--- title: Agbor then went to the rabbit[2] who was a great friend of hers, and… — Ikom folk stories from Southern Nigeria · tree and pragmatics description: Agbor then went to the rabbit[2] who was a great friend of hers, and having told him her story, asked him to dig a hole underneath the bed of her husband so that he could hide there and hear what the chief said at night to his other wives in case he should be planning evil against her son, and Agbor --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg70959/8/22/) [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/) / [Ikom folk stories from Southern Nigeria](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg70959/) / [Xi.--how a Father Tried to Kill One of…](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg70959/8/) / 22 # Ikom folk stories from Southern Nigeria, Xi.--how a Father Tried to Kill One of His Sons But Failed., sentence 22 Agbor then went to the rabbit\[2\] who was a great friend of hers, and having told him her story, asked him to dig a hole underneath the bed of her husband so that he could hide there and hear what the chief said at night to his other wives in case he should be planning evil against her son, and Agbor also asked him to tell her every morning what he had heard. **Who acts:** Agbor, rabbit, chief · **What happens:** go, be, have, tell, ask, dig · **To what, where:** great friend, story, Agbor, hole, bed, other wives · **Speech:** someone speaks here This is a sentence of «Ikom folk stories from Southern Nigeria» by Elphinstone Dayrell, Xi.--how a Father Tried to Kill One of His Sons But Failed.. The page gives its syntax tree — a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies — and its pragmatics clause by clause: who acts (Agbor, rabbit, chief), what happens, when and where, as Mova's frames read it from the tree. **Mova's own parse.** This tree may be wrong. ## The tree {#tree} ```conllu # sent_id = book:pg70959:8:22 # text = Agbor then went to the rabbit[2] who was a great friend of hers, and having told him her story, asked him to dig a hole underneath the bed of her husband so that he could hide there and hear what the chief said at night to his other wives in case he should be planning evil against her son, and Agbor also asked him to tell her every morning what he had heard. 1 Agbor Agbor PROPN NNP Number=Sing 3 nsubj _ _ 2 then then ADV RB PronType=Dem 3 advmod _ _ 3 went go VERB VBD Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin 0 root _ _ 4 to to ADP IN _ 6 case _ _ 5 the the DET DT Definite=Def|PronType=Art 6 det _ _ 6 rabbit rabbit NOUN NN Number=Sing 3 obl _ SpaceAfter=No 7 [ [ PUNCT -LRB- _ 8 punct _ SpaceAfter=No 8 2 2 NUM LS NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card 14 discourse _ SpaceAfter=No 9 ] ] PUNCT -RRB- _ 8 punct _ _ 10 who who PRON WP PronType=Rel 14 nsubj _ _ 11 was be AUX VBD Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin 14 cop _ _ 12 a a DET DT Definite=Ind|PronType=Art 14 det _ _ 13 great great ADJ JJ Degree=Pos 14 amod _ _ 14 friend friend NOUN NN Number=Sing 6 conj _ _ 15 of of ADP IN _ 16 case _ _ 16 hers her PRON PRP Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs 14 nmod _ SpaceAfter=No 17 , , PUNCT , _ 20 punct _ _ 18 and and CCONJ CC _ 20 cc _ _ 19 having have VERB VBG VerbForm=Ger 20 ccomp _ _ 20 told tell VERB VBD Mood=Ind|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin 3 parataxis _ _ 21 him he PRON PRP Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs 20 iobj _ _ 22 her her PRON PRP$ Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs 23 nmod:poss _ _ 23 story story NOUN NN Number=Sing 20 obj _ SpaceAfter=No 24 , , PUNCT , _ 25 punct _ _ 25 asked ask VERB VBD Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin 20 conj _ _ 26 him he PRON PRP Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs 25 iobj _ _ 27 to to PART TO _ 28 mark _ _ 28 dig dig VERB VB VerbForm=Inf 25 xcomp _ _ 29 a a DET DT Definite=Ind|PronType=Art 30 det _ _ 30 hole hole NOUN NN Number=Sing 28 obj _ _ 31 underneath underneath ADP IN _ 33 case _ _ 32 the the DET DT Definite=Def|PronType=Art 33 det _ _ 33 bed bed NOUN NN Number=Sing 28 obl _ _ 34 of of ADP IN _ 36 case _ _ 35 her her PRON PRP$ Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs 36 nmod:poss _ _ 36 husband husband NOUN NN Number=Sing 33 nmod _ _ 37 so so SCONJ IN ExtPos=SCONJ 41 mark _ _ 38 that that SCONJ IN _ 37 fixed _ _ 39 he he PRON PRP Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs 41 nsubj _ _ 40 could could AUX MD VerbForm=Fin 41 aux _ _ 41 hide hide VERB VB VerbForm=Inf 28 advcl _ _ 42 there there ADV RB PronType=Dem 41 advmod _ _ 43 and and CCONJ CC _ 44 cc _ _ 44 hear hear VERB VB VerbForm=Inf 41 conj _ _ 45 what what PRON WP PronType=Int 