---
title: The King, his father, who was a good man, believed him; but his moth… — The Blue Fairy Book · tree and pragmatics
description: The King, his father, who was a good man, believed him; but his mother could not be persuaded it was true; and seeing that he went almost every day a-hunting, and that he always had some excuse ready for so doing, though he had lain out three or four nights together, she began to suspect that he was
---

<!-- md -->
[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg503/10/75/)

<!-- crumbs -->
[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 Blue Fairy Book](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg503/) / [The Sleeping Beauty in the Wood](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg503/10/) / 75

# The Blue Fairy Book, The Sleeping Beauty in the Wood, sentence 75

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The King, his father, who was a good man, believed him; but his mother could not be persuaded it was true; and seeing that he went almost every day a-hunting, and that he always had some excuse ready for so doing, though he had lain out three or four nights together, she began to suspect that he was married, for he lived with the Princess above two whole years, and had by her two children, the eldest of which, who was a daughter, was named Morning, and the youngest, who was a son, they called Day, because he was a great deal handsomer and more beautiful than his sister.

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** father, King, burner, Prince, Princess, two children · **What happens:** be, believe, not persuade, see, go, have · **To what, where:** good man, Prince, mother, hunting, excuse, two children · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is a sentence of «The Blue Fairy Book» by Andrew Lang, The Sleeping Beauty in the Wood. The page gives its syntax tree — a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies — and its pragmatics clause by clause: who acts (father, King, burner, Prince), 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:pg503:10:75
# text = The King, his father, who was a good man, believed him; but his mother could not be persuaded it was true; and seeing that he went almost every day a-hunting, and that he always had some excuse ready for so doing, though he had lain out three or four nights together, she began to suspect that he was married, for he lived with the Princess above two whole years, and had by her two children, the eldest of which, who was a daughter, was named Morning, and the youngest, who was a son, they called Day, because he was a great deal handsomer and more beautiful than his sister.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	King	King	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	13	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
4	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	5	nmod:poss	_	_
5	father	father	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
7	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	11	nsubj	_	_
8	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	11	cop	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
10	good	good	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	man	man	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
13	believed	believe	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
14	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	13	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	22	punct	_	_
16	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	22	cc	_	_
17	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	18	nmod:poss	_	_
18	mother	mother	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	22	nsubj:pass	_	_
19	could	could	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	22	aux	_	_
20	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	22	advmod	_	_
21	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	22	aux:pass	_	_
22	persuaded	persuade	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	13	ccomp	_	_
23	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	25	nsubj	_	_
24	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	25	cop	_	_
25	true	true	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	22	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
26	;	;	PUNCT	,	_	31	punct	_	_
27	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	31	cc	_	_
28	seeing	see	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	31	advcl	_	_
29	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	31	mark	_	_
30	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	31	nsubj	_	_
31	went	go	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	13	conj	_	_
32	almost	almost	ADV	RB	_	34	advmod	_	_
33	every	every	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	34	det	_	_
34	day	day	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	31	obl	_	_
35	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	37	det	_	SpaceAfter=No
36	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	35	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
37	hunting	hunting	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	31	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
38	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	43	punct	_	_
39	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	43	cc	_	_
40	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	43	mark	_	_
41	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	43	nsubj	_	_
42	always	always	ADV	RB	PronType=Tot	43	advmod	_	_
43	had	have	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	13	parataxis	_	_
44	some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	45	det	_	_
45	excuse	excuse	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	43	obj	_	_
46	ready	ready	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	45	amod	_	_
47	for	for	SCONJ	IN	_	49	mark	_	_
48	so	so	ADV	RB	_	49	advmod	_	_
49	doing	do	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	46	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
50	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	54	punct	_	_
51	though	though	SCONJ	IN	_	54	mark	_	_
52	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	54	nsubj	_	_
53	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	54	aux	_	_
54	lain	lie	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	43	conj	_	_
55	out	out	ADP	RP	_	54	compound:prt	_	_
56	three	three	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	59	nummod	_	_
57	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	58	cc	_	_
58	four	four	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	56	conj	_	_
59	nights	night	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	54	obl:unmarked	_	_
60	together	together	ADV	RB	_	54	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
61	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	63	punct	_	_
62	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	63	nsubj	_	_
63	began	begin	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	13	parataxis	_	_
64	to	to	PART	TO	_	65	mark	_	_
65	suspect	suspect	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	63	xcomp	_	_
66	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	69	mark	_	_
67	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	69	nsubj:pass	_	_
68	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	69	aux:pass	_	_
69	married	marry	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	65	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
70	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	73	punct	_	_
71	for	for	SCONJ	IN	_	73	mark	_	_
