--- title: They assured her that all was well with them; but, nevertheless, the… — The Brown Fairy Book · tree and pragmatics description: They assured her that all was well with them; but, nevertheless, they continued to waste away, and day by day it became harder to them to take part in the games of the princess, till at last, one fine morning, when the princess started from bed and hastened out to join her gay playfellows, she shudd --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3282/31/56/) [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 Brown Fairy Book](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3282/) / [The Brown Fairy Book, part 31](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3282/31/) / 56 # The Brown Fairy Book, The Brown Fairy Book, part 31, sentence 56 They assured her that all was well with them; but, nevertheless, they continued to waste away, and day by day it became harder to them to take part in the games of the princess, till at last, one fine morning, when the princess started from bed and hastened out to join her gay playfellows, she shuddered and started back at the sight of a group of shrivelled crones, with bent backs and trembling limbs, who supported their tottering steps with staves and crutches, and coughed dismally. **Who acts:** Brunhilda, mirror, princess, limbs · **What happens:** assure, be, continue, waste away, become, take · **To what, where:** princess, Brunhilda, part, games, bed, gay playfellows This is a sentence of «The Brown Fairy Book» by Andrew Lang, The Brown Fairy Book, part 31. The page gives its syntax tree — a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies — and its pragmatics clause by clause: who acts (Brunhilda, mirror, princess, limbs), what happens, when and where, as Mova's frames read it from the tree. **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:pg3282:31:56 # text = They assured her that all was well with them; but, nevertheless, they continued to waste away, and day by day it became harder to them to take part in the games of the princess, till at last, one fine morning, when the princess started from bed and hastened out to join her gay playfellows, she shuddered and started back at the sight of a group of shrivelled crones, with bent backs and trembling limbs, who supported their tottering steps with staves and crutches, and coughed dismally. 1 They they PRON PRP Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs 2 nsubj _ _ 2 assured assure VERB VBD Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin 0 root _ _ 3 her she PRON PRP Case=Acc|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs 2 iobj _ _ 4 that that SCONJ IN _ 9 mark _ _ 5 all all DET DT PronType=Tot 9 det _ _ 6 was be AUX VBD Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin 9 cop _ _ 7 well well ADV RB Degree=Pos 9 advmod _ _ 8 with with ADP IN _ 9 case _ _ 9 them they PRON PRP Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs 2 ccomp _ SpaceAfter=No 10 ; ; PUNCT , _ 16 punct _ _ 11 but but CCONJ CC _ 16 cc _ SpaceAfter=No 12 , , PUNCT , _ 13 punct _ _ 13 nevertheless nevertheless ADV RB _ 16 advmod _ SpaceAfter=No 14 , , PUNCT , _ 16 punct _ _ 15 they they PRON PRP Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs 16 nsubj _ _ 16 continued continue VERB VBD Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin 2 parataxis _ _ 17 to to PART TO _ 18 mark _ _ 18 waste waste VERB VB VerbForm=Inf 16 xcomp _ _ 19 away away ADV RB _ 18 advmod _ SpaceAfter=No 20 , , PUNCT , _ 26 punct _ _ 21 and and CCONJ CC _ 26 cc _ _ 22 day day NOUN NN Number=Sing 26 obl:unmarked _ _ 23 by by ADP IN _ 24 case _ _ 24 day day NOUN NN Number=Sing 22 nmod _ _ 25 it it PRON PRP Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs 26 nsubj _ _ 26 became become VERB VBD Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin 2 conj _ _ 27 harder hard ADJ JJR Degree=Cmp 26 xcomp _ _ 28 to to ADP IN _ 29 case _ _ 29 them they PRON PRP Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs 26 obl _ _ 30 to to PART TO _ 31 mark _ _ 31 take take VERB VB VerbForm=Inf 26 advcl _ _ 32 part part NOUN NN Number=Sing 31 obj _ _ 33 in in ADP IN _ 35 case _ _ 34 the the DET DT Definite=Def|PronType=Art 35 det _ _ 35 games game NOUN NNS Number=Plur 31 obl _ _ 36 of of ADP IN _ 38 case _ _ 37 the the DET DT Definite=Def|PronType=Art 38 det _ _ 38 princess princess NOUN NN Number=Sing 35 nmod _ SpaceAfter=No 39 , , PUNCT , _ 42 punct _ _ 40 till till ADP IN _ 42 case _ _ 41 at at ADP IN _ 42 case _ _ 42 last last ADJ JJ Degree=Pos 31 advcl _ SpaceAfter=No 43 , , PUNCT , _ 46 punct _ _ 44 one one NUM CD NumForm=Word|NumType=Card 46 nummod _ _ 45 fine fine ADJ JJ Degree=Pos 46 amod _ _ 46 morning morning NOUN NN Number=Sing 42 obl:unmarked _ SpaceAfter=No 47 , , PUNCT , _ 51 punct _ _ 48 when when ADV WRB PronType=Int 51 advmod _ _ 49 the the DET DT Definite=Def|PronType=Art 50 det _ _ 50 princess princess NOUN NN Number=Sing 51 nsubj _ _ 51 started start VERB VBD Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin 2 parataxis _ _ 52 from from ADP IN _ 53 case _ _ 53 bed bed NOUN NN Number=Sing 51 obl _ _ 54 and and CCONJ CC _ 55 cc _ _ 55 hastened hasten VERB VBN Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass 51 conj _ _ 56 