---
title: Now the difficulty became immense, for if they maintained enough hea… — The Green Fairy Book · tree and pragmatics
description: Now the difficulty became immense, for if they maintained enough heat to keep themselves alive they were in danger every moment of melting the blocks of solid ice of which the palace was entirely built, and bringing the whole structure down upon their heads; but cautiously and quickly they traversed
---

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# The Green Fairy Book, Heart of Ice, part 4, sentence 36

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Now the difficulty became immense, for if they maintained enough heat to keep themselves alive they were in danger every moment of melting the blocks of solid ice of which the palace was entirely built, and bringing the whole structure down upon their heads; but cautiously and quickly they traversed courtyards and halls, until they found themselves at the foot of a vast throne, where, upon a cushion of snow, lay an enormous and brilliantly sparkling diamond, which contained the heart of the lovely Princess Sabella.

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**Who acts:** difficulty, Princes, moment, enormous diamond · **What happens:** become, maintain, keep, be, melt, build · **To what, where:** enough heat, Princes, danger, blocks, palace, whole structure

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This is a sentence of «The Green Fairy Book» by Andrew Lang, Heart of Ice, part 4. The page gives its syntax tree — a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies — and its pragmatics clause by clause: who acts (difficulty, Princes, moment, enormous diamond), 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:pg7277:17:36
# text = Now the difficulty became immense, for if they maintained enough heat to keep themselves alive they were in danger every moment of melting the blocks of solid ice of which the palace was entirely built, and bringing the whole structure down upon their heads; but cautiously and quickly they traversed courtyards and halls, until they found themselves at the foot of a vast throne, where, upon a cushion of snow, lay an enormous and brilliantly sparkling diamond, which contained the heart of the lovely Princess Sabella.
1	Now	now	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	4	advmod	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	difficulty	difficulty	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	became	become	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	immense	immense	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
7	for	for	SCONJ	IN	_	10	mark	_	_
8	if	if	SCONJ	IN	_	10	mark	_	_
9	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	_
10	maintained	maintain	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	conj	_	_
11	enough	enough	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	heat	heat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obj	_	_
13	to	to	PART	TO	_	14	mark	_	_
14	keep	keep	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	10	advcl	_	_
15	themselves	themselves	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs|Reflex=Yes	14	obj	_	_
16	alive	alive	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	xcomp	_	_
17	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	20	nsubj	_	_
18	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	20	cop	_	_
19	in	in	ADP	IN	_	20	case	_	_
20	danger	danger	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	obl	_	_
21	every	every	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	22	det	_	_
22	moment	moment	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	20	nsubj	_	_
23	of	of	SCONJ	IN	_	24	mark	_	_
24	melting	melt	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	22	acl	_	_
25	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	26	det	_	_
26	blocks	block	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	24	obj	_	_
27	of	of	ADP	IN	_	29	case	_	_
28	solid	solid	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	29	amod	_	_
29	ice	ice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	26	nmod	_	_
30	of	of	ADP	IN	_	31	case	_	_
31	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	36	obl	_	_
32	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	33	det	_	_
33	palace	palace	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	36	nsubj:pass	_	_
34	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	36	aux:pass	_	_
35	entirely	entirely	ADV	RB	_	36	advmod	_	_
36	built	build	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	29	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
37	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	39	punct	_	_
38	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	39	cc	_	_
39	bringing	bring	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	24	conj	_	_
40	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	42	det	_	_
41	whole	whole	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	42	amod	_	_
42	structure	structure	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	39	obj	_	_
43	down	down	ADV	RB	_	39	advmod	_	_
44	upon	upon	ADP	IN	_	46	case	_	_
45	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	46	nmod:poss	_	_
46	heads	head	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	39	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
47	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	53	punct	_	_
48	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	49	cc	_	_
49	cautiously	cautiously	ADV	RB	_	53	advmod	_	_
50	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	51	cc	_	_
51	quickly	quickly	ADV	RB	_	49	conj	_	_
52	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	53	nsubj	_	_
53	traversed	traverse	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	conj	_	_
54	courtyards	courtyard	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	53	obj	_	_
55	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	56	cc	_	_
56	halls	hall	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	54	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
57	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	60	punct	_	_
58	until	until	SCONJ	IN	_	60	mark	_	_
59	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	60	nsubj	_	_
60	found	find	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	53	conj	_	_
61	themselves	themselves	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs|Reflex=Yes	60	obj	_	_
62	at	at	ADP	IN	_	64	case	_	_
63	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	64	det	_	_
64	foot	foot	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	60	obl	_	_
65	of	of	ADP	IN	_	68	case	_	_
66	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	68	det	_	_
67	vast	vast	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	68	amod	_	_
68	throne	throne	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	64	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
69	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	70	punct	_	_
70	where	where	ADV	WRB	PronType=Rel	68	acl	_	SpaceAfter=No
71	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	74	punct	_	_
72	upon	upon	ADP	IN	_	74	case	_	_
73	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	74	det	_	_
74	cushion	cushion	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	53	obl	_	_
75	of	of	ADP	IN	_	76	case	_	_
76	snow	snow	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	74	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
77	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	78	punct	_	_
78	lay	lay	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	53	advcl	_	_
79	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	84	det	_	_
80	enormous	enormous	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	84	amod	_	_
81	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	83	cc	_	_
82	brilliantly	brilliantly	ADV	RB	_	83	advmod	_	_
83	sparkling	sparkling	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	80	conj	_	_
84	diamond	diamond	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	78	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
85	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	87	punct	_	_
86	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	87	nsubj	_	_
87	contained	contain	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	84	acl:relcl	_	_
88	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	89	det	_	_
89	heart	heart	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	87	obj	_	_
90	of	of	ADP	IN	_	94	case	_	_
91	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	94	det	_	_
92	lovely	lovely	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	94	amod	_	_
93	Princess	Princess	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	94	compound	_	_
94	Sabella	Sabella	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	89	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
95	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

