---
title: But the sly old man, who was terrified for his life that the three r… — The Green Fairy Book · tree and pragmatics
description: But the sly old man, who was terrified for his life that the three rogues might do him some harm, was on his guard, and said to his housekeeper, ‘Nina, take this bladder, which is filled with blood, and hide it under your cloak; then when these thieves come I’ll lay all the blame on you, and will pr
---

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# The Green Fairy Book, The Biter Bit, part 1, sentence 77

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
But the sly old man, who was terrified for his life that the three rogues might do him some harm, was on his guard, and said to his housekeeper, ‘Nina, take this bladder, which is filled with blood, and hide it under your cloak; then when these thieves come I’ll lay all the blame on you, and will pretend to be so angry with you that I will run at you with my knife, and pierce the bladder with it; then you must fall on the ground as if you were dead, and leave the rest to me.’

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** sly old man, three rogues, Nina, thieves, I, you · **What happens:** be, do, say, take, fill, hide · **To what, where:** man, guard, bladder, cloak, blame, ground · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is a sentence of «The Green Fairy Book» by Andrew Lang, The Biter Bit, part 1. The page gives its syntax tree — a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies — and its pragmatics clause by clause: who acts (sly old man, three rogues, Nina, thieves), 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:pg7277:26:77
# text = But the sly old man, who was terrified for his life that the three rogues might do him some harm, was on his guard, and said to his housekeeper, ‘Nina, take this bladder, which is filled with blood, and hide it under your cloak; then when these thieves come I’ll lay all the blame on you, and will pretend to be so angry with you that I will run at you with my knife, and pierce the bladder with it; then you must fall on the ground as if you were dead, and leave the rest to me.’
1	But	but	CCONJ	CC	_	29	cc	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
3	sly	sly	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
4	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	man	man	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	29	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
7	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	9	nsubj	_	_
8	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
9	terrified	terrified	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	acl:relcl	_	_
10	for	for	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	12	nmod:poss	_	_
12	life	life	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	_
13	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	18	mark	_	_
14	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
15	three	three	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	16	nummod	_	_
16	rogues	rogue	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	18	nsubj	_	_
17	might	might	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	18	aux	_	_
18	do	do	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	9	advcl	_	_
19	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	18	obj	_	_
20	some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	21	det	_	_
21	harm	harm	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	26	punct	_	_
23	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	26	cop	_	_
24	on	on	ADP	IN	_	26	case	_	_
25	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	26	nmod:poss	_	_
26	guard	guard	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
27	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	29	punct	_	_
28	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	29	cc	_	_
29	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
30	to	to	ADP	IN	_	32	case	_	_
31	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	32	nmod:poss	_	_
32	housekeeper	housekeeper	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	29	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
33	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	35	punct	_	_
34	‘	‘	ADP	IN	_	35	case	_	SpaceAfter=No
35	Nina	Nina	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	37	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
36	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	37	punct	_	_
37	take	take	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	29	ccomp	_	_
38	this	this	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	39	det	_	_
39	bladder	bladder	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	37	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
40	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	43	punct	_	_
41	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	43	nsubj:pass	_	_
42	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	43	aux:pass	_	_
43	filled	fill	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	39	acl	_	_
44	with	with	ADP	IN	_	45	case	_	_
45	blood	blood	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	43	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
46	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	48	punct	_	_
47	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	48	cc	_	_
48	hide	hide	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	29	ccomp	_	_
49	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	48	obj	_	_
50	under	under	ADP	IN	_	52	case	_	_
51	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	52	nmod:poss	_	_
52	cloak	cloak	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	48	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
53	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	58	punct	_	_
54	then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	58	advmod	_	_
55	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	58	advmod	_	_
56	these	this	DET	DT	Number=Plur|PronType=Dem	57	det	_	_
57	thieves	thief	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	58	nsubj	_	_
58	come	come	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	29	conj	_	_
59	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	61	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
