--- title: The Lilac Fairy Book, part 15 — The Lilac Fairy Book · full text with trees description: The Lilac Fairy Book, part 15, «The Lilac Fairy Book» by Andrew Lang: the whole chapter, every sentence with its dependency tree and pragmatics. It begins: ‘No; they are frying pancakes in Europe just now,’ said Little Lasse; and he wanted to jump ashore, but he could not. --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/) [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 Lilac Fairy Book](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/) / The Lilac Fairy Book, part 15 # The Lilac Fairy Book, part 15 The Lilac Fairy Book, part 15 of «The Lilac Fairy Book» by Andrew Lang: the whole text, 101 sentences and 2551 words. Every sentence has its own page with its syntax tree and pragmatics, parsed by Mova itself; 1 of them are in the tales treebank and were checked by a teacher model. **1** [2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/page/2/) - [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/1/) — ‘No; they are frying pancakes in Europe just now,’ said Little Lasse; and he wanted to jump ashore, but he could not. - [2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/2/) — The dream-boy had tied him with a chain of flowers, so that he could not move. - [3](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/3/) — And now all the little dreams came about him, thousands and thousands of little children, and they made a ring around him and sang a little song: - [4](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/4/) — The world is very, very wide, Little Lasse, Lasse, And though you’ve sailed beyond the tide, You can never tell how wide It is on the other side, Lasse, Little Lasse. - [5](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/5/) — You have found it cold and hot, Little Lasse, Lasse; But in no land is God not, Lasse, Little Lasse. - [6](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/6/) — Many men live there as here, But they all to God are dear, Little Lasse, Lasse. - [7](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/7/) — When His angel is your guide, Little Lasse, Lasse, Then no harm can e’er betide, Even on the other side Where the wild beasts wander. - [8](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/8/) — But tell us now, Whene’er you roam, Do you not find the best is home Of all the lands you’ve looked upon, Lasse, Little Lasse? - [9](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/9/) — When the dreams had sung their song they skipped away, and Nukku Matti carried Lasse back to the boat. - [10](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/10/) — He lay there for a long time quite still, and he still heard the frying-pan frizzling at home of the fire, the frizzling was very plain, Little Lasse heard it quite near him; and so he woke up and rubbed his eyes. - [11](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/11/) — There he lay in the boat, where he had fallen asleep. - [12](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/12/) — The wind had turned, and the boat had drifted out with one wind and drifted in with another while Little Lasse slept, and what Lasse thought was frizzling in a frying-pan was the low murmur of the waves as they washed against the stones on the shore. - [13](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/13/) — But he was not altogether wrong, for the clear blue sea is like a great pan in which God’s sun all day makes cakes for good children. - [14](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/14/) — Little Lasse rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and looked around him. - [15](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/15/) — Everything was the same as before; the crow in the birch tree, the cat on the grass, and the pea-shell fleet on the shore. - [16](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/16/) — Some of the ships had foundered, and some had drifted back to land. - [17](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/17/) — Hercules had come back with its cargo from Asia, The Flea had arrived from Polynesia, and the other parts of the world were just where they were before. - [18](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/18/) — Little Lasse did not know what to think. - [19](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/19/) — He had so often been in that grotto in the ‘Land of Nod’ and did not know what tricks dreams can play. - [20](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/20/) — But Little Lasse did not trouble his head with such things; he gathered together his boats and walked up the shore back to the house. - [21](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/21/) — His brother and sister ran to meet him, and called out from the distance, ‘Where have you been so long, Lasse? - [22](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/22/) — Come home and get some bread-and-butter.’ - [23](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/23/) — The kitchen door stood open, and inside was heard a strange frizzling. - [24](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/24/) — The gardener was near the gate, watering the dill and parsley, the carrots and parsnips. - [25](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/25/) — ‘Well,’ he said, ‘where has Little Lasse been so long?’ - [26](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/26/) — Little Lasse straightened himself up stiff, and answered: ‘I have sailed round the world in a pea-shell boat.’ - [27](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/27/) — ‘Oh!’ said the gardener. - [28](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/28/) — He has forgotten Dreamland. - [29](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/29/) — But you have not forgotten it; you know that it exists. - [30](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/30/) — You know the beautiful grotto and the bright silver walls whose lustre never fades, the sparkling diamonds which never grow dim, the music which never ceases its low, soft murmur through the sweet evening twilight. - [31](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/31/) — The airy fairy fancies of happy Dreamland never grow old; they, like the glorious stars above us, are always young. - [32](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/32/) — Perhaps you have caught a glimpse of their ethereal wings as they flew around your pillow. - [33](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/33/) — Perhaps you have met the same dream-boy with the blue eyes and the fair hair, the one who wore the red cap with the silver band and the white coat with pearls on the collar. - [34](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/34/) — Perhaps he has taken you to see all the countries of the world and the peoples, the cold waste lands and the burning deserts, the many coloured men and the wild creatures in the sea and in