--- title: Opening, part 16 — The Jade Story Book; Stories from the Orient · full text with trees description: Opening, part 16, «The Jade Story Book; Stories from the Orient» by Penrhyn Wingfield Coussens: the whole chapter, every sentence with its dependency tree and pragmatics. It begins: Just then he heard close to him a funny sort of chuckle, and turning round, he saw a large fish staring at him with ro --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg65965/16/) [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 Jade Story Book; Stories from the…](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg65965/) / Opening, part 16 # Opening, part 16 Opening, part 16 of «The Jade Story Book; Stories from the Orient» by Penrhyn Wingfield Coussens: the whole text, 140 sentences and 2562 words. The small number after every sentence leads to its own page with its syntax tree and pragmatics, parsed by Mova itself. **1** [2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg65965/16/page/2/) Just then he heard close to him a funny sort of chuckle, and turning round, he saw a large fish staring at him with round eyes, and with a peculiar twist of its mouth which Sin could see was caused by laughter.[1](1/ "tree and pragmatics") “What are you laughing at?” he asked.[2](2/ "tree and pragmatics") “You,” replied the fish.[3](3/ "tree and pragmatics") “Why do you laugh at me?” he inquired.[4](4/ "tree and pragmatics") “I laughed at what you said,” answered the fish.[5](5/ "tree and pragmatics") “The idea of a man knowing what the delight of living in water is was so funny that I couldn’t help laughing, and it has made me feel very uncomfortable, because I am not used to doing that.”[6](6/ "tree and pragmatics") Then Sin asked why a fish should enjoy the water more than a man, and the fish replied that a man would like to swim and dive for a little while, but his ugly limbs, which made him look like a frog, would soon tire.[7](7/ "tree and pragmatics") And then, when a man is hungry, he has to seek his food on land, while a fish can find nourishment while gliding through the water, and that without fatigue and almost without movement.[8](8/ "tree and pragmatics") Then said Sin: “I would give a good deal to be like you.”[9](9/ "tree and pragmatics") “Do you mean that you would like to become a fish?”[10](10/ "tree and pragmatics") “I do,” said Sin; “and I would give up all the money I squeezed out of the people when I was a magistrate if I could enjoy the river as you do.”[11](11/ "tree and pragmatics") “Then come with me,” said the fish; and turning round he swam up-stream, going very slowly so that Sin should not lose sight of him.[12](12/ "tree and pragmatics") At length they reached a spot where a huge carp lay, surrounded by attendant fishes.[13](13/ "tree and pragmatics") Sin could see he was the king fish by the reverent manner with which the others regarded him.[14](14/ "tree and pragmatics") Sin’s guide approached the fish king, and said:[15](15/ "tree and pragmatics") “Your Highness, here is a poor man who wants very much to become a fish, and so I have ventured to bring him into your presence.”[16](16/ "tree and pragmatics") He then motioned Sin to approach.[17](17/ "tree and pragmatics") “Do you really wish to become a fish?” inquired the king.[18](18/ "tree and pragmatics") “I do, your Majesty,” replied Sin.[19](19/ "tree and pragmatics") “The gentleman who brought me to you has shown me that only fishes can really appreciate life in the river, and I am sure that the full enjoyment of such must be wonderful.”[20](20/ "tree and pragmatics") “Then you shall have your desire,” said the king, and turning to one of his attendants, he told him to fetch a large fish’s skin.[21](21/ "tree and pragmatics") The messenger soon returned with a skin which proved to be just the right size, and into this Sin was put, leaving out only his hands and feet.[22](22/ "tree and pragmatics") It was rather uncomfortable at first, and he felt a gradual change coming over him; his arms grew smaller and smaller, and his hands became like fins; his legs and feet went together and took the form of a tail.[23](23/ "tree and pragmatics") Then he felt better, and became anxious to try his new powers, so, thanking his Majesty for his kindness, he began to swim away.[24](24/ "tree and pragmatics") “Just a minute,” said the king.[25](25/ "tree and pragmatics") “I have some advice to give you.[26](26/ "tree and pragmatics") No one knows better than you that men are always trying to catch fish, both by hook and net.[27](27/ "tree and pragmatics") Now, if ever you see a worm dangling in the water in the shape of a hook, leave it alone, or you will be a dead fish; and if you see a net before you, turn around, and swim the other way.”[28](28/ "tree and pragmatics") “Many thanks for your instructions, your Majesty,” said Sin, and with that he turned down-stream.