---
title: My brother has a handkerchief which becomes a bridge when he waves i… — Cossack Fairy Tales and Folk Tales · tree and pragmatics
description: My brother has a handkerchief which becomes a bridge when he waves it behind him."--And the serpent said to her, "I tell thee what, ask him for this handkerchief; say thou dost want to wash it, and take and wave it, and I'll then be able to cross over to thee and live with thee, and we'll poison thy
---

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# Cossack Fairy Tales and Folk Tales, The Voices At the Window, part 2, sentence 58

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
My brother has a handkerchief which becomes a bridge when he waves it behind him."--And the serpent said to her, "I tell thee what, ask him for this handkerchief; say thou dost want to wash it, and take and wave it, and I'll then be able to cross over to thee and live with thee, and we'll poison thy brother."--Then she went home and said to her brother, "Give me that handkerchief, dear little brother; it is dirty, so I'll wash and give it back to thee."

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** brother, handkerchief, serpent, I, we, sister · **What happens:** have, become, wave, say, tell, ask · **To what, where:** handkerchief, bridge, sister, thee, serpent, thou · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is a sentence of «Cossack Fairy Tales and Folk Tales», The Voices At the Window, part 2. The page gives its syntax tree — a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies — and its pragmatics clause by clause: who acts (brother, handkerchief, serpent, 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:pg29672:5:58
# text = My brother has a handkerchief which becomes a bridge when he waves it behind him."--And the serpent said to her, "I tell thee what, ask him for this handkerchief; say thou dost want to wash it, and take and wave it, and I'll then be able to cross over to thee and live with thee, and we'll poison thy brother."--Then she went home and said to her brother, "Give me that handkerchief, dear little brother; it is dirty, so I'll wash and give it back to thee."
1	My	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	brother	brother	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	handkerchief	handkerchief	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	7	nsubj	_	_
7	becomes	become	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	acl:relcl	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	bridge	bridge	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	xcomp	_	_
10	when	when	SCONJ	WRB	_	12	mark	_	_
11	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	12	nsubj	_	_
12	waves	wave	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	advcl	_	_
13	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	12	obj	_	_
14	behind	behind	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
15	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	12	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	--	--	PUNCT	,	_	22	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	And	and	CCONJ	CC	_	22	cc	_	_
20	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	21	det	_	_
21	serpent	serpent	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	22	nsubj	_	_
22	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	parataxis	_	_
23	to	to	ADP	IN	_	24	case	_	_
24	her	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	22	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
25	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	28	punct	_	_
26	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	28	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
27	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	28	nsubj	_	_
28	tell	tell	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	22	ccomp	_	_
29	thee	thou	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=2|PronType=Prs|Style=Arch	28	iobj	_	_
30	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	32	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
31	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	32	punct	_	_
32	ask	ask	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	28	ccomp	_	_
33	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	32	obj	_	_
34	for	for	ADP	IN	_	36	case	_	_
35	this	this	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	36	det	_	_
36	handkerchief	handkerchief	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	32	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
37	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	38	punct	_	_
38	say	say	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	3	parataxis	_	_
39	thou	thou	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=2|PronType=Prs|Style=Arch	38	obj	_	_
40	dost	do	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Style=Arch|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	41	reparandum	_	_
41	want	want	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	38	ccomp	_	_
42	to	to	PART	TO	_	43	mark	_	_
43	wash	wash	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	41	xcomp	_	_
44	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	43	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
45	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	47	punct	_	_
46	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	47	cc	_	_
47	take	take	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	38	conj	_	_
48	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	49	cc	_	_
49	wave	wave	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	47	conj	_	_
50	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	49	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
51	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	57	punct	_	_
52	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	57	cc	_	_
53	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	57	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
54	'll	will	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	57	aux	_	_
55	then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	57	advmod	_	_
56	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	57	cop	_	_
57	able	able	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	47	advcl	_	_
58	to	to	PART	TO	_	59	mark	_	_
59	cross	cross	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	57	xcomp	_	_
60	over	over	ADV	RB	_	59	advmod	_	_
61	to	to	ADP	TO	_	62	case	_	_
62	thee	thou	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=2|PronType=Prs|Style=Arch	59	obl	_	_
63	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	64	cc	_	_
64	live	live	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	59	conj	_	_
65	with	with	ADP	IN	_	66	case	_	_
66	thee	thou	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=2|PronType=Prs|Style=Arch	64	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
