---
title: Late at night they arrived at an inn; and as it was bad travelling i… — Grimms' Fairy Tales · tree and pragmatics
description: Late at night they arrived at an inn; and as it was bad travelling in the dark, and the duck seemed much tired, and waddled about a good deal from one side to the other, they made up their minds to fix their quarters there: but the landlord at first was unwilling, and said his house was full, thinki
---

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# Grimms' Fairy Tales, 1. How They Went to the Mountains to Eat Nuts, sentence 14

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Late at night they arrived at an inn; and as it was bad travelling in the dark, and the duck seemed much tired, and waddled about a good deal from one side to the other, they made up their minds to fix their quarters there: but the landlord at first was unwilling, and said his house was full, thinking they might not be very respectable company: however, they spoke civilly to him, and gave him the egg which Partlet had laid by the way, and said they would give him the duck, who was in the habit of laying one every day: so at last he let them come in, and they bespoke a handsome supper, and spent the evening very jollily.

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** blows, inn, duck, landlord, house, way · **What happens:** arrive, be, seem, waddle, make up, fix · **To what, where:** inn, dark, good deal, one side, minds, quarters · **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, inn, duck, landlord), 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:pg2591:16:14
# text = Late at night they arrived at an inn; and as it was bad travelling in the dark, and the duck seemed much tired, and waddled about a good deal from one side to the other, they made up their minds to fix their quarters there: but the landlord at first was unwilling, and said his house was full, thinking they might not be very respectable company: however, they spoke civilly to him, and gave him the egg which Partlet had laid by the way, and said they would give him the duck, who was in the habit of laying one every day: so at last he let them come in, and they bespoke a handsome supper, and spent the evening very jollily.
1	Late	late	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	5	advmod	_	_
2	at	at	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
3	night	night	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	_
4	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
5	arrived	arrive	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	at	at	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	inn	inn	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	15	punct	_	_
10	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	15	cc	_	_
11	as	as	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
12	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	15	nsubj	_	_
13	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	15	cop	_	_
14	bad	bad	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	amod	_	_
15	travelling	travelling	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	_
16	in	in	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
17	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
18	dark	dark	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	23	punct	_	_
20	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	23	cc	_	_
21	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	22	det	_	_
22	duck	duck	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	23	nsubj	_	_
23	seemed	seem	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	conj	_	_
24	much	much	ADV	RB	_	25	advmod	_	_
25	tired	tired	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	23	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
26	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	28	punct	_	_
27	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	28	cc	_	_
28	waddled	waddle	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	conj	_	_
29	about	about	ADV	RB	_	32	advmod	_	_
30	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	32	det	_	_
31	good	good	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	32	amod	_	_
32	deal	deal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	28	obj	_	_
33	from	from	ADP	IN	_	35	case	_	_
34	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	35	nummod	_	_
35	side	side	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	28	obl	_	_
36	to	to	ADP	IN	_	38	case	_	_
37	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	38	det	_	_
38	other	other	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	28	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
39	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	41	punct	_	_
40	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	41	nsubj	_	_
41	made	make	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	conj	_	_
42	up	up	ADP	RP	_	41	compound:prt	_	_
43	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	44	nmod:poss	_	_
44	minds	mind	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	41	obj	_	_
45	to	to	PART	TO	_	46	mark	_	_
46	fix	fix	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	41	advcl	_	_
47	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	48	nmod:poss	_	_
48	quarters	quarter	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	46	obj	_	_
49	there	there	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	46	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
50	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	57	punct	_	_
51	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	57	cc	_	_
52	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	53	det	_	_
53	landlord	landlord	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	57	nsubj	_	_
54	at	at	ADP	IN	_	55	case	_	_
55	first	first	ADV	RB	NumForm=Word|NumType=Ord	57	obl	_	_
56	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	57	aux	_	_
57	unwilling	unwill	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
58	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	60	punct	_	_
59	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	60	cc	_	_
60	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	conj	_	_
61	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	62	nmod:poss	_	_
62	house	house	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	64	nsubj	_	_
63	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	64	cop	_	_
64	full	full	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	60	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
65	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	66	punct	_	_
66	thinking	think	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	60	advcl	_	_
67	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	73	nsubj	_	_
68	might	might	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	73	aux	_	_
69	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	73	advcl	_	_
70	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	73	cop	_	_
71	very	very	ADV	RB	_	72	advmod	_	_
72	respectable	respectable	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	73	amod	_	_
73	company	company	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	66	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
74	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	78	punct	_	_
75	however	however	ADV	RB	_	78	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
76	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	75	punct	_	_
77	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	78	nsubj	_	_
78	spoke	speak	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	conj	_	_
79	civilly	civilly	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	78	xcomp	_	_
80	to	to	ADP	IN	_	81	case	_	_
81	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	79	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
82	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	84	punct	_	_
83	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	84	cc	_	_
84	gave	give	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	conj	_	_
85	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	84	iobj	_	_
86	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	87	det	_	_
87	egg	egg	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	84	obj	_	_
88	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	91	nsubj:pass	_	_
89	Partlet	Partlet	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	91	nsubj	_	_
90	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	91	aux	_	_
91	laid	lay	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	87	acl:relcl	_	_
92	by	by	ADP	IN	_	94	case	_	_
93	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	94	det	_	_
94	way	way	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	91	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
95	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	97	punct	_	_
96	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	97	cc	_	_
97	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	conj	_	_
98	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	100	nsubj	_	_
99	would	would	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	100	aux	_	_
100	give	give	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	97	ccomp	_	_
101	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	100	iobj	_	_
102	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	103	det	_	_
103	duck	duck	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	100	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
104	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	109	punct	_	_
105	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	109	nsubj	_	_
106	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	109	cop	_	_
107	in	in	ADP	IN	_	109	case	_	_
108	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	109	det	_	_
109	habit	habit	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	103	appos	_	_
110	of	of	SCONJ	IN	_	111	mark	_	_
111	laying	lay	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	109	acl	_	_
112	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	111	obj	_	_
113	every	every	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	114	det	_	_
114	day	day	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	111	obl:unmarked	_	SpaceAfter=No
115	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	127	punct	_	_
116	so	so	ADV	RB	_	127	advmod	_	_
117	at	at	ADP	IN	_	118	case	_	_
118	last	last	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	127	obl	_	_
119	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	120	nsubj	_	_
120	let	let	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	118	acl:relcl	_	_
121	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	120	obj	_	_
122	come	come	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	120	xcomp	_	_
123	in	in	ADV	RB	_	122	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
124	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	127	punct	_	_
125	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	127	cc	_	_
126	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	127	nsubj	_	_
127	bespoke	bespeak	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	conj	_	_
128	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	130	det	_	_
129	handsome	handsome	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	130	amod	_	_
130	supper	supper	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	127	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
131	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	133	punct	_	_
132	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	133	cc	_	_
133	spent	spend	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	127	conj	_	_
134	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	135	det	_	_
135	evening	evening	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	133	obj	_	_
136	very	very	ADV	RB	_	137	advmod	_	_
137	jollily	jollily	ADV	RB	_	133	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
138	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

