--- title: The Snail and the Rose-tree — Fairy Tales of Hans Christian Andersen · full text with trees description: The Snail and the Rose-tree, «Fairy Tales of Hans Christian Andersen» by H. C. Andersen: the whole chapter, every sentence with its dependency tree and pragmatics. It begins: Round about the garden ran a hedge of hazel-bushes; beyond the hedge were fields and meadows with cows and sheep; but in the --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/157/) [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 Snail and the Rose-tree # The Snail and the Rose-tree The Snail and the Rose-tree of «Fairy Tales of Hans Christian Andersen» by H. C. Andersen: the whole text, 65 sentences and 882 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/pg27200/157/1/) — Round about the garden ran a hedge of hazel-bushes; beyond the hedge were fields and meadows with cows and sheep; but in the middle of the garden stood a Rose-tree in bloom, under which sat a Snail, whose shell contained a great deal--that is, himself. - [2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/157/2/) — "Only wait till my time comes," he said; "I shall do more than grow roses, bear nuts, or give milk, like the hazel-bush, the cows and the sheep." - [3](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/157/3/) — "I expect a great deal from you," said the rose-tree. " - [4](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/157/4/) — May I ask when it will appear?" - [5](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/157/5/) — "I take my time," said the snail. " - [6](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/157/6/) — You're always in such a hurry. - [7](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/157/7/) — That does not excite expectation." - [8](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/157/8/) — The following year the snail lay in almost the same spot, in the sunshine under the rose-tree, which was again budding and bearing roses as fresh and beautiful as ever. - [9](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/157/9/) — The snail crept half out of his shell, stretched out his horns, and drew them in again. - [10](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/157/10/) — "Everything is just as it was last year! - [11](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/157/11/) — No progress at all; the rose-tree sticks to its roses and gets no farther." - [12](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/157/12/) — The summer and the autumn passed; the rose-tree bore roses and buds till the snow fell and the weather became raw and wet; then it bent down its head, and the snail crept into the ground. - [13](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/157/13/) — A new year began; the roses made their appearance, and the snail made his too. - [14](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/157/14/) — "You are an old rose-tree now," said the snail. " - [15](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/157/15/) — You must make haste and die. - [16](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/157/16/) — You have given the world all that you had in you; whether it was of much importance is a question that I have not had time to think about. - [17](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/157/17/) — But this much is clear and plain, that you have not done the least for your inner development, or you would have produced something else. - [18](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/157/18/) — Have you anything to say in defence? - [19](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/157/19/) — You will now soon be nothing but a stick. - [20](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/157/20/) — Do you understand what I say?" - [21](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/157/21/) — "You frighten me," said the rose--tree. " - [22](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/157/22/) — I have never thought of that." - [23](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/157/23/) — "No, you have never taken the trouble to think at all. - [24](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/157/24/) — Have you ever given yourself an account why you bloomed, and how your blooming comes about--why just in that way and in no other?" - [25](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/157/25/) — "No," said the rose-tree. " - [26](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/157/26/) — I bloom in gladness, because I cannot do otherwise. - [27](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/157/27/) — The sun shone and warmed me, and the air refreshed me; I drank the clear dew and the invigorating rain. - [28](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/157/28/) — I breathed and I lived! - [29](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/157/29/) — Out of the earth there arose a power within me, whilst from above I also received strength; I felt an ever-renewed and ever-increasing happiness, and therefore I was obliged to go on blooming. - [30](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/157/30/) — That was my life; I could not do otherwise." - [31](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/157/31/) — "You have led a very easy life," remarked the snail. - [32](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/157/32/) — "Certainly. - [33](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/157/33/) — Everything was given me," said the rose-tree. " - [34](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/157/34/) — But still more was given to you. - [35](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/157/35/) — Yours is one of those deep-thinking natures, one of those highly gifted minds that astonishes the world." - [36](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/157/36/) — "I have not the slightest intention of doing so," said the snail. " - [37](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/157/37/) — The world is nothing to me. - [38](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/157/38/) — What have I to do with the world? - [39](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/157/39/) — I have enough to do with myself, and enough in myself." - [40](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/157/40/) — "But must we not all here on earth give up our best parts to others, and offer as much as lies in our power? - [41](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/157/41/) — It is true, I have only given roses. - [42](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/157/42/) — But you--you who are so richly endowed--what have you given to the world? - [43](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/157/43/) — What will you give it?" - [44](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/157/44/) — "What have I given? - [45](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/157/45/) — What am I going to give? - [46](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/157/46/) — I spit at it; it's good for nothing, and does not concern me. - [47](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/157/47/) — For my part, you may go on bearing roses; you cannot do anything else. - [48](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/157/48/) — Let the hazel bush bear nuts, and the cows and sheep give milk; they have each their public. - [49](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/157/49/) — I have mine in myself. - [50](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/157/50/) — I retire within myself and there I stop. - [51](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/157/51/) — The world is nothing to me." - [52](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/157/52/) — With this the snail withdrew into his house and blocked up the entrance. - [53](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/157/53/) — "That's very sad," said the rose tree. " - [54](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/157/54/) — I cannot creep into myself, however much I might wish to do so; I have to go on bearing roses. - [55](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/157/55/) — Then they drop their leaves, which are blown away by the wind. - [56](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/157/56/) — But I once saw how a rose was laid in the mistress's hymn-book, and how one of my roses found a place in the bosom of a young beautiful girl, and how another was kissed by the lips of a child in the glad joy of life. - [57](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/157/57/) — That did me good; it was a real blessing. - [58](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/157/58/) — Those are my recollections, my life." - [59](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/157/59/) — And the rose tree went on blooming in innocence, while the snail lay idling in his house--the world was nothing to him. - [60](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/157/60/) — Years passed by. - [61](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/157/61/) — The snail had turned to earth in the earth, and the rose tree too. - [62](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/157/62/) — Even the souvenir rose in the hymn-book was faded, but in the garden there were other rose trees and other snails. - [63](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/157/63/) — The latter crept into their houses and spat at the world, for it did not concern them. - [64](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/157/64/) — Shall we read the story all over again? - [65](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/157/65/) — It will be just the same. - ← previous: [A Rose From Homer's Grave](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/156/) - next →: [A Story From the Sand-hills, part 1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/158/) - ↑ back to [Fairy Tales of Hans Christian Andersen](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/)