67	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	71	punct	_	_
68	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	71	cc	_	_
69	we	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	71	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
70	'll	will	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	71	aux	_	_
71	poison	poison	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	38	conj	_	_
72	thy	thy	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs|Style=Arch	73	nmod:poss	_	_
73	brother	brother	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	71	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
74	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	71	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
75	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	71	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
76	--	--	PUNCT	,	_	79	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
77	Then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	79	advmod	_	_
78	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	79	nsubj	_	_
79	went	go	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	71	parataxis	_	_
80	home	home	ADV	RB	_	79	advmod	_	_
81	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	82	cc	_	_
82	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	79	conj	_	_
83	to	to	ADP	IN	_	85	case	_	_
84	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	85	nmod:poss	_	_
85	brother	brother	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	82	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
86	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	88	punct	_	_
87	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	88	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
88	Give	give	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	82	conj	_	_
89	me	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	88	iobj	_	_
90	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	91	mark	_	_
91	handkerchief	handkerchief	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	88	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
92	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	95	punct	_	_
93	dear	dear	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	95	amod	_	_
94	little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	95	amod	_	_
95	brother	brother	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	91	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
96	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	99	punct	_	_
97	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	99	nsubj	_	_
98	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	99	cop	_	_
99	dirty	dirty	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
100	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	104	punct	_	_
101	so	so	ADV	RB	_	104	advmod	_	_
102	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	104	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
103	'll	will	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	104	aux	_	_
104	wash	wash	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	99	parataxis	_	_
105	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	106	cc	_	_
106	give	give	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	104	conj	_	_
107	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	106	obj	_	_
108	back	back	ADV	RB	_	106	advmod	_	_
109	to	to	ADP	TO	_	110	case	_	_
110	thee	thou	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=2|PronType=Prs|Style=Arch	106	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
111	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	104	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
112	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	104	punct	_	_
```

## Pragmatics {#pragmatics}

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | My brother | a handkerchief |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **become** | present | a handkerchief | a bridge |  |  |  |  | vn become-109.1-1-1 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Patient |
| 3 | **wave** | present | brother | handkerchief |  |  |  | behind serpent | vn wink-40.3.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Patient |
| 4 | **say** *speech: assert* *in a quote* | past | the serpent |  | sister |  |  |  | vn indicate-78-1 «NP V PP.recipient that S»: agent=Pivot to she=Experiencer clause=Topic |
| 5 | **tell** *speech: assert* | present | I |  | thee |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP what S»: agent=Agent thou=Recipient clause=Topic |
| 6 | **ask** *speech: ask* | infinitive |  |  | serpent |  |  | for this handkerchief | tree rules |
| 7 | **say** *speech: assert* | infinitive |  | thou |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 8 | **want** | present |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Pivot clause=Theme |
| 9 | **wash** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive |  | handkerchief |  |  |  |  | vn floss-41.2.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Patient |
| 10 | **take** | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn bring-11.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 11 | **wave** | infinitive |  | handkerchief |  |  |  |  | vn wink-40.3.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Patient |
| 12 | **is** | future | I |  |  |  | then | able *property* | tree rules |
| 13 | **cross over** | to-infinitive | I *not said here* |  |  | thee |  | over *property* | vn escape-51.1-1-3 «NP V PP.initial\_location»: agent=Theme to thou=Initial\_Location |
| 14 | **live** | infinitive | I *not said here* |  |  |  |  | with thee | vn lodge-46 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme with thou=Location |
| 15 | **poison** | future | we | thy brother |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 16 | **go** *in a quote* | past | sister |  |  |  | then | home *property* | vn disappearance-48.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 17 | **say** *speech: assert* *in a quote* | past | sister *not said here* |  | sister's brother |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V PP.recipient S-Quote»: agent=Agent to brother=Recipient |
| 18 | **give** | infinitive | sister *not said here* | handkerchief and dear little brother | me |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP-Dative NP»: agent=Agent i=Recipient handkerchief=Theme |
| 19 | **is** | present | handkerchief |  |  |  |  | dirty *property* | tree rules |
| 20 | **wash** | future | I |  |  |  |  |  | vn floss-41.2.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 21 | **give back** | infinitive | I *not said here* | handkerchief | thee |  |  |  | vn give-13.1 «NP V NP PP.recipient»: agent=Agent it=Theme to thou=Recipient |

<!-- .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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