--- title: Then the Bi-Coloured-Python-Rock-Snake came down from the bank, and… — Just so stories · tree and pragmatics description: Then the Bi-Coloured-Python-Rock-Snake came down from the bank, and knotted himself in a double-clove-hitch round the Elephant’s Child’s hind legs, and said, ‘Rash and inexperienced traveller, we will now seriously devote ourselves to a little high tension, because if we do not, it is my impression --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/6/52/) [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/) / [The Elephant’s Child](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/6/) / 52 # Just so stories, The Elephant’s Child, sentence 52 Then the Bi-Coloured-Python-Rock-Snake came down from the bank, and knotted himself in a double-clove-hitch round the Elephant’s Child’s hind legs, and said, ‘Rash and inexperienced traveller, we will now seriously devote ourselves to a little high tension, because if we do not, it is my impression that yonder self-propelling man-of-war with the armour-plated upper deck’ (and by this, O Best Beloved, he meant the Crocodile), ‘will permanently vitiate your future career. **Who acts:** Bi Coloured Rock Snake, we, tension, impression, Child · **What happens:** come down, knot, say, devote, not do, be · **To what, where:** bank, Snake, double clove hitch, Rash, ourselves, little high tension · **Speech:** someone speaks here 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 (Bi Coloured Rock Snake, we, tension, impression), what happens, when and where, as Mova's frames read it from the tree. **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:pg2781:6:52 # text = Then the Bi-Coloured-Python-Rock-Snake came down from the bank, and knotted himself in a double-clove-hitch round the Elephant’s Child’s hind legs, and said, ‘Rash and inexperienced traveller, we will now seriously devote ourselves to a little high tension, because if we do not, it is my impression that yonder self-propelling man-of-war with the armour-plated upper deck’ (and by this, O Best Beloved, he meant the Crocodile), ‘will permanently vitiate your future career. 1 Then then ADV RB PronType=Dem 12 advmod _ _ 2 the the DET DT Definite=Def|PronType=Art 11 det _ _ 3 Bi bi ADJ JJ Degree=Pos 11 amod _ SpaceAfter=No 4 - - PUNCT HYPH _ 3 punct _ SpaceAfter=No 5 Coloured coloured ADJ JJ Degree=Pos 11 amod _ SpaceAfter=No 6 - - PUNCT HYPH _ 7 punct _ SpaceAfter=No 7 Python python NOUN NN Number=Sing 9 compound _ SpaceAfter=No 8 - - PUNCT HYPH _ 7 punct _ SpaceAfter=No 9 Rock rock NOUN NN Number=Sing 11 compound _ SpaceAfter=No 10 - - PUNCT HYPH _ 9 punct _ SpaceAfter=No 11 Snake snake NOUN NN Number=Sing 12 nsubj _ _ 12 came come VERB VBD Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin 0 root _ _ 13 down down ADV RB _ 12 advmod _ _ 14 from from ADP IN _ 16 case _ _ 15 the the DET DT Definite=Def|PronType=Art 16 det _ _ 16 bank bank NOUN NN Number=Sing 12 obl _ SpaceAfter=No 17 , , PUNCT , _ 19 punct _ _ 18 and and CCONJ CC _ 19 cc _ _ 19 knotted knot VERB VBD Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin 12 conj _ _ 20 himself himself PRON PRP Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs|Reflex=Yes 19 obj _ _ 21 in in ADP IN _ 27 case _ _ 22 a a DET DT Definite=Ind|PronType=Art 27 det _ _ 23 double double ADJ JJ Degree=Pos 27 amod _ SpaceAfter=No 24 - - PUNCT HYPH _ 23 punct _ SpaceAfter=No 25 clove clove NOUN NN Number=Sing 27 compound _ SpaceAfter=No 26 - - PUNCT HYPH _ 25 punct _ SpaceAfter=No 27 hitch hitch NOUN NN Number=Sing 19 obl _ _ 28 round round ADP IN _ 35 case _ _ 29 the the DET DT Definite=Def|PronType=Art 30 det _ _ 30 Elephant Elephant PROPN NNP Number=Sing 32 nmod:poss _ SpaceAfter=No 31 ’s 's PART POS _ 30 case _ _ 32 Child child NOUN NN Number=Sing 35 nmod:poss _ SpaceAfter=No 33 ’s 's PART POS _ 32 case _ _ 34 hind hind ADJ JJ Degree=Pos 35 amod _ _ 35 legs leg NOUN NNS Number=Plur 19 obl _ SpaceAfter=No 36 , , PUNCT , _ 38 punct _ _ 37 and and CCONJ CC _ 38 cc _ _ 38 said say VERB VBD Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin 12 conj _ SpaceAfter=No 39 , , PUNCT , _ 41 punct _ _ 40 ‘ ' PUNCT `` _ 41 punct _ SpaceAfter=No 41 Rash rash NOUN NN Number=Sing 38 obj _ _ 42 and and CCONJ CC _ 44 cc _ _ 43 inexperienced inexperienced ADJ JJ Degree=Pos 44 amod _ _ 44 traveller traveller NOUN NN Number=Sing 41 conj _ SpaceAfter=No 45 , , PUNCT , _ 50 punct _ _ 46 we we PRON PRP Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs 50 nsubj _ _ 47 will will AUX MD VerbForm=Fin 50 aux _ _ 48 now now ADV RB PronType=Dem 50 advmod _ _ 49 seriously seriously ADV RB _ 50 advmod _ _ 50 devote devote VERB VB VerbForm=Inf 12 conj _ _ 51 ourselves ourselves PRON PRP Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs|Reflex=Yes 50 obj _ _ 52 to to ADP IN _ 56 case _ _ 53 a a DET DT Definite=Ind|PronType=Art 56 det _ _ 54 little little ADJ JJ Degree=Pos 56 amod _ _ 55 high