60	’ll	will	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	61	aux	_	_
61	lay	lay	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	58	conj	_	_
62	all	all	DET	PDT	PronType=Tot	64	det:predet	_	_
63	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	64	det	_	_
64	blame	blame	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	61	obj	_	_
65	on	on	ADP	IN	_	66	case	_	_
66	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Person=2|PronType=Prs	61	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
67	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	70	punct	_	_
68	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	70	cc	_	_
69	will	will	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	70	aux	_	_
70	pretend	pretend	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	58	parataxis	_	_
71	to	to	PART	TO	_	74	mark	_	_
72	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	74	cop	_	_
73	so	so	ADV	RB	_	74	advmod	_	_
74	angry	angry	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	70	xcomp	_	_
75	with	with	ADP	IN	_	76	case	_	_
76	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Person=2|PronType=Prs	74	obl	_	_
77	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	80	mark	_	_
78	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	80	nsubj	_	_
79	will	will	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	80	aux	_	_
80	run	run	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	74	advcl	_	_
81	at	at	ADP	IN	_	82	case	_	_
82	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Person=2|PronType=Prs	80	obl	_	_
83	with	with	ADP	IN	_	85	case	_	_
84	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	85	nmod:poss	_	_
85	knife	knife	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	80	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
86	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	88	punct	_	_
87	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	88	cc	_	_
88	pierce	pierce	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	70	conj	_	_
89	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	90	det	_	_
90	bladder	bladder	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	88	obj	_	_
91	with	with	ADP	IN	_	92	case	_	_
92	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	88	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
93	;	;	PUNCT	,	_	97	punct	_	_
94	then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	97	advmod	_	_
95	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	97	nsubj	_	_
96	must	must	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	97	aux	_	_
97	fall	fall	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	29	ccomp	_	_
98	on	on	ADP	IN	_	100	case	_	_
99	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	100	det	_	_
100	ground	ground	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	97	obl	_	_
101	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	105	mark	_	_
102	if	if	SCONJ	IN	_	105	mark	_	_
103	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	105	nsubj	_	_
104	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	105	cop	_	_
105	dead	dead	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	97	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
106	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	108	punct	_	_
107	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	108	cc	_	_
108	leave	leave	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	97	conj	_	_
109	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	110	det	_	_
110	rest	rest	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	108	obj	_	_
111	to	to	ADP	IN	_	112	case	_	_
112	me	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	108	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
113	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	97	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
114	’	'	PUNCT	''	_	97	punct	_	_
```

## Pragmatics {#pragmatics}

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | the sly old man and man's guard |  |  |  |  | for man's life; terrified *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **do** | might | the three rogues | man |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **is** | past | the sly old man and man's guard *not said here* |  |  | man's guard |  |  | tree rules |
| 4 | **say** *speech: assert* | past | the sly old man and man's guard |  |  |  |  | to man's housekeeper | vn indicate-78-1 «NP V PP.recipient that S»: agent=Pivot to housekeeper=Experiencer clause=Topic |
| 5 | **take** | infinitive | Nina | this bladder |  |  |  |  | vn bring-11.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent bladder=Theme |
| 6 | **fill** | present · passive |  | this bladder |  |  |  | with blood | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP PP.instrument»: subject=Patient with blood=Instrument |
| 7 | **hide** | present |  | bladder |  | your cloak |  |  | vn concealment-16-1 «NP V NP PP.location»: agent=Agent it=Patient under cloak=Location |
| 8 | **come** | present | this thieves |  |  |  | then |  | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 9 | **lay** | future | I | all blame |  |  |  | on you | vn put\_spatial-9.2 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent blame=Theme on you=Destination |
| 10 | **pretend** | future |  |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 11 | **is** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | with you; angry *property* | tree rules |
| 12 | **run** | future | I |  |  |  |  | at you; with my knife | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme at you=Trajectory |
| 13 | **pierce** | infinitive |  | the bladder |  |  |  | with thief | vn poke-19-1 «NP V NP PP.instrument»: agent=Agent bladder=Patient with it=Instrument |
| 14 | **fall** | must | you |  |  | the ground | then |  | vn occur-48.3 «NP V PP»: agent=Theme on ground=Location |
| 15 | **is** | past | you |  |  |  |  | dead *property* | tree rules |
| 16 | **leave** | infinitive | you *not said here* | the rest | me |  |  |  | vn fulfilling-13.4.1 «NP V NP PP.recipient»: agent=Agent rest=Theme to i=Recipient |

<!-- .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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