the woods, so that you may earn many things, but come gladly home again. - [35](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/35/) — Yes, who knows? - [36](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/36/) — Perhaps you also have sailed round the wide world once in a pea-shell boat. - [37](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/37/) — From Z. - [38](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/38/) — Topelius. - [39](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/39/) — ‘Moti’ - [40](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/40/) — Once upon a time there was a youth called Moti, who was very big and strong, but the clumsiest creature you can imagine. - [41](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/41/) — So clumsy was he that he was always putting his great feet into the bowls of sweet milk or curds which his mother set out on the floor to cool, always smashing, upsetting, breaking, until at last his father said to him: - [42](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/42/) — ‘Here, Moti, are fifty silver pieces which are the savings of years; take them and go and make your living or your fortune if you can.’ - [43](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/43/) — Then Moti started off one early spring morning with his thick staff over his shoulder, singing gaily to himself as he walked along. - [44](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/44/) — In one way and another he got along very well until a hot evening when he came to a certain city where he entered the travellers’ ‘serai’ or inn to pass the night. - [45](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/45/) — Now a serai, you must know, is generally just a large square enclosed by a high wall with an open colonnade along the inside all round to accommodate both men and beasts, and with perhaps a few rooms in towers at the corners for those who are too rich or too proud to care about sleeping by their own camels and horses. - [46](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/46/) — Moti, of course, was a country lad and had lived with cattle all his life, and he wasn’t rich and he wasn’t proud, so he just borrowed a bed from the innkeeper, set it down beside an old buffalo who reminded him of home, and in five minutes was fast asleep. - [47](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/47/) — In the middle of the night he woke, feeling that he had been disturbed, and putting his hand under his pillow found to his horror that his bag of money had been stolen. - [48](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/48/) — He jumped up quietly and began to prowl around to see whether anyone seemed to be awake, but, though he managed to arouse a few men and beasts by falling over them, he walked in the shadow of the archways round the whole serai without coming across a likely thief. - [49](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/49/) — He was just about to give it up when he overheard two men whispering, and one laughed softly, and peering behind a pillar, he saw two Afghan horsedealers counting out his bag of money! - [50](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/50/) — Then Moti went back to bed! - [51](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/51/) — In the morning Moti followed the two Afghans outside the city to the horsemarket in which they horses were offered for sale. - [52](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/52/) — Choosing the best-looking horse amongst them he went up to it and said: - [53](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/53/) — ‘Is this horse for sale? may I try it?’ and, the merchants assenting, he scrambled up on its back, dug in his heels, and off they flew. - [54](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/54/) — Now Moti had never been on a horse in his life, and had so much ado to hold on with both hands as well as with both legs that the animal went just where it liked, and very soon broke into a break-neck gallop and made straight back to the serai where it had spent the last few nights. - [55](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/55/) — ‘This will do very well,’ thought Moti as they whirled in at the entrance. - [56](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/56/) — As soon as the horse had arrived at its table it stopped of its own accord and Moti immediately rolled off; but he jumped up at once, tied the beast up, and called for some breakfast. - [57](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/57/) — Presently the Afghans appeared, out of breath and furious, and claimed the horse. - [58](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/58/) — ‘What do you mean?’ cried Moti, with his mouth full of rice, ‘it’s my horse; I paid you fifty pieces of silver for it--quite a bargain, I’m sure!’ - [59](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/59/) — ‘Nonsense! it is our horse,’ answered one of the Afghans beginning to untie the bridle. - [60](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/60/) — ‘Leave off,’ shouted Moti, seizing his staff; ‘if you don’t let my horse alone I’ll crack your skulls! you thieves! - [61](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/61/) — I know you! - [62](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/62/) — Last night you took my money, so to-day I took your horse; that’s fair enough!’ - [63](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/63/) — Now the Afghans began to look a little uncomfortable, but Moti seemed so determined to keep the horse that they resolved to appeal to the law, so they went off and laid a complaint before the king that Moti had stolen one of their horses and would not give it up nor pay for it. - [64](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/64/) — Presently a soldier came to summon Moti to the king; and, when he arrived and made his obeisance, the king began to question him as to why he had galloped off with the horse in this fashion. - [65](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/65/) — But Moti declared that he had got the animal in exchange for fifty pieces of silver, whilst the horse merchants vowed that the money they had on them was what they had received for the sale of other horses; and in one way and another the dispute got so confusing that the king (who really thought that Moti had stolen the horse) said at last, ‘Well, I tell you what I will do. - [66](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/66/) — I will lock something into this box before me, and if he guesses what it is, the horse is his, and if he doesn’t then it is yours.’ - [67](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/67/) — To this Moti agreed, and the king arose and went out alone by a little door at the back of the Court, and presently came back clasping something closely wrapped up in a cloth under his robe, slipped it into the little box, locked the box, and set it up where all might see. - [68](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/68/) — ‘Now,’ said the king to Moti, ‘guess!’ - [69](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/69/) — It happened that when the king had opened the door behind him, Moti noticed that there was a garden outside: without waiting for the king’s return he began to think what could be got out of the garden small enough to be shut in the box. - [70](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/70/) — ‘Is it likely to be a fruit or a flower? - [71](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/71/) — No, not a flower this time, for he clasped it too tight. - [72](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/72/) — Then it must be a fruit or a stone. - [73](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/73/) — Yet not a stone, because he wouldn’t wrap a dirty stone in his nice clean cloth. — checked by a teacher - [74](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/74/) — Then it is a fruit! - [75](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/75/) — And a fruit without much scent, or else he would be afraid that I might smell it. - [76](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/76/) — Now what fruit without much scent is in season just now? - [77](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/77/) — When I know that I shall have guessed the riddle!’ - [78](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/78/) — As has been said before, Moti was a country lad, and was accustomed to work in his father’s garden. - [79](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/79/) — He knew all the common fruits, so he thought he ought to be able to guess right; but so as not to let it seem too easy, he gazed up at the ceiling with a puzzled expression, and looked down at the floor with an air or wisdom and his fingers pressed against his forehead, and then he said, slowly, with his eyes on the king,-- - [80](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/80/) — ‘It is freshly plucked! - [81](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/81/) — It is round and it is red! - [82](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/82/) — It is a pomegranate!’ - [83](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/83/) — Now the king knew nothing about fruits except that they were good to eat; and, as for seasons, he asked for whatever fruit he wanted whenever he wanted it, and saw that he got it; so to him Moti’s guess was like a miracle, and clear proof not only of his wisdom but of his innocence, for it was a pomegranate that he had put into the box. - [84](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/84/) — Of course when the king marvelled and praised Moti’s wisdom, everybody else did so too; and, whilst the Afghans went off crestfallen, Moti took the horse and entered the king’s service. - [85](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/85/) — Very soon after this, Moti, who continued to live in the serai, came back one wet and stormy evening to find that his precious horse had strayed. - [86](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/86/) — Nothing remained of him but a broken halter cord, and no one knew what had become of him. - [87](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/87/) — After inquiring of everyone who was likely to know, Moti seized the cord and his big staff and sallied out to look for him. - [88](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/88/) — Away and away he tramped out of the city and into the neighbouring forest, tracking hoof-marks in the mud. - [89](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/89/) — Presently it grew late, but still Moti wandered on until suddenly in the gathering darkness he came right upon a tiger who was contentedly eating his horse. - [90](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/90/) — ‘You thief!’ shrieked Moti, and ran up and, just as the tiger, in astonishment, dropped a bone--whack! came Moti’s staff on his head with such good will that the beast was half stunned and could hardly breathe or see. - [91](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/91/) — Then Moti continued to shower upon him blows and abuse until the poor tiger could hardly stand, whereupon his tormentor tied the end of the broken halter round his neck and dragged him back to the serai. - [92](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/92/) — ‘If you had my horse,’ he said, ‘I will at least have you, that’s fair enough!’ - [93](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/93/) — And he tied him up securely by the head and heels, much as he used to tie the horse; then, the night being far gone, he flung himself beside him and slept soundly. - [94](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/94/) — You cannot imagine anything like the fright of the people in the serai, when they woke up and found a tiger--very battered but still a tiger--securely tethered amongst themselves and their beasts! - [95](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/95/) — Men gathered in groups talking and exclaiming, and finding fault with the innkeeper for allowing such a dangerous beast into the serai, and all the while the innkeeper was just as troubled as the rest, and none dared go near the place where the tiger stood blinking miserably on everyone, and where Moti lay stretched out snoring like thunder. - [96](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/96/) — At last news reached the king that Moti had exchanged his horse for a live tiger; and the monarch himself came down, half disbelieving the tale, to see if it were really true. - [97](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/97/) — Someone at last awaked Moti with the news that his royal master was come; and he arose yawning, and was soon delightedly explaining and showing off his new possession. - [98](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/98/) — The king, however, did not share his pleasure at all, but called up a soldier to shoot the tiger, much to the relief of all the inmates of the serai except Moti. - [99](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/99/) — If the king, however, was before convinced that Moti was one of the wisest of men, he was now still more convinced that he was the bravest, and he increased his pay a hundredfold, so that our hero thought that he was the luckiest of men. - [100](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/100/) — A week or two after this incident the king sent for Moti, who on arrival found his master in despair. **1** [2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/15/page/2/) - ← previous: [The Lilac Fairy Book, part 14](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/14/) - next →: [The Lilac Fairy Book, part 16](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/16/) - ↑ back to [The Lilac Fairy Book](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/)