---
title: After they had travelled along a little way, they met a needle and a… — Grimms' Fairy Tales · tree and pragmatics
description: After they had travelled along a little way, they met a needle and a pin walking together along the road: and the needle cried out, ‘Stop, stop!’ and said it was so dark that they could hardly find their way, and such dirty walking they could not get on at all: he told them that he and his friend, t
---

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# Grimms' Fairy Tales, 1. How They Went to the Mountains to Eat Nuts, sentence 12

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
After they had travelled along a little way, they met a needle and a pin walking together along the road: and the needle cried out, ‘Stop, stop!’ and said it was so dark that they could hardly find their way, and such dirty walking they could not get on at all: he told them that he and his friend, the pin, had been at a public-house a few miles off, and had sat drinking till they had forgotten how late it was; he begged therefore that the travellers would be so kind as to give them a lift in their carriage.

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** blows, pin, needle, road, Chanticleer, travellers · **What happens:** travell, meet, walk, cry out, stop, say · **To what, where:** needle, road, way, such dirty walking, all, blows · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is a sentence of «Grimms' Fairy Tales» by Jacob Grimm, 1. How They Went to the Mountains to Eat Nuts. The page gives its syntax tree — a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies — and its pragmatics clause by clause: who acts (blows, pin, needle, road), 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:pg2591:16:12
# text = After they had travelled along a little way, they met a needle and a pin walking together along the road: and the needle cried out, ‘Stop, stop!’ and said it was so dark that they could hardly find their way, and such dirty walking they could not get on at all: he told them that he and his friend, the pin, had been at a public-house a few miles off, and had sat drinking till they had forgotten how late it was; he begged therefore that the travellers would be so kind as to give them a lift in their carriage.
1	After	after	SCONJ	IN	_	4	mark	_	_
2	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
3	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	travelled	travell	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	11	advcl	_	_
5	along	along	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	way	way	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
10	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	nsubj	_	_
11	met	meet	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	99	advcl	_	_
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	needle	needle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obj	_	_
14	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	16	cc	_	_
15	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	pin	pin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	conj	_	_
17	walking	walk	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	16	acl	_	_
18	together	together	ADV	RB	_	17	advmod	_	_
19	along	along	ADP	IN	_	21	case	_	_
20	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	21	det	_	_
21	road	road	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	26	punct	_	_
23	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	26	cc	_	_
24	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	25	det	_	_
25	needle	needle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	26	nsubj	_	_
26	cried	cry	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	11	conj	_	_
27	out	out	ADP	RP	_	26	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
28	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	30	punct	_	_
29	‘	'	PUNCT	``	_	30	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
30	Stop	stop	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	26	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
31	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	32	punct	_	_
32	stop	stop	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	30	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
33	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	30	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
34	’	'	PUNCT	''	_	30	punct	_	_
35	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	36	cc	_	_
36	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	26	conj	_	_
37	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	40	nsubj	_	_
38	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	40	cop	_	_
39	so	so	ADV	RB	_	40	advmod	_	_
40	dark	dark	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	36	ccomp	_	_
41	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	45	mark	_	_
42	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	45	nsubj	_	_
43	could	could	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	45	aux	_	_
44	hardly	hardly	ADV	RB	_	45	advmod	_	_
45	find	find	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	40	advcl	_	_
46	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	47	nmod:poss	_	_
47	way	way	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	45	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
48	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	56	punct	_	_
49	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	56	cc	_	_
50	such	such	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	52	amod	_	_
51	dirty	dirty	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	52	amod	_	_
52	walking	walking	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	56	obj	_	_
53	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	56	nsubj	_	_
54	could	could	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	56	aux	_	_
55	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	56	advmod	_	_
56	get	get	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	26	conj	_	_
57	on	on	ADP	RP	_	56	compound:prt	_	_
58	at	at	ADP	IN	_	59	case	_	_
59	all	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	56	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
60	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	62	punct	_	_
61	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	62	nsubj	_	_
62	told	tell	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	26	conj	_	_
63	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	62	iobj	_	_
64	that	that	ADP	IN	_	65	case	_	_
65	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	62	obl	_	_
