--- title: The book fell open wide, almost in the middle, and there was written… — The Book of Dragons · tree and pragmatics description: The book fell open wide, almost in the middle, and there was written at the bottom of the page, "Hippogriff," and before Lionel had time to see what the picture was, there was a fluttering of great wings and a stamping of hoofs, and a sweet, soft, friendly neighing; and there came out of the book a --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg23661/2/68/) [home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [tales](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/) / [The Book of Dragons](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg23661/) / [Opening, part 2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg23661/2/) / 68 # The Book of Dragons, Opening, part 2, sentence 68 The book fell open wide, almost in the middle, and there was written at the bottom of the page, "Hippogriff," and before Lionel had time to see what the picture was, there was a fluttering of great wings and a stamping of hoofs, and a sweet, soft, friendly neighing; and there came out of the book a beautiful white horse with a long, long, white mane and a long, long, white tail, and he had great wings like swan's wings, and the softest, kindest eyes in the world, and he stood there among the roses. **Who acts:** book, Lionel, picture, fluttering, beautiful white horse, great wings · **What happens:** fall, write, have, see, be, neigh · **To what, where:** middle, bottom, time, book, great wings, roses This is a sentence of «The Book of Dragons» by E. Nesbit, Opening, part 2. The page gives its syntax tree — a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies — and its pragmatics clause by clause: who acts (book, Lionel, picture, fluttering), what happens, when and where, as Mova's frames read it from the tree. **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:pg23661:2:68 # text = The book fell open wide, almost in the middle, and there was written at the bottom of the page, "Hippogriff," and before Lionel had time to see what the picture was, there was a fluttering of great wings and a stamping of hoofs, and a sweet, soft, friendly neighing; and there came out of the book a beautiful white horse with a long, long, white mane and a long, long, white tail, and he had great wings like swan's wings, and the softest, kindest eyes in the world, and he stood there among the roses. 1 The the DET DT Definite=Def|PronType=Art 2 det _ _ 2 book book NOUN NN Number=Sing 3 nsubj _ _ 3 fell fall VERB VBD Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin 0 root _ _ 4 open open ADJ JJ Degree=Pos 3 xcomp _ _ 5 wide wide ADV RB _ 3 advmod _ SpaceAfter=No 6 , , PUNCT , _ 10 punct _ _ 7 almost almost ADV RB _ 10 advmod _ _ 8 in in ADP IN _ 10 case _ _ 9 the the DET DT Definite=Def|PronType=Art 10 det _ _ 10 middle middle NOUN NN Number=Sing 3 obl _ SpaceAfter=No 11 , , PUNCT , _ 15 punct _ _ 12 and and CCONJ CC _ 15 cc _ _ 13 there there PRON EX PronType=Dem 15 expl _ _ 14 was be AUX VBD Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin 15 aux:pass _ _ 15 written write VERB VBN Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass 3 parataxis _ _ 16 at at ADP IN _ 18 case _ _ 17 the the DET DT Definite=Def|PronType=Art 18 det _ _ 18 bottom bottom NOUN NN Number=Sing 15 obl _ _ 19 of of ADP IN _ 21 case _ _ 20 the the DET DT Definite=Def|PronType=Art 21 det _ _ 21 page page NOUN NN Number=Sing 18 nmod _ SpaceAfter=No 22 , , PUNCT , _ 24 punct _ _ 23 " " PUNCT `` _ 24 punct _ SpaceAfter=No 24 Hippogriff hippogriff NOUN NN Number=Sing 18 appos _ SpaceAfter=No 25 , , PUNCT , _ 24 punct _ SpaceAfter=No 26 " " PUNCT '' _ 24 punct _ _ 27 and and CCONJ CC _ 40 cc _ _ 28 before before SCONJ IN _ 30 mark _ _ 29 Lionel Lionel PROPN NNP Number=Sing 30 nsubj _ _ 30 had have VERB VBD Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin 40 advcl _ _ 31 time time NOUN NN Number=Sing 30 obj _ _ 32 to to PART TO _ 33 mark _ _ 33 see see VERB VB VerbForm=Inf 31 acl _ _ 34 what what PRON WP PronType=Int 33 obj _ _ 35 the the DET DT Definite=Def|PronType=Art 36 det _ _ 36 picture picture NOUN NN Number=Sing 34 nsubj _ _ 37 was be AUX VBD Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin 34 cop _ SpaceAfter=No 38 , , PUNCT , _ 30 punct _ _ 39 there there PRON EX PronType=Dem 40 expl _ _ 40 was be VERB VBD Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin 15 parataxis _ _ 41 a a DET DT Definite=Ind|PronType=Art 42 det _ _ 42 fluttering fluttering NOUN NN Number=Sing 40 nsubj _ _ 43 of of ADP IN _ 45 case _ _ 44 great great ADJ JJ Degree=Pos 45 amod _ _ 45 wings wing NOUN NNS Number=Plur 42 nmod _ _ 46 and and CCONJ CC _ 48 cc _ _ 47 a a DET DT Definite=Ind|PronType=Art 48 det _ _ 48 stamping stamping NOUN NN Number=Sing 45 conj _ _ 49 of of ADP IN _ 50 case _ _ 50 hoofs hoof NOUN NNS Number=Plur 48 nmod _ SpaceAfter=No 51 , , PUNCT , _ 59 punct _ _ 52 and and CCONJ CC _ 59 cc _ _ 53 a a DET DT Definite=Ind|PronType=Art 59 det _ _ 54 sweet sweet ADJ JJ Degree=Pos 