out out ADP RP _ 55 compound:prt _ _ 57 to to PART TO _ 58 mark _ _ 58 join join VERB VB VerbForm=Inf 55 advcl _ _ 59 her her PRON PRP$ Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs 61 nmod:poss _ _ 60 gay gay ADJ JJ Degree=Pos 61 amod _ _ 61 playfellows playfellow NOUN NNS Number=Plur 58 obj _ SpaceAfter=No 62 , , PUNCT , _ 64 punct _ _ 63 she she PRON PRP Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs 64 nsubj _ _ 64 shuddered shudder VERB VBD Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin 2 conj _ _ 65 and and CCONJ CC _ 66 cc _ _ 66 started start VERB VBD Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin 64 conj _ _ 67 back back ADV RB _ 66 advmod _ _ 68 at at ADP IN _ 70 case _ _ 69 the the DET DT Definite=Def|PronType=Art 70 det _ _ 70 sight sight NOUN NN Number=Sing 66 obl _ _ 71 of of ADP IN _ 73 case _ _ 72 a a DET DT Definite=Ind|PronType=Art 73 det _ _ 73 group group NOUN NN Number=Sing 70 nmod _ _ 74 of of ADP IN _ 76 case _ _ 75 shrivelled shrivelled ADJ JJ Degree=Pos 76 amod _ _ 76 crones crone NOUN NNS Number=Plur 73 nmod _ SpaceAfter=No 77 , , PUNCT , _ 80 punct _ _ 78 with with ADP IN _ 80 case _ _ 79 bent bent ADJ JJ Degree=Pos 80 amod _ _ 80 backs back NOUN NNS Number=Plur 64 obl _ _ 81 and and CCONJ CC _ 82 cc _ _ 82 trembling tremble VERB VBG Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part 80 conj _ _ 83 limbs limb NOUN NNS Number=Plur 82 obj _ SpaceAfter=No 84 , , PUNCT , _ 86 punct _ _ 85 who who PRON WP PronType=Rel 86 nsubj _ _ 86 supported support VERB VBD Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin 83 acl:relcl _ _ 87 their their PRON PRP$ Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs 89 nmod:poss _ _ 88 tottering tottering NOUN NN Number=Sing 89 compound _ _ 89 steps step NOUN NNS Number=Plur 86 obj _ _ 90 with with ADP IN _ 91 case _ _ 91 staves stave NOUN NNS Number=Plur 86 obl _ _ 92 and and CCONJ CC _ 93 cc _ _ 93 crutches crutch NOUN NNS Number=Plur 91 conj _ SpaceAfter=No 94 , , PUNCT , _ 96 punct _ _ 95 and and CCONJ CC _ 96 cc _ _ 96 coughed cough VERB VBD Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin 2 conj _ _ 97 dismally dismally ADV RB _ 96 advmod _ SpaceAfter=No 98 . . PUNCT . _ 2 punct _ _ ``` ## Pragmatics {#pragmatics} | # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | **assure** | past | Brunhilda | | princess | | | | vn advise-37.9 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent she=Recipient | | 2 | **is** | past | Brunhilda *not said here* | | | | | with Veils *= veil*; well *property* | tree rules | | 3 | **continue** | past | Brunhilda | | | | | nevertheless *property* | vn continue-55.3 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Eventuality | | 4 | **waste away** | to-infinitive | Brunhilda *not said here* | | | | | away *property* | vn destroy-44 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent | | 5 | **become** | past | mirror | | Brunhilda | | day | hard *property* | vn become-109.1-1-1 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Patient | | 6 | **take** | to-infinitive | mirror *not said here* | part | | the games of the princess | | | vn fit-54.3 «NP V NP PP.location»: agent=Agent part=Value in game=Location | | 7 | **start** | past | the princess | | | bed | | | vn begin-55.1-1-1 «NP.eventuality V»: agent=Eventuality | | 8 | **hasten out** | participle | the princess *not said here* | | | | | | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient | | 9 | **join** | to-infinitive | the princess *not said here* | princess's gay playfellows | | | | | vn mix-22.1-2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent playfellow=Patient | | 10 | **shudder** | past | princess | | | | | with bent backs | vn body\_internal\_states-40.6 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer | | 11 | **start back** | past | princess *not said here* | | | the sight of a group of shrivelled crones | | | vn begin-55.1-1-1 «NP.eventuality V»: agent=Eventuality | | 12 | **tremble** | gerund | princess *not said here* | limbs | | | | | vn modes\_of\_being\_with\_motion-47.3 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location limb=Theme | | 13 | **support** | past | limbs | Brunhilda's tottering steps | | | | with staves and crutches | vn help-72.1-1 «NP V NP PP.theme»: agent=Agent step=Beneficiary with stave=Theme | | 14 | **cough** | past | Brunhilda *not said here* | | | | | dismally *property* | vn breathe-40.1.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent | | 15 | **sight** | | | a group of shrivelled crones | | | | | nom sight «cognition transitive»: of=patient | | 16 | **step** | | Brunhilda | | | | | | nom step «act transitive»: poss=agent | 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. **Text:** «The Brown Fairy Book» by Andrew Lang, Project Gutenberg book 3282 (public domain in the USA). **Tree:** Mova's own parse, Elamur Cosmic License. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), the chapter read in order. - ← previous: [sentence 55](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3282/31/55/) - next →: [sentence 57](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3282/31/57/) - ↑ back to [The Brown Fairy Book, part 31](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3282/31/)