---
title: Canst thou not tell me then, dear father, how I may recover my son?"… — Cossack Fairy Tales and Folk Tales · tree and pragmatics
description: Canst thou not tell me then, dear father, how I may recover my son?"--"Yes, I can," said the old man.--"Then prythee tell me, darling father, and I'll pray for thee to God all my life, for though he has not been much of a son to me, he is still my own flesh and blood."--"Hearken, then!" said the old
---

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# Cossack Fairy Tales and Folk Tales, Oh: the Tsar of the Forest, sentence 75

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Canst thou not tell me then, dear father, how I may recover my son?"--"Yes, I can," said the old man.--"Then prythee tell me, darling father, and I'll pray for thee to God all my life, for though he has not been much of a son to me, he is still my own flesh and blood."--"Hearken, then!" said the old man; "when thou dost go to Oh, he will let loose a multitude of doves before thee, but choose not one of these doves.

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** thou, I, old man, prythee, son, own flesh · **What happens:** not tell, recover, say, tell, pray, have · **To what, where:** me, son, life, darling father, God, own flesh · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is a sentence of «Cossack Fairy Tales and Folk Tales», Oh: the Tsar of the Forest. The page gives its syntax tree — a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies — and its pragmatics clause by clause: who acts (thou, I, old man, prythee), 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:pg29672:2:75
# text = Canst thou not tell me then, dear father, how I may recover my son?"--"Yes, I can," said the old man.--"Then prythee tell me, darling father, and I'll pray for thee to God all my life, for though he has not been much of a son to me, he is still my own flesh and blood."--"Hearken, then!" said the old man; "when thou dost go to Oh, he will let loose a multitude of doves before thee, but choose not one of these doves.
1	Canst	can	AUX	MD	Style=Arch|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
2	thou	thou	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=2|PronType=Prs|Style=Arch	4	nsubj	_	_
3	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	4	advmod	_	_
4	tell	tell	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	me	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	4	iobj	_	_
6	then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	4	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
8	dear	dear	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	father	father	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
11	how	how	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	14	advmod	_	_
12	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	14	nsubj	_	_
13	may	may	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	14	aux	_	_
14	recover	recover	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	9	conj	_	_
15	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	16	nmod:poss	_	_
16	son	son	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	14	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	14	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	--	--	PUNCT	,	_	27	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	24	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	Yes	yes	INTJ	UH	Polarity=Pos	24	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	21	punct	_	_
23	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	24	nsubj	_	_
24	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	27	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
25	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	24	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
26	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	24	punct	_	_
27	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	14	parataxis	_	_
28	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	30	det	_	_
29	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	30	amod	_	_
30	man	man	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	27	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
31	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	27	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
32	--	--	PUNCT	,	_	36	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
33	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	36	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
34	Then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	36	advmod	_	_
35	prythee	prythee	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	36	nsubj	_	_
36	tell	tell	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	27	ccomp	_	_
37	me	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	36	iobj	_	SpaceAfter=No
38	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	40	punct	_	_
39	darling	darling	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	40	amod	_	_
40	father	father	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	36	iobj	_	SpaceAfter=No
41	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	45	punct	_	_
42	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	45	cc	_	_
43	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	45	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
44	'll	will	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	45	aux	_	_
45	pray	pray	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	36	conj	_	_
46	for	for	ADP	IN	_	47	case	_	_
47	thee	thou	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=2|PronType=Prs|Style=Arch	45	obl	_	_
48	to	to	ADP	IN	_	49	case	_	_
49	God	God	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	45	obl	_	_
50	all	all	DET	PDT	PronType=Tot	52	det:predet	_	_
51	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	52	nmod:poss	_	_
52	life	life	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	36	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
53	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	57	punct	_	_
54	for	for	SCONJ	IN	_	57	mark	_	_
55	though	though	SCONJ	IN	_	57	mark	_	_
56	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	57	nsubj	_	_
57	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	36	parataxis	_	_
58	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	60	advmod	_	_
59	been	be	AUX	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	60	cop	_	_
60	much	much	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	57	obj	_	_
61	of	of	ADP	IN	_	63	case	_	_
62	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	63	det	_	_
63	son	son	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	60	nmod	_	_
64	to	to	ADP	IN	_	65	case	_	_
65	me	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	63	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
66	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	72	punct	_	_
67	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	72	nsubj	_	_
68	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	72	cop	_	_
69	still	still	ADV	RB	_	72	advmod	_	_
70	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	72	nmod:poss	_	_
71	own	own	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	72	amod	_	_
72	flesh	flesh	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	84	nsubj	_	_
73	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	74	cc	_	_
74	blood	blood	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	72	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
75	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	74	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
76	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	74	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
77	--	--	PUNCT	,	_	79	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
78	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	79	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
79	Hearken	Hearken	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	72	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
80	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	81	punct	_	_
81	then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	72	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
82	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	81	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
83	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	72	punct	_	_
84	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	60	acl	_	_
85	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	87	det	_	_
86	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	87	amod	_	_
87	man	man	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	84	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
88	;	;	PUNCT	,	_	92	punct	_	_
89	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	92	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
90	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	92	advmod	_	_
91	thou	thou	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=2|PronType=Prs|Style=Arch	92	nsubj	_	_
92	dost	do	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Style=Arch|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	57	parataxis	_	_
93	go	go	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	92	ccomp	_	_
94	to	to	ADP	IN	_	93	obl	_	_
95	Oh	oh	INTJ	UH	_	99	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
96	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	95	punct	_	_
97	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	99	nsubj	_	_
98	will	will	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	99	aux	_	_
99	let	let	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	92	conj	_	_
100	loose	lose	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	99	xcomp	_	_
101	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	102	det	_	_
102	multitude	multitude	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	100	obj	_	_
103	of	of	ADP	IN	_	104	case	_	_
104	doves	dove	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	102	nmod	_	_
105	before	before	ADP	IN	_	106	case	_	_
106	thee	thou	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=2|PronType=Prs|Style=Arch	100	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
107	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	109	punct	_	_
108	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	109	cc	_	_
109	choose	choose	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	99	conj	_	_
110	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	109	advmod	_	_
111	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	109	obj	_	_
112	of	of	ADP	IN	_	114	case	_	_
113	these	this	DET	DT	Number=Plur|PronType=Dem	114	det	_	_
114	doves	dove	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	111	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
115	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

