--- title: How the Alphabet Was Made — Just so stories · full text with trees · page 2 description: How the Alphabet Was Made, «Just so stories» by Rudyard Kipling: the whole chapter, every sentence with its dependency tree and pragmatics. It begins: THE week after Taffimai Metallumai (we will still call her Taffy, Best Beloved) made that little mistake about her Daddy’s spear and the Stranger-man --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/page/2/) [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/) / [Just so stories](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/) / How the Alphabet Was Made # How the Alphabet Was Made · page 2 [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/) **2** [3](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/page/3/) [4](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/page/4/) - [101](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/101/) — When you draw a hissy-snake by the door of your little back-cave where you mend the spears, I’ll know you’re thinking hard; and I’ll come in most mousy-quiet. - [102](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/102/) — And if you draw it on a tree by the river when you are fishing, I’ll know you want me to walk most most mousy-quiet, so as not to shake the banks.’ - [103](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/103/) — ‘Perfectly true,’ said Tegumai. - [104](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/104/) — And there’s more in this game than you think. - [105](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/105/) — Taffy, dear, I’ve a notion that your Daddy’s daughter has hit upon the finest thing that there ever was since the Tribe of Tegumai took to using shark’s teeth instead of flints for their spear-heads. - [106](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/106/) — I believe we’ve found out the big secret of the world.’ - [107](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/107/) — ‘Why?’ said Taffy, and her eyes shone too with incitement. - [108](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/108/) — ‘I’ll show,’ said her Daddy. - [109](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/109/) — ‘What’s water in the Tegumai language?’ - [110](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/110/) — ‘Ya, of course, and it means river too--like Wagai-ya--the Wagai river.’ - [111](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/111/) — ‘What is bad water that gives you fever if you drink it--black water--swamp-water?’ - [112](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/112/) — ‘Yo, of course.’ - [113](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/113/) — ‘Now look,’ said her Daddy. - [114](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/114/) — ‘S’pose you saw this scratched by the side of a pool in the beaver-swamp?’ - [115](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/115/) — And he drew this. - [116](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/116/) — (8.) - [117](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/117/) — ‘Carp-tail and round egg. - [118](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/118/) — Two noises mixed! - [119](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/119/) — Yo, bad water,’ said Taffy. - [120](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/120/) — ‘’Course I wouldn’t drink that water because I’d know you said it was bad.’ - [121](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/121/) — ‘But I needn’t be near the water at all. - [122](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/122/) — I might be miles away, hunting, and still--’ - [123](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/123/) — ‘And still it would be just the same as if you stood there and said, “G’way, Taffy, or you’ll get fever.” - [124](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/124/) — All that in a carp-fish-tail and a round egg! - [125](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/125/) — O Daddy, we must tell Mummy, quick!’ and Taffy danced all round him. - [126](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/126/) — ‘Not yet,’ said Tegumai; ‘not till we’ve gone a little further. - [127](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/127/) — Let’s see. - [128](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/128/) — Yo is bad water, but So is food cooked on the fire, isn’t it?’ - [129](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/129/) — And he drew this. - [130](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/130/) — (9.) - [131](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/131/) — ‘Yes. - [132](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/132/) — Snake and egg,’ said Taffy ‘So that means dinner’s ready. - [133](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/133/) — If you saw that scratched on a tree you’d know it was time to come to the Cave. - [134](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/134/) — So’d I.’ - [135](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/135/) — ‘My Winkie!’ said Tegumai. - [136](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/136/) — ‘That’s true too. - [137](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/137/) — But wait a minute. - [138](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/138/) — I see a difficulty. - [139](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/139/) — SO means “come and have dinner,” but sho means the drying-poles where we hang our hides.’ - [140](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/140/) — ‘Horrid old drying-poles!’ said Taffy. - [141](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/141/) — ‘I hate helping to hang heavy, hot, hairy hides on them. - [142](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/142/) — If you drew the snake and egg, and I thought it meant dinner, and I came in from the wood and found that it meant I was to help Mummy hang the two hides on the drying-poles, what would I do?’ - [143](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/143/) — ‘You’d be cross. - [144](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/144/) — So’d Mummy. - [145](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/145/) — We must make a new picture for sho. - [146](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/146/) — We must draw a spotty snake that hisses sh-sh, and we’ll play that the plain snake only hisses ssss.’ - [147](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/147/) — ‘I couldn’t be sure how to put in the spots,’ said Taffy. - [148](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/148/) — ‘And p’raps if you were in a hurry you might leave them out, and I’d think it was so when it was sho, and then Mummy would catch me just the same. - [149](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/149/) — No! - [150](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/150/) — I think we’d better draw a picture of the horrid high drying-poles their very selves, and make quite sure. - [151](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/151/) — I’ll put them in just after the hissy-snake. - [152](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/152/) — Look!’ - [153](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/153/) — And she drew this. - [154](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/154/) — (10.) - [155](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/155/) — ‘P’raps that’s safest. - [156](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/156/) — It’s very like our drying-poles, anyhow,’ said her Daddy, laughing. - [157](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/157/) — ‘Now I’ll make a new noise with a snake and drying-pole sound in it. - [158](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/158/) — I’ll say shi. - [159](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/159/) — That’s Tegumai for spear, Taffy.’ - [160](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/160/) — And he laughed. - [161](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/161/) — ‘Don’t make fun of me,’ said Taffy, as she thought of her picture-letter and the mud in the Stranger-man’s hair. - [162](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/162/) — ‘You draw it, Daddy.’ - [163](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/163/) — ‘We won’t have beavers or hills this time, eh?’ said her Daddy, ‘I’ll just draw a straight line for my spear.’ and he drew this. - [164](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/164/) — (11.) - [165](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/165/) — ‘Even Mummy couldn’t mistake that for me being killed.’ - [166](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/166/) — ‘Please don’t, Daddy. - [167](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/167/) — It makes me uncomfy. - [168](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/168/) — Do some more noises. - [169](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/169/) — We’re getting on beautifully.’ - [170](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/170/) — ‘Er-hm!’ said Tegumai, looking up. - [171](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/171/) — ‘We’ll say shu. - [172](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/172/) — That means sky.’ - [173](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/173/) — Taffy drew the snake and the drying-pole. - [174](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/174/) — Then she stopped. - [175](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/175/) — ‘We must make a new picture for that end sound, mustn’t we?’ - [176](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/176/) — ‘Shu-shu-u-u-u!’ said her Daddy. - [177](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/177/) — ‘Why, it’s just like the round-egg-sound made thin.’ - [178](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/178/) — ‘Then s’pose we draw a thin round egg, and pretend it’s a frog that hasn’t eaten anything for years.’ - [179](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/179/) — ‘N-no,’ said her Daddy. - [180](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/180/) — ‘If we drew that in a hurry we might mistake it for the round egg itself. - [181](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/181/) — Shu-shu-shu! - [182](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/182/) — ‘I tell you what we’ll do. - [183](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/183/) — We’ll open a little hole at the end of the round egg to show how the O-noise runs out all thin, ooo-oo-oo. - [184](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/184/) — Like this.’ - [185](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/185/) — And he drew this. - [186](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/186/) — (12.) - [187](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/187/) — ‘Oh, that’s lovely! - [188](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/188/) — Much better than a thin frog. - [189](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/189/) — Go on,’ said Taffy, using her shark’s tooth. - [190](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/190/) — Her Daddy went on drawing, and his hand shook with incitement. - [191](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/191/) — He went on till he had drawn this. - [192](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/192/) — (13.) - [193](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/193/) — ‘Don’t look up, Taffy,’ he said. - [194](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/194/) — ‘Try if you can make out what that means in the Tegumai language. - [195](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/195/) — If you can, we’ve found the Secret.’ - [196](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/196/) — ‘Snake--pole--broken--egg--carp--tail and carp-mouth,’ said Taffy. - [197](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/197/) — ‘Shu-ya. - [198](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/198/) — Sky-water (rain).’ - [199](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/199/) — Just then a drop fell on her hand, for the day had clouded over. - [200](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/200/) — ‘Why, Daddy, it’s raining. [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/) **2** [3](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/page/3/) [4](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/10/page/4/) - ← previous: [How the First Letter Was Written](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/9/) - next →: [The Crab That Played With the Sea](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/11/) - ↑ back to [Just so stories](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/)