---
title: ‘’Scuse me,’ said the Elephant’s Child most politely, ‘but my father… — Just so stories · tree and pragmatics
description: ‘’Scuse me,’ said the Elephant’s Child most politely, ‘but my father has spanked me, my mother has spanked me, not to mention my tall aunt, the Ostrich, and my tall uncle, the Giraffe, who can kick ever so hard, as well as my broad aunt, the Hippopotamus, and my hairy uncle, the Baboon, and includin
---

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# Just so stories, The Elephant’s Child, sentence 37

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‘’Scuse me,’ said the Elephant’s Child most politely, ‘but my father has spanked me, my mother has spanked me, not to mention my tall aunt, the Ostrich, and my tall uncle, the Giraffe, who can kick ever so hard, as well as my broad aunt, the Hippopotamus, and my hairy uncle, the Baboon, and including the Bi-Coloured-Python-Rock-Snake, with the scalesome, flailsome tail, just up the bank, who spanks harder than any of them; and so, if it’s quite all the same to you, I don’t want to be spanked any more.’

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**Who acts:** father, tall uncle, bank, I, Coloured Python Rock Snake · **What happens:** scuse, say, spank, not mention, kick, include · **To what, where:** me, hairy uncle, mother, tall aunt, broad aunt, Coloured Python Rock Snake · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is a sentence of «Just so stories» by Rudyard Kipling, The Elephant’s Child. The page gives its syntax tree — a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies — and its pragmatics clause by clause: who acts (father, tall uncle, bank, I), 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:pg2781:6:37
# text = ‘’Scuse me,’ said the Elephant’s Child most politely, ‘but my father has spanked me, my mother has spanked me, not to mention my tall aunt, the Ostrich, and my tall uncle, the Giraffe, who can kick ever so hard, as well as my broad aunt, the Hippopotamus, and my hairy uncle, the Baboon, and including the Bi-Coloured-Python-Rock-Snake, with the scalesome, flailsome tail, just up the bank, who spanks harder than any of them; and so, if it’s quite all the same to you, I don’t want to be spanked any more.’
1	‘’	‘'	PUNCT	``	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Scuse	scuse	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	ccomp	_	_
3	me	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	’	'	PUNCT	''	_	2	punct	_	_
6	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	Elephant	Elephant	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	10	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	’s	's	PART	POS	_	8	case	_	_
10	Child	child	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	ccomp	_	_
11	most	most	ADV	RBS	Degree=Sup	12	advmod	_	_
12	politely	politely	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	19	punct	_	_
14	‘	'	PUNCT	``	_	19	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	19	cc	_	_
16	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	17	nmod:poss	_	_
17	father	father	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	19	nsubj	_	_
18	has	have	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	19	aux	_	_
19	spanked	spank	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	6	conj	_	_
20	me	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	19	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	25	punct	_	_
22	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	23	nmod:poss	_	_
23	mother	mother	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	25	nsubj:pass	_	_
24	has	have	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	25	aux	_	_
25	spanked	spank	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	19	conj	_	_
26	me	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	25	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
27	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	30	punct	_	_
28	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	30	advmod	_	_
29	to	to	PART	TO	_	30	mark	_	_
30	mention	mention	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	25	conj	_	_
31	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	33	nmod:poss	_	_
32	tall	tall	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	33	amod	_	_
33	aunt	aunt	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	30	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
34	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	36	punct	_	_
35	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	36	det	_	_
36	Ostrich	Ostrich	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	33	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
37	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	48	punct	_	_
38	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	48	cc	_	_
39	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	41	nmod:poss	_	_
40	tall	tall	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	41	amod	_	_
41	uncle	uncle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	48	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
42	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	44	punct	_	_
43	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	44	det	_	_
44	Giraffe	Giraffe	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	41	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
45	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	48	punct	_	_
46	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	48	nsubj	_	_
47	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	48	aux	_	_
48	kick	kick	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	parataxis	_	_
49	ever	ever	ADV	RB	PronType=Ind	48	advmod	_	_
50	so	so	ADV	RB	_	51	advmod	_	_
51	hard	hard	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	48	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
52	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	58	punct	_	_
53	as	as	ADV	RB	ExtPos=CCONJ	58	cc	_	_
54	well	well	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	53	fixed	_	_
55	as	as	ADP	IN	_	53	fixed	_	_
56	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	58	nmod:poss	_	_
57	broad	broad	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	58	amod	_	_
58	aunt	aunt	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	48	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
59	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	61	punct	_	_
60	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	61	det	_	_
61	Hippopotamus	Hippopotamus	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	58	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
62	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	66	punct	_	_
63	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	66	cc	_	_
64	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	66	nmod:poss	_	_