## Pragmatics {#pragmatics}

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **tell** *speech: assert* | can | thou |  | me |  | then |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent i=Recipient |
| 2 | **recover** | may | I | my son |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **say** *speech: assert* *in a quote* | past | the old man |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 4 | **tell** *speech: assert* | infinitive | prythee | my life | darling father |  | then |  | tree rules |
| 5 | **pray** | future | I |  | God |  |  | for thee | vn long-32.2 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Pivot for thou=Theme |
| 6 | **have** | present | son |  |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 7 | **not** **is** | participle |  |  |  |  |  | of a son to me; much *property* | tree rules |
| 8 | **is a** | present | son | my own flesh and blood and Hearken |  |  | still; then |  | tree rules |
| 9 | **say** *speech: assert* *in a quote* | past | my own flesh and blood and Hearken |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |
| 10 | **do** | present | thou |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 11 | **go** | infinitive | thou *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn disappearance-48.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 12 | **let** | future | son |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 13 | **lose** | infinitive | son *not said here* | a multitude of doves |  |  | before thee |  | vn succeed-74-3-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent multitude=Eventuality |
| 14 | **not** **choose** | infinitive | son *not said here* | one of this doves |  |  |  |  | vn get-13.5.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent one=Theme |

<!-- .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:** «Cossack Fairy Tales and Folk Tales», Project Gutenberg book 29672 (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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