---
title: When the fence prayed her to do it no harm, she laughed rudely, and… — The Orange Fairy Book · tree and pragmatics
description: When the fence prayed her to do it no harm, she laughed rudely, and tore up some of the stakes so that she might get over the more easily; when the oven offered her bread, she scattered the loaves onto the ground and stamped on them; and after she had milked the cow, and drunk as much as she wanted,
---

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# The Orange Fairy Book, Opening, part 11, sentence 26

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
When the fence prayed her to do it no harm, she laughed rudely, and tore up some of the stakes so that she might get over the more easily; when the oven offered her bread, she scattered the loaves onto the ground and stamped on them; and after she had milked the cow, and drunk as much as she wanted, she threw the rest on the grass, and kicked the pail to bits, and never heard them say, as they looked after her: 'You shall not have done this to me for nothing!'

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** fence, likeness, oven, cows, You · **What happens:** pray, do, laugh, tore up, get, offer · **To what, where:** likeness, fence, some, bread, loaves, ground · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is a sentence of «The Orange Fairy Book» by Andrew Lang, Opening, part 11. The page gives its syntax tree — a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies — and its pragmatics clause by clause: who acts (fence, likeness, oven, cows), 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:pg3027:11:26
# text = When the fence prayed her to do it no harm, she laughed rudely, and tore up some of the stakes so that she might get over the more easily; when the oven offered her bread, she scattered the loaves onto the ground and stamped on them; and after she had milked the cow, and drunk as much as she wanted, she threw the rest on the grass, and kicked the pail to bits, and never heard them say, as they looked after her: 'You shall not have done this to me for nothing!'
1	When	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	4	advmod	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	fence	fence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	prayed	pray	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	13	advcl	_	_
5	her	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	obj	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	do	do	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	xcomp	_	_
8	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	obj	_	_
9	no	no	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	10	det	_	_
10	harm	harm	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
12	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	13	nsubj	_	_
13	laughed	laugh	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
14	rudely	rudely	ADV	RB	_	13	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	17	punct	_	_
16	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	17	cc	_	_
17	tore	tore	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	13	conj	_	_
18	up	up	ADP	RP	_	17	compound:prt	_	_
19	some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	17	obj	_	_
20	of	of	ADP	IN	_	22	case	_	_
21	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	22	det	_	_
22	stakes	stake	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	19	nmod	_	_
23	so	so	SCONJ	IN	ExtPos=SCONJ	27	mark	_	_
24	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	23	fixed	_	_
25	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	27	nsubj	_	_
26	might	might	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	27	aux	_	_
27	get	get	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	17	advcl	_	_
28	over	over	ADP	IN	_	31	case	_	_
29	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	30	det	_	_
30	more	more	ADV	RBR	Degree=Cmp	31	advmod	_	_
31	easily	easily	ADV	RB	_	27	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
32	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	36	punct	_	_
33	when	when	SCONJ	WRB	_	36	mark	_	_
34	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	35	det	_	_
35	oven	oven	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	36	nsubj	_	_
36	offered	offer	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	13	parataxis	_	_
37	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	38	nmod:poss	_	_
38	bread	bread	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	36	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
39	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	41	punct	_	_
40	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	41	nsubj	_	_
41	scattered	scatter	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	36	conj	_	_
42	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	43	det	_	_
43	loaves	loaf	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	41	obj	_	_
44	onto	onto	ADP	IN	_	46	case	_	_
45	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	46	det	_	_
46	ground	ground	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	41	obl	_	_
47	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	48	cc	_	_
48	stamped	stamp	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	41	conj	_	_
49	on	on	ADP	IN	_	50	case	_	_
50	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	48	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
51	;	;	PUNCT	,	_	56	punct	_	_
52	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	56	cc	_	_
53	after	after	SCONJ	IN	_	56	mark	_	_
54	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	56	nsubj	_	_
55	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	56	aux	_	_
56	milked	milk	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	13	parataxis	_	_
57	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	58	det	_	_
58	cow	cow	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	56	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
59	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	61	punct	_	_
