--- title: The Pen and the Inkstand — Fairy Tales of Hans Christian Andersen · full text with trees description: The Pen and the Inkstand, «Fairy Tales of Hans Christian Andersen» by H. C. Andersen: the whole chapter, every sentence with its dependency tree and pragmatics. It begins: In a poet's room, where his inkstand stood on the table, the remark was once made, "It is wonderful what can be brought out of a --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/142/) [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/) / [Fairy Tales of Hans Christian Andersen](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/) / The Pen and the Inkstand # The Pen and the Inkstand The Pen and the Inkstand of «Fairy Tales of Hans Christian Andersen» by H. C. Andersen: the whole text, 50 sentences and 900 words. Every sentence has its own page with its syntax tree and pragmatics, parsed by Mova itself. - [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/142/1/) — In a poet's room, where his inkstand stood on the table, the remark was once made, "It is wonderful what can be brought out of an inkstand. - [2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/142/2/) — What will come next? - [3](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/142/3/) — It is indeed wonderful." - [4](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/142/4/) — "Yes, certainly," said the inkstand to the pen, and to the other articles that stood on the table; "that's what I always say. - [5](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/142/5/) — It is wonderful and extraordinary what a number of things come out of me. - [6](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/142/6/) — It's quite incredible, and I really don't know what is coming next when that man dips his pen into me. - [7](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/142/7/) — One drop out of me is enough for half a page of paper, and what cannot half a page contain? - [8](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/142/8/) — From me, all the works of a poet are produced; all those imaginary characters whom people fancy they have known or met. - [9](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/142/9/) — All the deep feeling, the humor, and the vivid pictures of nature. - [10](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/142/10/) — I myself don't understand how it is, for I am not acquainted with nature, but it is certainly in me. - [11](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/142/11/) — From me have gone forth to the world those wonderful descriptions of troops of charming maidens, and of brave knights on prancing steeds; of the halt and the blind, and I know not what more, for I assure you I never think of these things." - [12](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/142/12/) — "There you are right," said the pen, "for you don't think at all; if you did, you would see that you can only provide the means. - [13](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/142/13/) — You give the fluid that I may place upon the paper what dwells in me, and what I wish to bring to light. - [14](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/142/14/) — It is the pen that writes: no man doubts that; and, indeed, most people understand as much about poetry as an old inkstand." - [15](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/142/15/) — "You have had very little experience," replied the inkstand. " - [16](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/142/16/) — You have hardly been in service a week, and are already half worn out. - [17](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/142/17/) — Do you imagine you are a poet? - [18](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/142/18/) — You are only a servant, and before you came I had many like you, some of the goose family, and others of English manufacture. - [19](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/142/19/) — I know a quill pen as well as I know a steel one. - [20](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/142/20/) — I have had both sorts in my service, and I shall have many more when he comes--the man who performs the mechanical part--and writes down what he obtains from me. - [21](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/142/21/) — I should like to know what will be the next thing he gets out of me." - [22](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/142/22/) — "Inkpot!" exclaimed the pen contemptuously. - [23](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/142/23/) — Late in the evening the poet came home. - [24](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/142/24/) — He had been to a concert, and had been quite enchanted with the admirable performance of a famous violin player whom he had heard there. - [25](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/142/25/) — The performer had produced from his instrument a richness of tone that sometimes sounded like tinkling waterdrops or rolling pearls; sometimes like the birds twittering in chorus, and then rising and swelling in sound like the wind through the fir-trees. - [26](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/142/26/) — The poet felt as if his own heart were weeping, but in tones of melody like the sound of a woman's voice. - [27](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/142/27/) — It seemed not only the strings, but every part of the instrument from which these sounds were produced. - [28](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/142/28/) — It was a wonderful performance and a difficult piece, and yet the bow seemed to glide across the strings so easily that it was as if any one could do it who tried. - [29](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/142/29/) — Even the violin and the bow appeared to perform independently of their master who guided them; it was as if soul and spirit had been breathed into the instrument, so the audience forgot the performer in the beautiful sounds he produced. - [30](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/142/30/) — Not so the poet; he remembered him, and named him, and wrote down his thoughts on the subject. " - [31](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/142/31/) — How foolish it would be for the violin and the bow to boast of their performance, and yet we men often commit that folly. - [32](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/142/32/) — The poet, the artist, the man of science in his laboratory, the general,--we all do it; and yet we are only the instruments which the Almighty uses; to Him alone the honor is due. - [33](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/142/33/) — We have nothing of ourselves of which we should be proud." - [34](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/142/34/) — Yes, this is what the poet wrote down. - [35](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/142/35/) — He wrote it in the form of a parable, and called it "The Master and the Instruments." - [36](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/142/36/) — "That is what you have got, madam," said the pen to the inkstand, when the two were alone again. " - [37](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/142/37/) — Did you hear him read aloud what I had written down?" - [38](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/142/38/) — "Yes, what I gave you to write," retorted the inkstand. " - [39](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/142/39/) — That was a cut at you because of your conceit. - [40](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/142/40/) — To think that you could not understand that you were being quizzed. - [41](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/142/41/) — I gave you a cut from within me. - [42](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/142/42/) — Surely I must know my own satire." - [43](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/142/43/) — "Ink-pitcher!" cried the pen. - [44](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/142/44/) — "Writing-stick!" retorted the inkstand. - [45](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/142/45/) — And each of them felt satisfied that he had given a good answer. - [46](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/142/46/) — It is pleasing to be convinced that you have settled a matter by your reply; it is something to make you sleep well, and they both slept well upon it. - [47](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/142/47/) — But the poet did not sleep. - [48](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/142/48/) — Thoughts rose up within him like the tones of the violin, falling like pearls, or rushing like the strong wind through the forest. - [49](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/142/49/) — He understood his own heart in these thoughts; they were as a ray from the mind of the Great Master of all minds. - [50](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/142/50/) — "To Him be all the honor." - ← previous: [The Pea Blossom](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/141/) - next →: [The Philosopher's Stone](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/143/) - ↑ back to [Fairy Tales of Hans Christian Andersen](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/)