48 obj _ _ 46 the the DET DT Definite=Def|PronType=Art 47 det _ _ 47 chief chief NOUN NN Number=Sing 48 nsubj _ _ 48 said say VERB VBD Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin 44 ccomp _ _ 49 at at ADP IN _ 50 case _ _ 50 night night NOUN NN Number=Sing 48 obl _ _ 51 to to ADP IN _ 54 case _ _ 52 his his PRON PRP$ Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs 54 nmod:poss _ _ 53 other other ADJ JJ Degree=Pos 54 amod _ _ 54 wives wife NOUN NNS Number=Plur 48 obl _ _ 55 in in ADP IN ExtPos=ADV 60 advmod _ _ 56 case case NOUN NN Number=Sing 55 fixed _ _ 57 he he PRON PRP Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs 60 nsubj _ _ 58 should should AUX MD VerbForm=Fin 60 aux _ _ 59 be be AUX VB VerbForm=Inf 60 aux _ _ 60 planning plan VERB VBG Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part 54 acl _ _ 61 evil evil ADJ JJ Degree=Pos 60 xcomp _ _ 62 against against ADP IN _ 64 case _ _ 63 her her PRON PRP$ Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs 64 nmod:poss _ _ 64 son son NOUN NN Number=Sing 60 obl _ SpaceAfter=No 65 , , PUNCT , _ 69 punct _ _ 66 and and CCONJ CC _ 69 cc _ _ 67 Agbor Agbor PROPN NNP Number=Sing 69 nsubj _ _ 68 also also ADV RB _ 69 advmod _ _ 69 asked ask VERB VBD Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin 3 conj _ _ 70 him he PRON PRP Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs 69 iobj _ _ 71 to to PART TO _ 72 mark _ _ 72 tell tell VERB VB VerbForm=Inf 69 xcomp _ _ 73 her she PRON PRP Case=Acc|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs 72 iobj _ _ 74 every every DET DT PronType=Tot 75 det _ _ 75 morning morning NOUN NN Number=Sing 72 obl:unmarked _ _ 76 what what PRON WP PronType=Int 79 obj _ _ 77 he he PRON PRP Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs 79 nsubj _ _ 78 had have AUX VBD Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin 79 aux _ _ 79 heard hear VERB VBN Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part 72 ccomp _ SpaceAfter=No 80 . . PUNCT . _ 3 punct _ _ ``` ## Pragmatics {#pragmatics} | # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | **go** | past | Agbor | | | | then | to the rabbit and a great friend | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V PP.initial\_location»: agent=Theme to rabbit=Initial\_Location | | 2 | **is a** | past | the rabbit and a great friend | a great friend | | | | of Queen; 2 *discourse* | tree rules | | 3 | **have** | gerund | | | | | | | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent | | 4 | **tell** *speech: assert* | past | | Queen's story | Agbor | | | | tree rules | | 5 | **ask** *speech: ask* | past | | | Agbor | | | | vn inquire-37.1.2 «NP V NP whether S\_INF»: agent=Agent he=Recipient clause=Topic | | 6 | **dig** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | | a hole | | the bed of Queen's husband | | | vn hunt-35.1 «NP V NP PP.location»: agent=Agent hole=Theme underneath bed=Location | | 7 | **hide** | could | Agbor | | | there | | | vn concealment-16-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent | | 8 | **hear** | infinitive | Agbor *not said here* | | | | | | vn see-30.1-1-1 «NP V how S»: agent=Experiencer clause=Stimulus | | 9 | **say** *speech: assert* | past | the chief | | Agbor's other wives | | night | what *obj* | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP PP.recipient»: agent=Agent what=Topic to wife=Recipient | | 10 | **plan** | should · progressive | Agbor | Agbor's other wives *not said here* | | | | against Queen's son; evil *property* | vn intend-61.2-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent wife=Topic | | 11 | **ask** *speech: ask* | past | Agbor | | son | | | | vn inquire-37.1.2 «NP V NP whether S\_INF»: agent=Agent he=Recipient clause=Topic | | 12 | **tell** *speech: assert* *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | Agbor *not said here* | | Queen | | morning | | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP what S»: agent=Agent she=Recipient clause=Topic | | 13 | **hear** | past · perfect | Agbor | | | | | what *obj* | vn see-30.1-1-1 «NP V S»: agent=Experiencer what=Stimulus | 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. **Text:** «Ikom folk stories from Southern Nigeria» by Elphinstone Dayrell, Project Gutenberg book 70959 (public domain in the USA). **Tree:** Mova's own parse, Elamur Cosmic License. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), the chapter read in order. - ← previous: [sentence 21](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg70959/8/21/) - next →: [sentence 23](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg70959/8/23/) - ↑ back to [Xi.--how a Father Tried to Kill One of His Sons But Failed.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg70959/8/)