65	hairy	hairy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	66	amod	_	_
66	uncle	uncle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
67	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	69	punct	_	_
68	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	69	det	_	_
69	Baboon	Baboon	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	66	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
70	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	82	punct	_	_
71	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	82	cc	_	_
72	including	include	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	82	case	_	_
73	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	82	det	_	_
74	Bi	bi	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	76	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
75	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	74	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
76	Coloured	coloured	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	82	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
77	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	76	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
78	Python	python	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	82	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
79	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	80	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
80	Rock	rock	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	82	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
81	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	80	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
82	Snake	snake	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	66	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
83	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	86	punct	_	_
84	with	with	ADP	IN	_	86	case	_	_
85	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	86	det	_	_
86	scalesome	scalesome	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	82	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
87	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	89	punct	_	_
88	flailsome	flailsome	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	89	amod	_	_
89	tail	tail	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	86	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
90	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	94	punct	_	_
91	just	just	ADV	RB	_	94	advmod	_	_
92	up	up	ADP	IN	_	94	case	_	_
93	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	94	det	_	_
94	bank	bank	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	86	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
95	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	97	punct	_	_
96	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	97	nsubj	_	_
97	spanks	spank	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	94	acl:relcl	_	_
98	harder	hard	ADV	RBR	Degree=Cmp	97	advmod	_	_
99	than	than	ADP	IN	_	100	case	_	_
100	any	any	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	98	obl	_	_
101	of	of	ADP	IN	_	102	case	_	_
102	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	100	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
103	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	105	punct	_	_
104	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	105	cc	_	_
105	so	so	ADV	RB	_	120	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
106	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	109	punct	_	_
107	if	if	SCONJ	IN	_	109	mark	_	_
108	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	109	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
109	’s	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	120	advcl	_	_
110	quite	quite	ADV	RB	_	111	advmod	_	_
111	all	all	DET	PDT	PronType=Tot	113	det:predet	_	_
112	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	113	det	_	_
113	same	same	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	109	obj	_	_
114	to	to	ADP	IN	_	115	case	_	_
115	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Person=2|PronType=Prs	109	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
116	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	120	punct	_	_
117	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	120	nsubj	_	_
118	do	do	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	120	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
119	n’t	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	120	advmod	_	_
120	want	want	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	82	acl:relcl	_	_
121	to	to	PART	TO	_	123	mark	_	_
122	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	123	aux:pass	_	_
123	spanked	spank	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	120	xcomp	_	_
124	any	any	ADV	RB	_	125	advmod	_	_
125	more	more	ADV	RBR	Degree=Cmp	123	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
126	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	120	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
127	’	'	PUNCT	''	_	120	punct	_	_
```

## Pragmatics {#pragmatics}

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **scuse** | infinitive |  | me |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **say** *speech: assert* | past |  | my hairy uncle and the Coloured Python Rock Snake and the scalesome |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **spank** | present · perfect | my father | me |  |  |  |  | vn spank-18.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent i=Patient |
| 4 | **spank** | present · perfect · passive |  | my mother |  |  |  |  | vn spank-18.3 «NP V NP ADJP»: subject=Patient i=Result |
| 5 | **not** **mention** *speech: other* | to-infinitive |  | my tall aunt |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP.topic»: agent=Agent aunt=Topic |
| 6 | **kick** | can | my tall uncle | my broad aunt |  |  | ever | hard *property* | vn split-23.2 «NP V apart»: agent=Patient |
| 7 | **include** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn involve-107.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 8 | **spank** | present | the bank |  |  |  |  | hard *property* | vn spank-18.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 9 | **not** **want** | present · do-support | I | the Coloured Python Rock Snake and the scalesome *not said here* |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 10 | **spank** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive · passive | the Coloured Python Rock Snake and the scalesome *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn spank-18.3 «NP V NP» |

<!-- .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:** «Just so stories» by Rudyard Kipling, Project Gutenberg book 2781 (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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