72	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	73	nsubj	_	_
73	lived	live	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	63	conj	_	_
74	with	with	ADP	IN	_	76	case	_	_
75	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	76	det	_	_
76	Princess	princess	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	73	obl	_	_
77	above	above	ADP	IN	_	80	case	_	_
78	two	two	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	80	nummod	_	_
79	whole	whole	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	80	amod	_	_
80	years	year	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	73	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
81	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	83	punct	_	_
82	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	83	cc	_	_
83	had	have	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	13	parataxis	_	_
84	by	by	ADP	IN	_	85	case	_	_
85	her	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	83	obl	_	_
86	two	two	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	87	nummod	_	_
87	children	child	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	83	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
88	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	90	punct	_	_
89	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	90	det	_	_
90	eldest	eld	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	87	appos	_	_
91	of	of	ADP	IN	_	92	case	_	_
92	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	90	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
93	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	97	punct	_	_
94	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	97	nsubj	_	_
95	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	97	cop	_	_
96	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	97	det	_	_
97	daughter	daughter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	87	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
98	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	100	punct	_	_
99	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	100	aux:pass	_	_
100	named	name	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	83	conj	_	_
101	Morning	Morning	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	100	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
102	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	105	punct	_	_
103	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	105	cc	_	_
104	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	105	det	_	_
105	youngest	young	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	100	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
106	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	110	punct	_	_
107	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	110	nsubj	_	_
108	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	110	cop	_	_
109	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	110	det	_	_
110	son	son	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	105	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
111	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	113	punct	_	_
112	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	113	nsubj	_	_
113	called	call	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	110	acl:relcl	_	_
114	Day	Day	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	113	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
115	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	122	punct	_	_
116	because	because	SCONJ	IN	_	122	mark	_	_
117	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	122	nsubj	_	_
118	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	122	cop	_	_
119	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	121	det	_	_
120	great	great	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	121	amod	_	_
121	deal	deal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	122	obl:unmarked	_	_
122	handsomer	handsome	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	113	parataxis	_	_
123	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	125	cc	_	_
124	more	more	ADV	RBR	Degree=Cmp	125	advmod	_	_
125	beautiful	beautiful	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	122	conj	_	_
126	than	than	ADP	IN	_	128	case	_	_
127	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	128	nmod:poss	_	_
128	sister	sister	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	125	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
129	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	13	punct	_	_
```

## Pragmatics {#pragmatics}

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | Prince's father and a good man | a good man |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **believe** | past | the King | Prince |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **not** **persuade** | could · passive |  | Prince's mother |  |  |  |  | vn compel-59.1-1 «NP V NP»: subject=Patient |
| 4 | **is** | past | burner |  |  |  |  | true *property* | tree rules |
| 5 | **see** | gerund | Prince *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer |
| 6 | **go** | past | Prince | a hunting |  |  | day |  | vn disappearance-48.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 7 | **have** | past | Prince | some excuse |  |  |  | always *property* | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent excuse=Patient |
| 8 | **do** | gerund | Prince *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 9 | **lie out** | past · perfect | Prince |  |  |  | night | together *property* | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 10 | **begin** | past | Princess |  |  |  |  |  | vn begin-55.1-1-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Eventuality |
| 11 | **suspect** | to-infinitive | Princess *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn consider-29.9-2 «NP V how S»: agent=Agent clause=Theme |
| 12 | **marry** | past · passive |  | Prince |  |  |  |  | vn amalgamate-22.2-3-1-1 «NP V NP»: subject=Patient |
| 13 | **live** | past | Prince |  |  |  | year | with the Princess | vn lodge-46 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme with princess=Location |
| 14 | **have** | past |  | two children and a daughter |  |  |  | by Princess | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent child=Patient |
| 15 | **is a** | past | two children and a daughter | a daughter |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 16 | **name** | past · passive |  |  |  |  |  | young *property* | vn appoint-29.1 «NP V NP» |
| 17 | **is a** | past |  | a son |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 18 | **call** *speech: assert* | past | mothers *= mother* | a son *not said here* | Day |  |  |  | vn initiate\_communication-37.4.2-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent day=Recipient |
| 19 | **is** | past | Prince |  |  |  |  | a great deal *obl:unmarked*; handsome *property* | tree rules |
| 20 | **be** |  | Prince *not said here* |  |  |  |  | than Prince's sister | tree rules |

<!-- .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.

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** «The Blue Fairy Book» by Andrew Lang, Project Gutenberg book 503 (public domain in the USA). **Tree:** Mova's own parse, Elamur Cosmic License. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), the chapter read in order.

<!-- /div -->

<!-- pn -->
- ← previous: [sentence 74](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg503/10/74/)
- next →: [sentence 76](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg503/10/76/)
- ↑ back to [The Sleeping Beauty in the Wood](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg503/10/)