---
title: And in order to insure against any more attempts at invasion from th… — Folk tales from Tibet · tree and pragmatics
description: And in order to insure against any more attempts at invasion from the side of the neighbouring kingdom, the King sent a herald across the river to the ruler of that country, to say that, on this occasion, he had only considered it worth while to employ his Mice to defeat his enemies; but that if he 
---

<!-- md -->
[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg75000/20/58/)

<!-- crumbs -->
[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/) / [Folk tales from Tibet](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg75000/) / [The Country of the Mice.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg75000/20/) / 58

# Folk tales from Tibet, The Country of the Mice., sentence 58

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
And in order to insure against any more attempts at invasion from the side of the neighbouring kingdom, the King sent a herald across the river to the ruler of that country, to say that, on this occasion, he had only considered it worth while to employ his Mice to defeat his enemies; but that if he was again threatened, he was ready to employ first all the domestic animals of the country; and if they did not succeed, he would have to have recourse to the wild beasts; and in the event of their failing, he was prepared to come himself with his warriors in order to produce the desired results.

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** King, Mice · **What happens:** insure, neighbour, send, say, consider, employ · **To what, where:** side, herald, river, that, occasion, country · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is a sentence of «Folk tales from Tibet» by William Frederick Travers, Sir O'Connor, The Country of the Mice.. The page gives its syntax tree — a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies — and its pragmatics clause by clause: who acts (King, Mice), what happens, when and where, as Mova's frames read it from the tree.

<!-- .note-en -->
**Mova's own parse.** This tree may be wrong.