## Pragmatics {#pragmatics}

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **become** | past | the difficulty |  |  |  | now | immense *property* | vn become-109.1-1-1 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Patient |
| 2 | **maintain** *a condition, not said to happen* | past | Princes *= prince* | enough heat |  |  |  |  | vn declare-29.4-1 «NP V NP ADJ»: agent=Agent heat=Theme |
| 3 | **keep** | to-infinitive | Princes *= prince* *not said here* | Princes *= prince* |  |  |  | alive *property* | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent themselves=Theme |
| 4 | **is** | past | Princes *= prince* |  |  | danger |  |  | tree rules |
| 5 | **melt** | gerund | every moment *not said here* | the blocks of solid ice |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4-1 «NP V NP ADJ»: agent=Patient block=Result |
| 6 | **build** | past · passive |  | the palace |  |  |  | of solid ice; entirely *property* | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: subject=Product |
| 7 | **bring** | gerund | every moment *not said here* | the whole structure |  |  |  | upon Princes's heads; down *property* | vn bring-11.3-1 «NP V NP together»: agent=Agent structure=Theme |
| 8 | **traverse** | past | Princes *= prince* | courtyards and halls |  |  |  | upon a cushion of snow; cautiously *property* | vn contiguous\_location-47.8 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme courtyard=Co-Theme |
| 9 | **find** | past | Princes *= prince* | Princes *= prince* |  | the foot of a vast throne |  |  | vn get-13.5.1 «NP V NP PP.source NP.asset»: agent=Agent themselves=Theme at foot=Asset |
| 10 | **lay** | infinitive | Princes *= prince* *not said here* | a enormous diamond |  |  |  |  | vn create-26.4 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent diamond=Result |
| 11 | **contain** | past | a enormous diamond | the heart of the lovely Princess Sabella |  |  |  |  | vn comprise-107.2-2 «NP V NP»: agent=Pivot heart=Theme |

<!-- .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.

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**Text:** «The Green Fairy Book» by Andrew Lang, Project Gutenberg book 7277 (public domain in the USA). **Tree:** Mova's own parse, Elamur Cosmic License. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), the chapter read in order.

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