60	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	61	cc	_	_
61	drunk	drunk	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	56	conj	_	_
62	as	as	ADV	RB	_	63	advmod	_	_
63	much	much	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	61	advmod	_	_
64	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	66	mark	_	_
65	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	66	nsubj	_	_
66	wanted	want	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	63	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
67	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	69	punct	_	_
68	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	69	nsubj	_	_
69	threw	throw	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	13	parataxis	_	_
70	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	71	det	_	_
71	rest	rest	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	69	obj	_	_
72	on	on	ADP	IN	_	74	case	_	_
73	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	74	det	_	_
74	grass	grass	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	69	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
75	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	77	punct	_	_
76	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	77	cc	_	_
77	kicked	kick	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	69	conj	_	_
78	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	79	det	_	_
79	pail	pail	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	77	obj	_	_
80	to	to	ADP	IN	_	81	case	_	_
81	bits	bit	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	77	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
82	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	85	punct	_	_
83	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	85	cc	_	_
84	never	never	ADV	RB	PronType=Neg	85	advmod	_	_
85	heard	hear	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	87	parataxis	_	_
86	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	85	obj	_	_
87	say	say	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	13	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
88	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	91	punct	_	_
89	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	91	mark	_	_
90	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	91	nsubj	_	_
91	looked	look	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	87	ccomp	_	_
92	after	after	ADP	IN	_	93	case	_	_
93	her	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	91	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
94	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	100	punct	_	_
95	'	'	PUNCT	``	_	100	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
96	You	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	100	nsubj	_	_
97	shall	shall	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	100	aux	_	_
98	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	100	advmod	_	_
99	have	have	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	100	aux	_	_
100	done	do	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	87	parataxis	_	_
101	this	this	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	100	obj	_	_
102	to	to	ADP	IN	_	103	case	_	_
103	me	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	100	obl	_	_
104	for	for	ADP	IN	_	105	case	_	_
105	nothing	nothing	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Neg	100	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
106	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	100	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
107	'	'	PUNCT	''	_	100	punct	_	_
```

## Pragmatics {#pragmatics}

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **pray** | past | the fence | likeness |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **do** | to-infinitive | the fence *not said here* | fence |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **laugh** | past | likeness |  |  |  |  | rudely *property* | vn nonverbal\_expression-40.2 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 4 | **tore up** | past | likeness *not said here* | some |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 5 | **get** | might | likeness |  |  |  |  |  | vn escape-51.1 «NP V PP.destination»: agent=Theme over easily=Destination |
| 6 | **offer** | past | the oven | likeness's bread |  |  |  |  | vn future\_having-13.3 «NP V NP.theme (PP)»: agent=Agent bread=Theme |
| 7 | **scatter** | past | likeness | the loaves |  | the ground |  |  | vn spray-9.7-1 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent loaf=Theme onto ground=Destination |
| 8 | **stamp** | participle | likeness *not said here* |  |  |  |  | on loaves *= loaf* | vn image\_impression-25.1 «NP V NP.theme PP.destination»: agent=Agent on they=Destination |
| 9 | **milk** | past · perfect | likeness | the cow |  |  |  |  | vn cheat-10.6.1-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent cow=Source |
| 10 | **want** | past | likeness |  |  |  |  |  | vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Pivot |
| 11 | **throw** | past | likeness | the rest |  | the grass |  |  | vn throw-17.1-1-1 «NP V NP PP.destinations»: agent=Agent rest=Theme on grass=Destination |
| 12 | **kick** | past | likeness *not said here* | the pail |  |  |  | to bits *result* | vn swat-18.2 «NP V NP PP.result»: agent=Agent pail=Patient to bit=Result |
| 13 | **not** **hear** | past |  | cows *= cow* |  |  |  |  | vn see-30.1-1-1 «NP V S»: agent=Experiencer they=Stimulus |
| 14 | **say** *speech: assert* | present |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 15 | **look** | past | cows *= cow* |  |  |  | after likeness |  | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Stimulus |
| 16 | **not** **do** | shall · perfect | You | this | me |  |  | for nothing | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent this=Eventuality |

<!-- .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:** «The Orange Fairy Book» by Andrew Lang, Project Gutenberg book 3027 (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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