## Pragmatics {#pragmatics}

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **arrive** | past | blows *= blow* |  |  | a inn | night | late *property* | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **is** | past | inn |  |  | the dark |  | as bad travelling | tree rules |
| 3 | **seem** | past | the duck |  |  |  |  | tired *property* | vn seem-109-1-1-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Theme |
| 4 | **waddle** | past | blows *= blow* *not said here* | a good deal |  | one side |  | to the other | vn run-51.3.2 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Initial\_Location deal=Theme |
| 5 | **make up** | past | blows *= blow* | blows's minds |  |  |  |  | vn comprise-107.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme mind=Pivot |
| 6 | **fix** | to-infinitive | blows *= blow* *not said here* | blows's quarters |  | there |  |  | vn shake-22.3-2 «NP V NP together»: agent=Agent quarter=Patient |
| 7 | **unwill** | past · progressive | the landlord |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 8 | **say** *speech: assert* | past | blows *= blow* *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |
| 9 | **is** | past | landlord's house |  |  |  |  | full *property* | tree rules |
| 10 | **think** *speech: other* | gerund | blows *= blow* *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn focus-87.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 11 | **is a** | might | blows *= blow* | respectable company |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 12 | **speak** *speech: other* | past | blows *= blow* |  |  |  |  | civilly, however *property* | vn talk-37.5 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 13 | **give** | past | blows *= blow* *not said here* | the egg | landlord |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP-Dative NP»: agent=Agent he=Recipient egg=Theme |
| 14 | **lay** | past · perfect · passive | the way | the egg |  |  |  |  | vn create-26.4 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent subject=Result |
| 15 | **say** *speech: assert* | past | blows *= blow* *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 16 | **give** | would | blows *= blow* | the duck | Partlet |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP-Dative NP»: agent=Agent he=Recipient duck=Theme |
| 17 | **is** | past | the duck |  |  | the habit |  |  | tree rules |
| 18 | **lay** | gerund | the habit *not said here* | one |  |  | day |  | vn create-26.4 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent one=Result |
| 19 | **let** | past | Partlet | blows *= blow* |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 20 | **come in** | infinitive | blows *= blow* *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 21 | **bespeak** | past | blows *= blow* | a handsome supper |  | last |  |  | tree rules |
| 22 | **spend** | past | blows *= blow* *not said here* |  |  |  | evening | jollily *property* | vn consume-66-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 23 | **mind** |  | blows *= blow* |  |  |  |  |  | nom mind «cognition transitive»: poss=agent |

<!-- .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.

<!-- /div -->

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