## The tree {#tree}

```conllu
# sent_id = book:pg75000:20:58
# text = And in order to insure against any more attempts at invasion from the side of the neighbouring kingdom, the King sent a herald across the river to the ruler of that country, to say that, on this occasion, he had only considered it worth while to employ his Mice to defeat his enemies; but that if he was again threatened, he was ready to employ first all the domestic animals of the country; and if they did not succeed, he would have to have recourse to the wild beasts; and in the event of their failing, he was prepared to come himself with his warriors in order to produce the desired results.
1	And	and	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
2	in	in	SCONJ	IN	ExtPos=SCONJ	5	mark	_	_
3	order	order	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	fixed	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	insure	insure	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	against	against	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	any	any	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	9	det	_	_
8	more	more	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	9	amod	_	_
9	attempts	attempt	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obl	_	_
10	at	at	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	invasion	invasion	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nmod	_	_
12	from	from	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	side	side	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	_
15	of	of	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
16	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
17	neighbouring	neighbour	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	18	amod	_	_
18	kingdom	kingdom	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	22	punct	_	_
20	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	21	det	_	_
21	King	King	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	22	nsubj	_	_
22	sent	send	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	parataxis	_	_
23	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	24	det	_	_
24	herald	herald	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	22	obj	_	_
25	across	across	ADP	IN	_	27	case	_	_
26	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	27	det	_	_
27	river	river	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	22	obl	_	_
28	to	to	ADP	IN	_	30	case	_	_
29	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	30	det	_	_
30	ruler	ruler	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	22	obl	_	_
31	of	of	ADP	IN	_	33	case	_	_
32	that	that	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	33	det	_	_
33	country	country	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	30	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
34	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	36	punct	_	_
35	to	to	PART	TO	_	36	mark	_	_
36	say	say	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	5	parataxis	_	_
37	that	that	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	36	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
38	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	41	punct	_	_
39	on	on	ADP	IN	_	41	case	_	_
40	this	this	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	41	det	_	_
41	occasion	occasion	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	36	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
42	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	46	punct	_	_
43	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	46	nsubj	_	_
44	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	46	aux	_	_
45	only	only	ADV	RB	_	46	advmod	_	_
46	considered	consider	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	36	advcl	_	_
47	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	46	obj	_	_
48	worth	worth	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	46	xcomp	_	_
49	while	while	SCONJ	IN	_	51	mark	_	_
50	to	to	PART	TO	_	51	mark	_	_
51	employ	employ	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	46	xcomp	_	_
52	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	53	nmod:poss	_	_
53	Mice	mouse	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	51	obj	_	_
54	to	to	PART	TO	_	55	mark	_	_
55	defeat	defeat	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	51	advcl	_	_
56	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	57	nmod:poss	_	_
57	enemies	enemy	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	55	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
58	;	;	PUNCT	,	_	69	punct	_	_
59	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	69	cc	_	_
60	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	65	mark	_	_
61	if	if	SCONJ	IN	_	65	mark	_	_
62	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	65	nsubj:pass	_	_
63	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	65	aux:pass	_	_
64	again	again	ADV	RB	_	65	advmod	_	_
65	threatened	threaten	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	69	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
66	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	65	punct	_	_
67	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	69	nsubj	_	_
68	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	69	cop	_	_
69	ready	ready	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	conj	_	_
70	to	to	PART	TO	_	71	mark	_	_
71	employ	employ	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	69	xcomp	_	_
72	first	first	ADV	RB	NumForm=Word|NumType=Ord	71	advmod	_	_
73	all	all	DET	PDT	PronType=Tot	76	det:predet	_	_
74	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	76	det	_	_
75	domestic	domestic	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	76	amod	_	_
76	animals	animal	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	71	obj	_	_
77	of	of	ADP	IN	_	79	case	_	_
78	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	79	det	_	_
79	country	country	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	76	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
80	;	;	PUNCT	,	_	90	punct	_	_
81	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	90	cc	_	_
82	if	if	SCONJ	IN	_	86	mark	_	_
83	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	86	nsubj	_	_
84	did	do	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	86	aux	_	_
85	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	86	advmod	_	_
86	succeed	succeed	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	90	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
87	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	86	punct	_	_
88	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	90	nsubj	_	_
89	would	would	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	90	aux	_	_
90	have	have	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	conj	_	_
91	to	to	PART	TO	_	92	mark	_	_
92	have	have	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	90	xcomp	_	_
93	recourse	recourse	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	92	obj	_	_
94	to	to	ADP	IN	_	97	case	_	_
95	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	97	det	_	_
96	wild	wild	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	97	amod	_	_
97	beasts	beast	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	93	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
98	;	;	PUNCT	,	_	109	punct	_	_
99	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	109	cc	_	_
100	in	in	ADP	IN	_	102	case	_	_
101	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	102	det	_	_
102	event	event	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	109	obl	_	_
103	of	of	ADP	IN	_	105	case	_	_
104	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	105	nmod:poss	_	_
105	failing	failing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	102	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
106	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	102	punct	_	_
107	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	109	nsubj	_	_
108	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	109	cop	_	_
109	prepared	prepared	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	parataxis	_	_
110	to	to	PART	TO	_	111	mark	_	_
111	come	come	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	109	xcomp	_	_
112	himself	himself	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs|Reflex=Yes	111	obj	_	_
113	with	with	ADP	IN	_	115	case	_	_
114	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	115	nmod:poss	_	_
115	warriors	warrior	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	111	obl	_	_
116	in	in	SCONJ	IN	ExtPos=SCONJ	119	mark	_	_
117	order	order	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	116	fixed	_	_
118	to	to	PART	TO	_	119	mark	_	_
119	produce	produce	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	111	advcl	_	_
120	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	122	det	_	_
121	desired	desire	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	122	amod	_	_
122	results	result	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	119	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
123	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

## Pragmatics {#pragmatics}

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **insure** | to-infinitive |  |  |  | the side of the neighbouring kingdom |  | against any more attempts at invasion | vn defend-72.3 «NP V NP PP.theme»: agent=Agent against attempt=Theme |
| 2 | **neighbour** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **send** | past | the King | a herald |  | the river |  | to the ruler of that country | vn confine-92-1 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent herald=Theme to ruler=Destination |
| 4 | **say** *speech: assert* | to-infinitive |  | that |  | this occasion |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP.topic»: agent=Agent that=Topic |
| 5 | **consider** | past · perfect | King | country |  |  |  | worth *property* | vn consider-29.9-1-1 «NP V NP ADJ»: agent=Agent it=Attribute clause=Theme |
| 6 | **employ** | to-infinitive | King *not said here* | King's Mice |  |  |  |  | vn hire-13.5.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent mouse=Theme |
| 7 | **defeat** | to-infinitive | King *not said here* | King's enemies |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 8 | **threaten** *a condition, not said to happen* | past · passive |  | King |  |  | again |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: subject=Experiencer |
| 9 | **is** | past | King |  |  |  |  | ready *property* | tree rules |
| 10 | **employ** | to-infinitive | King *not said here* | all domestic animals of the country |  |  |  | first *property* | vn hire-13.5.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent animal=Theme |
| 11 | **not** **succeed** *a condition, not said to happen* | past · do-support | Mice *= mouse* |  |  |  |  |  | vn succeed-74-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 12 | **have** | would | King |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 13 | **have** | to-infinitive | King *not said here* | recourse |  |  |  | to the wild beasts | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent recourse=Patient |
| 14 | **is** | past | King |  |  | the event of Mice's failing |  | prepared *property* | tree rules |
| 15 | **come** | to-infinitive | King *not said here* | King |  |  |  | with King's warriors | vn appear-48.1.1 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location himself=Theme |
| 16 | **produce** | to-infinitive | King *not said here* | the desired results |  |  |  |  | vn create-26.4 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent result=Result |
| 17 | **desire** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Pivot |
| 18 | **fail** |  | Mice *= mouse* |  |  |  |  |  | nom failing «state transitive»: poss=agent |

<!-- .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.

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** «Folk tales from Tibet» by William Frederick Travers, Sir O'Connor, Project Gutenberg book 75000 (public domain in the USA). **Tree:** Mova's own parse, Elamur Cosmic License. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), the chapter read in order.

<!-- /div -->

<!-- pn -->
- ← previous: [sentence 57](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg75000/20/57/)
- next →: [sentence 59](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg75000/20/59/)
- ↑ back to [The Country of the Mice.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg75000/20/)