59 compound _ SpaceAfter=No 55 , , PUNCT , _ 56 punct _ _ 56 soft soft ADJ JJ Degree=Pos 54 conj _ SpaceAfter=No 57 , , PUNCT , _ 58 punct _ _ 58 friendly friendly ADJ JJ Degree=Pos 54 conj _ _ 59 neighing neigh VERB VBG Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part 3 conj _ SpaceAfter=No 60 ; ; PUNCT : _ 63 punct _ _ 61 and and CCONJ CC _ 62 cc _ _ 62 there there ADV RB PronType=Dem 63 advmod _ _ 63 came come VERB VBD Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin 3 parataxis _ _ 64 out out ADP IN _ 67 case _ _ 65 of of ADP IN _ 67 case _ _ 66 the the DET DT Definite=Def|PronType=Art 67 det _ _ 67 book book NOUN NN Number=Sing 63 obl _ _ 68 a a DET DT Definite=Ind|PronType=Art 71 det _ _ 69 beautiful beautiful ADJ JJ Degree=Pos 71 amod _ _ 70 white white ADJ JJ Degree=Pos 71 amod _ _ 71 horse horse NOUN NN Number=Sing 63 nsubj _ _ 72 with with ADP IN _ 79 case _ _ 73 a a DET DT Definite=Ind|PronType=Art 79 det _ _ 74 long long ADJ JJ Degree=Pos 79 amod _ SpaceAfter=No 75 , , PUNCT , _ 74 punct _ _ 76 long long ADJ JJ Degree=Pos 79 amod _ SpaceAfter=No 77 , , PUNCT , _ 76 punct _ _ 78 white white ADJ JJ Degree=Pos 79 amod _ _ 79 mane mane NOUN NN Number=Sing 71 nmod _ _ 80 and and CCONJ CC _ 87 cc _ _ 81 a a DET DT Definite=Ind|PronType=Art 87 det _ _ 82 long long ADJ JJ Degree=Pos 87 amod _ SpaceAfter=No 83 , , PUNCT , _ 82 punct _ _ 84 long long ADJ JJ Degree=Pos 87 amod _ SpaceAfter=No 85 , , PUNCT , _ 84 punct _ _ 86 white white ADJ JJ Degree=Pos 87 amod _ _ 87 tail tail NOUN NN Number=Sing 79 conj _ SpaceAfter=No 88 , , PUNCT , _ 91 punct _ _ 89 and and CCONJ CC _ 91 cc _ _ 90 he he PRON PRP Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs 91 nsubj _ _ 91 had have VERB VBD Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin 63 conj _ _ 92 great great ADJ JJ Degree=Pos 93 amod _ _ 93 wings wing NOUN NNS Number=Plur 91 obj _ _ 94 like like ADP IN _ 97 case _ _ 95 swan swan NOUN NN Number=Sing 97 nmod:poss _ SpaceAfter=No 96 's 's PART POS _ 95 case _ _ 97 wings wing NOUN NNS Number=Plur 93 nmod _ SpaceAfter=No 98 , , PUNCT , _ 101 punct _ _ 99 and and CCONJ CC _ 101 cc _ _ 100 the the DET DT Definite=Def|PronType=Art 101 det _ _ 101 softest soft ADJ JJS Degree=Sup 63 parataxis _ SpaceAfter=No 102 , , PUNCT , _ 104 punct _ _ 103 kindest kind ADJ JJS Degree=Sup 104 amod _ _ 104 eyes eye NOUN NNS Number=Plur 101 conj _ _ 105 in in ADP IN _ 107 case _ _ 106 the the DET DT Definite=Def|PronType=Art 107 det _ _ 107 world world NOUN NN Number=Sing 104 nmod _ SpaceAfter=No 108 , , PUNCT , _ 111 punct _ _ 109 and and CCONJ CC _ 111 cc _ _ 110 he he PRON PRP Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs 111 nsubj _ _ 111 stood stand VERB VBD Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin 63 conj _ _ 112 there there ADV RB PronType=Dem 111 advmod _ _ 113 among among ADP IN _ 115 case _ _ 114 the the DET DT Definite=Def|PronType=Art 115 det _ _ 115 roses rose NOUN NNS Number=Plur 111 obl _ SpaceAfter=No 116 . . PUNCT . _ 3 punct _ _ ``` ## Pragmatics {#pragmatics} | # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | **fall** | past | the book | | | the middle | | open, wide *property* | vn occur-48.3 «NP V PP»: agent=Theme in middle=Location | | 2 | **write** | past · passive | | | | the bottom of the page; there | | | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V» | | 3 | **have** | past | Lionel | | | | time | | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent | | 4 | **see** | to-infinitive | Lionel *not said here* | | | | | | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer | | 5 | **is a** | past | the picture | time | | | | | tree rules | | 6 | **be** | past | a fluttering of great wings and a stamping of hoofs | | | there | | | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme | | 7 | **neigh** | gerund | the book *not said here* | | | | | | vn animal\_sounds-38 «NP V»: agent=Agent | | 8 | **come out** | past | a beautiful white horse with a long long white mane and a long long white tail | the book | | there | | | vn become-109.1 «NP V ADJ»: agent=Patient book=Result | | 9 | **have** | past | Lionel | great wings | | | | like swan's wings | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent wing=Patient | | 10 | **stand** | past | Lionel | | | the roses; there | | | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Agent among rose=Location | | 11 | **flutter** | | great wings and a stamping of hoofs | | | | | | nom fluttering «event intransitive»: of=agent | 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. **Text:** «The Book of Dragons» by E. Nesbit, Project Gutenberg book 23661 (public domain in the USA). **Tree:** Mova's own parse, Elamur Cosmic License. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), the chapter read in order. - ← previous: [sentence 67](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg23661/2/67/) - next →: [sentence 69](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg23661/2/69/) - ↑ back to [Opening, part 2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg23661/2/)