66	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	68	cc	_	_
67	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	68	nmod:poss	_	_
68	friend	friend	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	65	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
69	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	71	punct	_	_
70	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	71	det	_	_
71	pin	pin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	65	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
72	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	79	punct	_	_
73	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	79	aux	_	_
74	been	be	AUX	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	79	cop	_	_
75	at	at	ADP	IN	_	79	case	_	_
76	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	79	det	_	_
77	public	public	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	79	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
78	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	77	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
79	house	house	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	62	ccomp	_	_
80	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	82	det	_	_
81	few	few	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	82	amod	_	_
82	miles	mile	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	83	obl:unmarked	_	_
83	off	off	ADV	RB	_	79	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
84	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	87	punct	_	_
85	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	87	cc	_	_
86	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	87	aux	_	_
87	sat	sit	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	11	conj	_	_
88	drinking	drinking	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	87	obj	_	_
89	till	till	SCONJ	IN	_	92	mark	_	_
90	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	92	nsubj	_	_
91	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	92	aux	_	_
92	forgotten	forget	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	87	advcl	_	_
93	how	how	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	94	advmod	_	_
94	late	late	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	92	advmod	_	_
95	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	96	nsubj	_	_
96	was	be	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	92	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
97	;	;	PUNCT	,	_	99	punct	_	_
98	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	99	nsubj	_	_
99	begged	beg	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
100	therefore	therefore	ADV	RB	_	99	advmod	_	_
101	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	107	mark	_	_
102	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	103	det	_	_
103	travellers	traveller	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	107	nsubj	_	_
104	would	would	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	107	aux	_	_
105	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	107	cop	_	_
106	so	so	ADV	RB	_	107	advmod	_	_
107	kind	kind	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	99	advcl	_	_
108	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	110	mark	_	_
109	to	to	PART	TO	_	110	mark	_	_
110	give	give	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	107	advcl	_	_
111	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	110	iobj	_	_
112	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	113	det	_	_
113	lift	lift	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	110	obj	_	_
114	in	in	ADP	IN	_	116	case	_	_
115	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	116	nmod:poss	_	_
116	carriage	carriage	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	113	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
117	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	99	punct	_	_
```

## Pragmatics {#pragmatics}

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **travell** | past · perfect | blows *= blow* |  |  |  |  | along a little way | tree rules |
| 2 | **meet** | past | blows *= blow* | a needle and a pin |  |  |  |  | vn meet-36.3-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent needle=Co-Agent |
| 3 | **walk** | gerund | a pin *not said here* |  |  | the road |  | together *property* | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme along road=Trajectory |
| 4 | **cry out** *speech: express* | past | the needle |  |  |  |  |  | vn manner\_speaking-37.3 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 5 | **stop** | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn stop-55.4-1-1 «NP.eventuality V»: agent=Eventuality |
| 6 | **stop** | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn stop-55.4-1-1 «NP.eventuality V»: agent=Eventuality |
| 7 | **say** *speech: assert* | past | the needle *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |
| 8 | **is** | past | road |  |  |  |  | dark *property* | tree rules |
| 9 | **find** | could | blows *= blow* | blows's way |  |  |  | hardly *property* | vn discover-84 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent way=Topic |
| 10 | **not** **get on** | could | blows *= blow* | such dirty walking |  | all |  |  | vn get-13.5.1-1 «NP V NP PP.source NP.asset»: agent=Agent walking=Theme at all=Asset |
| 11 | **tell** *speech: assert* | past | Chanticleer |  | blows *= blow* |  |  | that coward | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent they=Recipient |
| 12 | **is** | past · perfect |  |  |  | a public house |  | off *property* | tree rules |
| 13 | **sit** | past · perfect | blows *= blow* *not said here* | drinking |  |  |  |  | vn spatial\_configuration-47.6-1 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location drinking=Theme |
| 14 | **forget** | past · perfect | blows *= blow* |  |  |  |  | late *property* | tree rules |
| 15 | **be** | past | road |  |  |  |  |  | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 16 | **beg** *speech: request* | past | Chanticleer |  |  |  |  | therefore *property* | vn beg-58.2-1-1 «NP V PP.Topic»: agent=Agent |
| 17 | **is** | would | the travellers |  |  |  |  | kind *property* | tree rules |
| 18 | **give** | to-infinitive | the travellers *not said here* | a lift | blows *= blow* | blows's carriage |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP-Dative NP»: agent=Agent they=Recipient lift=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:** «Grimms' Fairy Tales» by Jacob Grimm, Project Gutenberg book 2591 (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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