[29](29/ "tree and pragmatics") It took him a little while to get used to his tail and fins, as he still wanted to strike out with his hands and feet, but by degrees he became used to them, and then he swam swiftly with the current.[30](30/ "tree and pragmatics") He felt fine, and greatly enjoyed the new experience.[31](31/ "tree and pragmatics") But after a time he became hungry, and looked around for a worm, and this was something new for him.[32](32/ "tree and pragmatics") Perhaps it was because he didn’t know how to look for food, but it did seem to him that there was nothing eatable about, although he went from one bank to the other; dived down to the bed of the river, and nosed among the refuse there, but all to no purpose.[33](33/ "tree and pragmatics") And he became hungrier and hungrier.[34](34/ "tree and pragmatics") At last he saw a worm, but he noticed that it was in the shape of a hook, and remembering the king’s instructions he passed by it, then he came back.[35](35/ "tree and pragmatics") He swam to and fro, trying to avoid it, but somehow he couldn’t get away from it.[36](36/ "tree and pragmatics") The demon of hunger whispered to him, “Eat it; never mind what the old carp said, he knows less than you do.[37](37/ "tree and pragmatics") If you are afraid of it, just nibble a little piece off its tail, instead of gulping it all down.”[38](38/ "tree and pragmatics") So Sin just pulled off a little piece that was wriggling about, and it tasted so good, that he couldn’t resist taking the rest of it, so he greedily swallowed the whole worm.[39](39/ "tree and pragmatics") Quickly was delight turned into pain as the hook, which was hidden in the worm, pierced the roof of his mouth.[40](40/ "tree and pragmatics") In terror he tried to swim away, but every movement added to his misery, and soon he found he was being pulled up to the surface.[41](41/ "tree and pragmatics") He struggled, but all in vain, and in spite of all he could do, he was drawn out of the water.[42](42/ "tree and pragmatics") He looked up, and to his surprise and relief, saw that his captor was one of his own servants.[43](43/ "tree and pragmatics") He spoke to him as well as he could, and said: “Let me go, Chang; I am your master, Sin, and not a fish; take this awful hook out of my mouth, and put me back into the water at once.”[44](44/ "tree and pragmatics") Chang was puzzled, because he had never heard a fish make a noise like this before, but he seized the fish, remarking to himself what a wonderfully fine one it was, and tearing the hook out of its jaws, threw it down in the boat.[45](45/ "tree and pragmatics") “You scoundrel!” shouted Sin.[46](46/ "tree and pragmatics") “How dare you treat me like this.[47](47/ "tree and pragmatics") I dismiss you from my service at once.”[48](48/ "tree and pragmatics") “I have heard tales of birds talking,” said Chang, “but may I be beaten if I haven’t got hold of a fish that talks.”[49](49/ "tree and pragmatics") With that he turned to the shore, and then he lifted the fish by its gills, and started toward home.[50](50/ "tree and pragmatics") “Oh, you will kill me!” shouted Sin.[51](51/ "tree and pragmatics") “I will have you flayed alive for this.”[52](52/ "tree and pragmatics") But Chang took no more notice of the strange noises the fish made, and thought only of the present he would receive for bringing home such a fine fish.[53](53/ "tree and pragmatics") Sin was feeling weak from pain, and from being out of the water so long.[54](54/ "tree and pragmatics") He thought that surely the old porter would know him when he should reach the house, so he ceased his efforts for the present.[55](55/ "tree and pragmatics") As soon as they reached the gate the porter congratulated Chang on the fine fish he had caught, and said that Mr. Le had just sent to know whether he had brought in anything.[56](56/ "tree and pragmatics") “Porter,” said Sin, “I am your master, and not a fish.[57](57/ "tree and pragmatics") This fellow Chang has caused me great pain, and refuses to put me back into the water.[58](58/ "tree and pragmatics") I order you to take me to the river at once.”[59](59/ "tree and pragmatics") “This is a queer fish that you have got hold of, Chang,” said the porter; “I never heard one make a noise like this before.[60](60/ "tree and pragmatics") You had better take it at once to Mr. Le.”[61](61/ "tree and pragmatics") **1** [2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg65965/16/page/2/) - ← previous: [Opening, part 15](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg65965/15/) - next →: [page 2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg65965/16/page/2/) - ↑ back to [The Jade Story Book; Stories from the Orient](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg65965/)