--- title: The Pink Fairy Book, part 11 — The Pink Fairy Book · full text with trees description: The Pink Fairy Book, part 11, «The Pink Fairy Book» by Andrew Lang: the whole chapter, every sentence with its dependency tree and pragmatics. It begins: By the next year it had grown a whole ring taller, and the year after that another ring more, for you can always tell a fir-tree’s age from its ri --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/) [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 Pink Fairy Book](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/) / The Pink Fairy Book, part 11 # The Pink Fairy Book, part 11 The Pink Fairy Book, part 11 of «The Pink Fairy Book» by Andrew Lang: the whole text, 164 sentences and 2642 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/pg5615/11/page/2/) - [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/1/) — By the next year it had grown a whole ring taller, and the year after that another ring more, for you can always tell a fir-tree’s age from its rings. - [2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/2/) — ‘Oh! if I were only a great tree like the others!’ sighed the little fir-tree, ‘then I could stretch out my branches far and wide and look out into the great world! - [3](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/3/) — The birds would build their nests in my branches, and when the wind blew I would bow to it politely just like the others!’ - [4](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/4/) — It took no pleasure in the sunshine, nor in the birds, nor in the rose-coloured clouds that sailed over it at dawn and at sunset. - [5](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/5/) — Then the winter came, and the snow lay white and sparkling all around, and a hare would come and spring right over the little fir-tree, which annoyed it very much. - [6](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/6/) — But when two more winters had passed the fir-tree was so tall that the hare had to run round it. - [7](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/7/) — ‘Ah! to grow and grow, and become great and old! that is the only pleasure in life,’ thought the tree. - [8](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/8/) — In the autumn the woodcutters used to come and hew some of the tallest trees; this happened every year, and the young fir-tree would shiver as the magnificent trees fell crashing and crackling to the ground, their branches hewn off, and the great trunks left bare, so that they were almost unrecognisable. - [9](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/9/) — But then they were laid on waggons and dragged out of the wood by horses. - [10](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/10/) — ‘Where are they going? - [11](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/11/) — What will happen to them?’ - [12](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/12/) — In spring, when the swallows and storks came, the fir-tree asked them, ‘Do you know where they were taken? - [13](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/13/) — Have you met them?’ - [14](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/14/) — The swallows knew nothing of them, but the stork nodded his head thoughtfully, saying, ‘I think I know. - [15](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/15/) — I met many new ships as I flew from Egypt; there were splendid masts on the ships. - [16](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/16/) — I’ll wager those were they! - [17](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/17/) — They had the scent of fir-trees. - [18](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/18/) — Ah! those are grand, grand!’ - [19](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/19/) — ‘Oh! if I were only big enough to sail away over the sea too! - [20](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/20/) — What sort of thing is the sea? what does it look like?’ - [21](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/21/) — ‘Oh! it would take much too long to tell you all that,’ said the stork, and off he went. - [22](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/22/) — ‘Rejoice in your youth,’ said the sunbeams, ‘rejoice in the sweet growing time, in the young life within you.’ - [23](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/23/) — And the wind kissed it and the dew wept tears over it, but the fir-tree did not understand. - [24](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/24/) — Towards Christmas-time quite little trees were cut down, some not as big as the young fir-tree, or just the same age, and now it had no peace or rest for longing to be away. - [25](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/25/) — These little trees, which were chosen for their beauty, kept all their branches; they were put in carts and drawn out of the wood by horses. - [26](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/26/) — ‘Whither are those going?’ asked the fir-tree; ‘they are no bigger than I, and one there was much smaller even! — checked by a teacher - [27](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/27/) — Why do they keep their branches? - [28](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/28/) — Where are they taken to?’ - [29](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/29/) — ‘We know! we know!’ twittered the sparrows. - [30](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/30/) — ‘Down there in the city we have peeped in at the windows, we know where they go! - [31](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/31/) — They attain to the greatest splendour and magnificence you can imagine! - [32](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/32/) — We have looked in at the windows and seen them planted in the middle of the warm room and adorned with the most beautiful things-golden apples, sweet-meats, toys and hundreds of candles.’ - [33](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/33/) — ‘And then?’ asked the fir-tree, trembling in every limb with eagerness, ‘and then? what happens then?’ - [34](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/34/) — ‘Oh, we haven’t seen anything more than that. - [35](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/35/) — That was simply matchless!’ - [36](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/36/) — ‘Am I too destined to the same brilliant career?’ wondered the fir-tree excitedly. - [37](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/37/) — ‘That is even better than sailing over the sea! - [38](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/38/) — I am sick with longing. - [39](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/39/) — If it were only Christmas! - [40](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/40/) — Now I am tall and grown-up like those which were taken away last year. - [41](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/41/) — Ah, if I were only in the cart! - [42](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/42/) — If I were only in the warm room with all the splendour and magnificence! - [43](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/43/) — And then? - [44](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/44/) — Then comes something better, something still more beautiful, else why should they dress us up? - [45](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/45/) — There must be something greater, something grander to come--but what? - [46](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/46/) — Oh! - [47](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/47/) — I am pining away! - [48](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/48/) — I really don’t know what’s the matter with me!’ - [49](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/49/) — ‘Rejoice in us,’ said the air and sunshine, ‘rejoice in your fresh youth in the free air!’ - [50](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/50/) — But it took no notice, and just grew and grew; there it stood fresh and green in winter and summer, and all who saw it said, ‘What a beautiful tree!’ - [51](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/51/) — And at Christmas-time it was the first to be cut down. - [52](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/52/) — The axe went deep into the pith; the tree fell to the ground with a groan; it felt bruised and faint. - [53](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/53/) — It could not think of happiness, it was sad at leaving its home, the spot where it had sprung up; it knew, too, that it would never see again its dear old companions, or the little shrubs and flowers, perhaps not even the birds. - [54](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/54/) — Altogether the parting was not pleasant. - [55](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/55/) — When the tree came to itself again it was packed in a yard with other trees, and a man was saying, ‘This is a splendid one, we shall only want this.’ - [56](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/56/) — Then came two footmen in livery and carried the fir-tree to a large and beautiful room. - [57](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/57/) — There were pictures hanging on the walls, and near the Dutch stove stood great Chinese vases with lions on their lids; there were armchairs, silk-covered sofas, big tables laden with picture-books and toys, worth hundreds of pounds-at least, so the children said. - [58](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/58/) — The fir-tree was placed in a great tub filled with sand, but no one could see that it was a tub, for it was all hung with greenery and stood on a gay carpet. - [59](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/59/) — How the tree trembled! - [60](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/60/) — What was coming now? - [61](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/61/) — On its branches they hung little nets cut out of coloured paper, each full of sugarplums; gilt apples and nuts hung down as if they were growing, over a hundred red, blue, and white tapers were fastened among the branches. - [62](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/62/) — Dolls as life-like as human beings--the fir-tree had never seen any before were suspended among the green, and right up at the top was fixed a gold tinsel star; it was gorgeous, quite unusually gorgeous! - [63](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/63/) — ‘To-night,’ they all said, ‘to-night it will be lighted!’ - [64](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/64/) — ‘Ah!’ thought the tree, ‘if it were only evening! - [65](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/65/) — Then the tapers would soon be lighted. - [66](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/66/) — What will happen then? - [67](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/67/) — I wonder whether the trees will come from the wood to see me, or if the sparrows will fly against the window panes? - [68](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/68/) — Am I to stand here decked out thus through winter and summer?’ - [69](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/69/) — It was not a bad guess, but the fir-tree had real bark-ache from sheer longing, and bark-ache in trees is just as bad as head-ache in human beings. - [70](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/70/) — Now the tapers were lighted. - [71](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/71/) — What a glitter! - [72](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/72/) — What splendour! - [73](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/73/) — The tree quivered in all its branches so much, that one of the candles caught the green, and singed it. - [74](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/74/) — ‘Take care!’ cried the young ladies, and they extinguished it. - [75](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/75/) — Now the tree did not even dare to quiver. - [76](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/76/) — It was really terrible! - [77](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/77/) — It was so afraid of losing any of its ornaments, and it was quite bewildered by all the radiance. - [78](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/78/) — And then the folding doors were opened, and a crowd of children rushed in, as though they wanted to knock down the whole tree, whilst the older people followed soberly. - [79](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/79/) — The children stood quite silent, but only for a moment, and then they shouted again, and danced round the tree, and snatched off one present after another. - [80](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/80/) — ‘What are they doing?’ thought the tree. - [81](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/81/) — ‘What is going to happen?’ - [82](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/82/) — And the tapers burnt low on the branches, and were put out one by one, and then the children were given permission to plunder the tree. - [83](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/83/) — They rushed at it so that all its boughs creaked; if it had not been fastened by the gold star at the top to the ceiling, it would have been overthrown. - [84](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/84/) — The children danced about with their splendid toys, and no one looked at the tree, except the old nurse, who came and peeped amongst the boughs, just to see if a fig or an apple had been forgotten. - [85](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/85/) — ‘A story! a story!’ cried the children, and dragged a little stout man to the tree; he sat down beneath it, saying, ‘Here we are in the greenwood, and the tree will be delighted to listen! - [86](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/86/) — But I am only going to tell one story. - [87](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/87/) — Shall it be Henny Penny or Humpty Dumpty who fell downstairs, and yet gained great honour and married a princess?’ - [88](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/88/) — ‘Henny Penny!’ cried some; ‘Humpty Dumpty!’ cried others; there was a perfect babel of voices! - [89](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/89/) — Only the fir-tree kept silent, and thought, ‘Am I not to be in it? - [90](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/90/) — Am I to have nothing to do with it?’ - [91](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/91/) — But it had already been in it, and played out its part. - [92](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/92/) — And the man told them about Humpty Dumpty who fell downstairs and married a princess. - [93](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/93/) — The children clapped their hands and cried, ‘Another! another!’ - [94](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/94/) — They wanted the story of Henny Penny also, but they only got Humpty Dumpty. - [95](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/95/) — The fir-tree stood quite astonished and thoughtful; the birds in the wood had never related anything like that. - [96](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/96/) — ‘Humpty Dumpty fell downstairs and yet married a princess! yes, that is the way of the world!’ thought the tree, and was sure it must be true, because such a nice man had told the story. - [97](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/97/) — ‘Well, who knows? - [98](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/98/) — Perhaps I shall fall downstairs and marry a princess.’ - [99](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/99/) — And it rejoiced to think that next day it would be decked out again with candles, toys, glittering ornaments, and fruits. - [100](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/100/) — ‘To-morrow I shall quiver again with excitement. **1** [2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/11/page/2/) - ← previous: [The Pink Fairy Book, part 10](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/10/) - next →: [The Pink Fairy Book, part 12](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/12/) - ↑ back to [The Pink Fairy Book](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/)