--- title: Opening, part 20 — The Orange Fairy Book · full text with trees · page 2 description: Opening, part 20, «The Orange Fairy Book» by Andrew Lang: the whole chapter, every sentence with its dependency tree and pragmatics. It begins: 'It is hardly worth doing that,' answered Jack; 'for I picked up the pieces and ate them myself.' --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3027/20/page/2/) [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/) / [The Orange Fairy Book](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3027/) / Opening, part 20 # Opening, part 20 · page 2 [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3027/20/) **2** - [101](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3027/20/101/) — Then, one day, a rumour reached the king that a large army was marching against him. - [102](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3027/20/102/) — Vaguely he recollected some tales he had heard about a magic cornet which could provide as many soldiers as would serve to conquer the earth, and which had been removed by his grandfather to a cellar. — checked by a teacher - [103](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3027/20/103/) — Thither he hastened that he might renew his power once more, and in that black and slimy spot he found the treasures indeed. - [104](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3027/20/104/) — But the table fell to pieces as he touched it, in the cornet there remained only a few fragments of leathern belts which the rats had gnawed, and in the bag nothing but broken bits of stone. - [105](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3027/20/105/) — And the king bowed his head to the doom that awaited him, and in his heart cursed the ruin wrought by the pride and foolishness of himself and his forefathers. - [106](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3027/20/106/) — \[From Contes Populaires Slaves, par Louis Leger.\] - [107](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3027/20/107/) — The Rover of the Plain - [108](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3027/20/108/) — A long way off, near the sea coast of the east of Africa, there dwelt, once upon a time, a man and his wife. - [109](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3027/20/109/) — They had two children, a son and a daughter, whom they loved very much, and, like parents in other countries, they often talked of the fine marriages the young people would make some day. - [110](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3027/20/110/) — Out there both boys and girls marry early, and very soon, it seemed to the mother, a message was sent by a rich man on the other side of the great hills offering a fat herd of oxen in exchange for the girl. - [111](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3027/20/111/) — Everyone in the house and in the village rejoiced, and the maiden was despatched to her new home. - [112](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3027/20/112/) — When all was quiet again the father said to his son: - [113](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3027/20/113/) — 'Now that we own such a splendid troop of oxen you had better hasten and get yourself a wife, lest some illness should overtake them. - [114](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3027/20/114/) — Already we have seen in the villages round about one or two damsels whose parents would gladly part with them for less than half the herd. - [115](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3027/20/115/) — Therefore tell us which you like best, and we will buy her for you.' - [116](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3027/20/116/) — But the son answered: - [117](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3027/20/117/) — 'Not so; the maidens I have seen do not please me. - [118](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3027/20/118/) — If, indeed, I must marry, let me travel and find a wife for myself.' - [119](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3027/20/119/) — 'It shall be as you wish,' said the parents; 'but if by-and-by trouble should come of it, it will be your fault and not ours.' - [120](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3027/20/120/) — The youth, however, would not listen; and bidding his father and mother farewell, set out on his search. - [121](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3027/20/121/) — Far, far away he wandered, over mountains and across rivers, till he reached a village where the people were quite different from those of his own race. - [122](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3027/20/122/) — He glanced about him and noticed that the girls were fair to look upon, as they pounded maize or stewed something that smelt very nice in earthen pots--especially if you were hot and tired; and when one of the maidens turned round and offered the stranger some dinner, he made up his mind that he would wed her and nobody else. [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3027/20/) **2** - ← previous: [Opening, part 19](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3027/19/) - next →: [Opening, part 21](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3027/21/) - ↑ back to [The Orange Fairy Book](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3027/)