--- title: The Pink Fairy Book, part 37 — The Pink Fairy Book · full text with trees · page 2 description: The Pink Fairy Book, part 37, «The Pink Fairy Book» by Andrew Lang: the whole chapter, every sentence with its dependency tree and pragmatics. It begins: The Story of Ciccu --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/37/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 Pink Fairy Book](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/) / The Pink Fairy Book, part 37 # The Pink Fairy Book, part 37 · page 2 [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/37/) **2** - [101](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/37/101/) — Then they began to quarrel violently, and there seemed no chance that they would ever cease, till one of them said, ‘Let us go before a judge.’ - [102](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/37/102/) — The others agreed, and when they had found a man whom they could trust Ciccu told him the whole story. - [103](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/37/103/) — ‘This is my verdict,’ said the judge. - [104](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/37/104/) — ‘The figs in truth belong to you, but you cannot pluck them without touching both the trunk and the branches. - [105](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/37/105/) — Therefore you must give your first basketful to your brother Peppe, as the price of his leave to put your ladder against the tree; and the second basketful to your brother Alfin, for leave to shake his boughs. - [106](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/37/106/) — The rest you can keep for yourself.’ - [107](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/37/107/) — And the brothers were contented, and returned home, saying one to the other, ‘We will each of us send a basket of figs to the king. - [108](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/37/108/) — Perhaps he will give us something in return, and if he does we will divide it faithfully between us.’ - [109](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/37/109/) — So the best figs were carefully packed in a basket, and Peppe set out with it to the castle. - [110](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/37/110/) — On the road he met a little old man who stopped and said to him, ‘What have you got there, my fine fellow?’ - [111](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/37/111/) — ‘What is that to you?’ was the answer; ‘mind your own business.’ - [112](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/37/112/) — But the old man only repeated his question, and Peppe, to get rid of him, exclaimed in anger, ‘Dirt.’ - [113](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/37/113/) — ‘Good,’ replied the old man; ‘dirt you have said, and dirt let it be.’ - [114](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/37/114/) — Peppe only tossed his head and went on his way till he got to the castle, where he knocked at the door. - [115](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/37/115/) — ‘I have a basket of lovely figs for the king,’ he said to the servant who opened it, ‘if his majesty will be graciously pleased to accept them with my humble duty.’ - [116](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/37/116/) — The king loved figs, and ordered Peppe to be admitted to his presence, and a silver dish to be brought on which to put the figs. - [117](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/37/117/) — When Peppe uncovered his basket sure enough a layer of beautiful purple figs met the king’s eyes, but underneath there was nothing but dirt. - [118](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/37/118/) — ‘How dare you play me such a trick?’ shrieked the king in a rage. - [119](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/37/119/) — ‘Take him away, and give him fifty lashes.’ - [120](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/37/120/) — This was done, and Peppe returned home, sore and angry, but determined to say nothing about his adventure. - [121](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/37/121/) — And when his brothers asked him what had happened he only answered, ‘When we have all three been I will tell you.’ - [122](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/37/122/) — A few days after this more figs were ready for plucking, and Alfin in his turn set out for the palace. - [123](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/37/123/) — He had not gone far down the road before he met the old man, who asked him what he had in his basket. - [124](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/37/124/) — ‘Horns,’ answered Alfin, shortly. - [125](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/37/125/) — ‘Good,’ replied the old man; ‘horns you have said, and horns let it be.’ - [126](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/37/126/) — When Alfin reached the castle he knocked at the door and said to the servant: ‘Here is a basket of lovely figs, if his majesty will be good enough to accept them with my humble duty.’ - [127](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/37/127/) — The king commanded that Alfin should be admitted to his presence, and a silver dish to be brought on which to lay the figs. - [128](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/37/128/) — When the basket was uncovered some beautiful purple figs lay on the top, but underneath there was nothing but horns. - [129](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/37/129/) — Then the king was beside himself with passion, and screamed out, ‘Is this a plot to mock me? - [130](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/37/130/) — Take him away, and give him a hundred and fifty lashes!’ - [131](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/37/131/) — So Alfin went sadly home, but would not tell anything about his adventures, only saying grimly, ‘Now it is Ciccu’s turn.’ - [132](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/37/132/) — Ciccu had to wait a little before he gathered the last figs on the tree, and these were not nearly so good as the first set. - [133](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/37/133/) — However, he plucked them, as they had agreed, and set out for the king’s palace. - [134](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/37/134/) — The old man was still on the road, and he came up and said to Ciccu, ‘What have you got in that basket?’ [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/37/) **2** - ← previous: [The Pink Fairy Book, part 36](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/36/) - next →: [The Pink Fairy Book, part 38](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/38/) - ↑ back to [The Pink Fairy Book](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg5615/)