high ADJ JJ Degree=Pos 56 amod _ _ 56 tension tension NOUN NN Number=Sing 50 obl _ SpaceAfter=No 57 , , PUNCT , _ 67 punct _ _ 58 because because SCONJ IN _ 67 mark _ _ 59 if if SCONJ IN _ 61 mark _ _ 60 we we PRON PRP Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs 61 nsubj _ _ 61 do do VERB VBP Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin 67 advcl _ _ 62 not not PART RB Polarity=Neg 61 advmod _ SpaceAfter=No 63 , , PUNCT , _ 61 punct _ _ 64 it it PRON PRP Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs 67 nsubj _ _ 65 is be AUX VBZ Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin 67 cop _ _ 66 my my PRON PRP$ Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs 67 nmod:poss _ _ 67 impression impression NOUN NN Number=Sing 50 obl _ _ 68 that that PRON WDT PronType=Rel 72 nsubj _ _ 69 yonder yonder ADV RB _ 72 advmod _ _ 70 self self NOUN NN Number=Sing 72 compound _ SpaceAfter=No 71 - - PUNCT HYPH _ 70 punct _ SpaceAfter=No 72 propelling propel VERB VBG Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part 67 acl:relcl _ _ 73 man man NOUN NN Number=Sing 77 nsubj _ SpaceAfter=No 74 - - PUNCT HYPH _ 77 punct _ SpaceAfter=No 75 of of ADP IN _ 77 case _ SpaceAfter=No 76 - - PUNCT HYPH _ 75 punct _ SpaceAfter=No 77 war war NOUN NN Number=Sing 72 ccomp _ _ 78 with with ADP IN _ 84 case _ _ 79 the the DET DT Definite=Def|PronType=Art 84 det _ _ 80 armour armour NOUN NN Number=Sing 82 compound _ SpaceAfter=No 81 - - PUNCT HYPH _ 80 punct _ SpaceAfter=No 82 plated plate VERB VBN Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass 84 amod _ _ 83 upper upper ADJ JJ Degree=Pos 84 amod _ _ 84 deck deck NOUN NN Number=Sing 77 nmod _ SpaceAfter=No 85 ’ ' PUNCT '' _ 77 punct _ _ 86 ( ( PUNCT -LRB- _ 89 punct _ SpaceAfter=No 87 and and CCONJ CC _ 89 cc _ _ 88 by by ADP IN _ 89 case _ _ 89 this this PRON DT Number=Sing|PronType=Dem 72 obl _ SpaceAfter=No 90 , , PUNCT , _ 93 punct _ _ 91 O o INTJ UH _ 93 vocative _ _ 92 Best good ADJ JJS Degree=Sup 93 amod _ _ 93 Beloved Beloved PROPN NNP Number=Sing 72 obl _ SpaceAfter=No 94 , , PUNCT , _ 96 punct _ _ 95 he he PRON PRP Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs 96 nsubj _ _ 96 meant mean VERB VBD Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin 12 parataxis _ _ 97 the the DET DT Definite=Def|PronType=Art 98 det _ _ 98 Crocodile Crocodile PROPN NNP Number=Sing 96 obj _ SpaceAfter=No 99 ) ) PUNCT -RRB- _ 98 punct _ SpaceAfter=No 100 , , PUNCT , _ 104 punct _ _ 101 ‘ ' PUNCT `` _ 104 punct _ SpaceAfter=No 102 will will AUX MD VerbForm=Fin 104 aux _ _ 103 permanently permanently ADV RB _ 104 advmod _ _ 104 vitiate vitiate VERB VB VerbForm=Inf 96 conj _ _ 105 your your PRON PRP$ Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs 107 nmod:poss _ _ 106 future future NOUN NN Number=Sing 107 compound _ _ 107 career career NOUN NN Number=Sing 104 obj _ SpaceAfter=No 108 . . PUNCT . _ 12 punct _ _ ``` ## Pragmatics {#pragmatics} | # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | **come down** | past | the Bi Coloured Rock Snake | | | the bank | then | down *property* | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V PP.initial\_location»: agent=Theme from bank=Initial\_Location | | 2 | **knot** | past | the Bi Coloured Rock Snake *not said here* | Snake | | a double clove hitch | | round the Elephant's Child's hind legs | vn tape-22.4 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent himself=Patient | | 3 | **say** *speech: assert* | past | the Bi Coloured Rock Snake *not said here* | Rash and inexperienced traveller | | | | | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP.topic»: agent=Agent rash=Topic | | 4 | **devote** | future | we | ourselves | | | now | to a little high tension *goal*; seriously *property* | vn dedicate-79 «NP V NP S\_ING»: agent=Agent ourselves=Theme to tension=Goal | | 5 | **not** **do** *a condition, not said to happen* | present | we | | | | | | vn act-114-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent | | 6 | **is a** | present | tension | my impression | | | | | tree rules | | 7 | **propel** | gerund | my impression | Best Beloved | | | | by this; yonder *property* | tree rules | | 8 | **plate** | participle | | | | | | | vn fill-9.8 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme | | 9 | **mean** | past | Child | the Crocodile | | | | | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent crocodile=Topic | | 10 | **vitiate** | future | Child *not said here* | your future career | | | | permanently *property* | tree rules | 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. **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. - ← previous: [sentence 51](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/6/51/) - next →: [sentence 53](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/6/53/) - ↑ back to [The Elephant’s Child](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2781/6/)