---
title: I say."--"Silence, wife," replied the husband; "that ram is not like… — Cossack Fairy Tales and Folk Tales · tree and pragmatics
description: I say."--"Silence, wife," replied the husband; "that ram is not like other rams, I tell thee."--"What sort is it, then?" asked his wife.--"Don't ask questions, but spread a cloth on the floor and keep thine eyes open."--"Why spread a cloth?" asked the wife.--"Why?" shrieked the man in a rage; "do wh
---

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# Cossack Fairy Tales and Folk Tales, The Story of the Wind, sentence 106

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
I say."--"Silence, wife," replied the husband; "that ram is not like other rams, I tell thee."--"What sort is it, then?" asked his wife.--"Don't ask questions, but spread a cloth on the floor and keep thine eyes open."--"Why spread a cloth?" asked the wife.--"Why?" shrieked the man in a rage; "do what I tell thee, and hold thy tongue."--But the wife said, "Alas, alas!

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** I, Silence, ram, other rams, questions, wife · **What happens:** say, reply, not be, tell, be, ask · **To what, where:** husband, thee, nonsense, wife, cloth, floor · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is a sentence of «Cossack Fairy Tales and Folk Tales», The Story of the Wind. The page gives its syntax tree — a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies — and its pragmatics clause by clause: who acts (I, Silence, ram, other rams), 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:pg29672:3:106
# text = I say."--"Silence, wife," replied the husband; "that ram is not like other rams, I tell thee."--"What sort is it, then?" asked his wife.--"Don't ask questions, but spread a cloth on the floor and keep thine eyes open."--"Why spread a cloth?" asked the wife.--"Why?" shrieked the man in a rage; "do what I tell thee, and hold thy tongue."--But the wife said, "Alas, alas!
1	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	say	say	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	--	--	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	Silence	silence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
9	wife	wife	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	7	punct	_	_
12	replied	reply	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	ccomp	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	husband	husband	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	;	;	PUNCT	,	_	26	punct	_	_
16	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	23	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	that	that	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	18	det	_	_
18	ram	ram	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	23	nsubj	_	_
19	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	23	cop	_	_
20	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	23	advmod	_	_
21	like	like	ADP	IN	_	23	case	_	_
22	other	other	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	23	amod	_	_
23	rams	ram	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	26	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	23	punct	_	_
25	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	26	nsubj	_	_
26	tell	tell	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	parataxis	_	_
27	thee	thou	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=2|PronType=Prs|Style=Arch	26	iobj	_	SpaceAfter=No
28	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	26	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
29	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	26	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
30	--	--	PUNCT	,	_	35	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
31	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	35	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
32	What	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	35	nsubj	_	_
33	sort	sort	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	35	nsubj	_	_
34	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	35	cop	_	_
35	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	26	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
36	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	40	punct	_	_
37	then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	40	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
38	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	37	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
39	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	40	punct	_	_
40	asked	ask	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
41	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	42	nmod:poss	_	_
42	wife	wife	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	40	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
43	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
44	--	--	PUNCT	,	_	48	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
45	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	48	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
46	Do	do	AUX	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	48	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
47	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	48	advmod	_	_
48	ask	ask	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	2	parataxis	_	_
49	questions	question	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	48	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
50	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	52	punct	_	_
51	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	52	cc	_	_
52	spread	spread	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	48	conj	_	_
53	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	54	det	_	_
54	cloth	cloth	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	52	obj	_	_
55	on	on	ADP	IN	_	57	case	_	_
56	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	57	det	_	_
57	floor	floor	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	52	obl	_	_
58	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	59	cc	_	_
59	keep	keep	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	48	conj	_	_
60	thine	thy	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs|Style=Arch	61	nmod:poss	_	_
61	eyes	eye	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	59	obj	_	_
62	open	open	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	59	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
63	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
64	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
65	--	--	PUNCT	,	_	68	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
66	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	68	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
67	Why	why	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	68	advmod	_	_
68	spread	spread	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	parataxis	_	_
69	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	70	det	_	_
70	cloth	cloth	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	68	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
71	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	68	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
72	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	68	punct	_	_
73	asked	ask	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	68	conj	_	_
74	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	75	det	_	_
75	wife	wife	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	73	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
76	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
77	--	--	PUNCT	,	_	79	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
78	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	79	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
79	Why	why	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	82	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
80	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	79	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
81	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	79	punct	_	_
82	shrieked	shriek	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	ccomp	_	_
83	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	84	det	_	_
84	man	man	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	82	obj	_	_
85	in	in	ADP	IN	_	87	case	_	_
86	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	87	det	_	_
87	rage	rage	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	84	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
88	;	;	PUNCT	,	_	90	punct	_	_
89	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	90	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
90	do	do	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	82	conj	_	_
91	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	90	obj	_	_
92	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	93	nsubj	_	_
93	tell	tell	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	91	acl:relcl	_	_
94	thee	thou	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=2|PronType=Prs|Style=Arch	93	iobj	_	SpaceAfter=No
95	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	97	punct	_	_
96	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	97	cc	_	_
97	hold	hold	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	82	parataxis	_	_
98	thy	thy	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs|Style=Arch	99	nmod:poss	_	_
99	tongue	tongue	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	97	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
100	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	97	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
101	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	97	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
102	--	--	PUNCT	,	_	106	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
103	But	but	CCONJ	CC	_	106	cc	_	_
104	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	105	det	_	_
105	wife	wife	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	106	nsubj	_	_
106	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
107	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	109	punct	_	_
108	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	109	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
109	Alas	alas	INTJ	UH	_	106	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
110	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	109	punct	_	_
111	alas	alas	INTJ	UH	_	109	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
112	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

## Pragmatics {#pragmatics}

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | present | I |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **reply** *speech: assert* *in a quote* | past | Silence and wife | the husband |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1 «NP V NP.topic»: agent=Agent husband=Topic |
| 3 | **not** **is** | present | that ram |  |  |  |  | like other rams | tree rules |
| 4 | **tell** *speech: assert* | present | other rams |  | thee |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent thou=Recipient |
| 5 | **is a** | present |  | nonsense |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 6 | **ask** *speech: ask* *in a quote* | past | I *not said here* |  | husband's wife |  | then |  | vn inquire-37.1.2 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent wife=Recipient |
| 7 | **not** **ask** *speech: ask* | infinitive · do-support | questions |  |  |  |  |  | vn inquire-37.1.2 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 8 | **spread** | past | questions *not said here* | a cloth |  | the floor |  |  | vn spray-9.7-1 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent cloth=Theme on floor=Destination |
| 9 | **keep** | infinitive | questions *not said here* | thine eyes |  |  |  | open *property* | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent eye=Theme |
| 10 | **spread** | past |  | a cloth |  |  |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location cloth=Theme |
| 11 | **ask** *speech: ask* *in a quote* | past |  |  | the wife |  |  |  | vn inquire-37.1.2 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent wife=Recipient |
| 12 | **shriek** *in a quote* | past |  | the man |  | a rage |  |  | tree rules |
| 13 | **do** | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent what=Eventuality |
| 14 | **tell** *speech: assert* | present | I |  | thee |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent thou=Recipient |
| 15 | **hold** | infinitive |  | thy tongue |  |  |  |  | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent tongue=Theme |
| 16 | **say** *speech: assert* *in a quote* | past | the wife |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |

<!-- .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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