vn throw-17.1-1 «NP V NP PP.destinations»: agent=Agent brute=Theme in mid-air=Destination |
| 7 | **invent** | past · perfect | Kala |  |  |  |  | by Kala; all *property* | vn create-26.4-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 8 | **knock over** | past · perfect |  | Kala |  |  |  |  | vn split-23.2 «NP V NP apart»: agent=Agent he=Patient |
| 9 | **kneele** | participle |  |  |  |  |  | upon Kala; with Kala's huge knees | tree rules |
| 10 | **go out** | past | the life |  |  |  |  | with a gasp and a howl; out *property* | vn interact-36.6 «NP V PP.co-agent»: agent=Agent with gasp=Co-Agent |
| 11 | **is a** | past | the way of fighting | a fluffy striped thing |  | the ground for Kala |  |  | tree rules |
| 12 | **pull** | to-infinitive | nothing *not said here* |  |  |  |  | by the tail | vn slide-11.2 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 13 | **charge** |  |  | the wounded tiger |  |  |  |  | nom charge «act transitive»: of=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.

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**Text:** «The Jungle Book» by Rudyard Kipling, Project Gutenberg book 236 (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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