---
title: Then told the prince How, when his mother mocked his zeal, that chil… — The foray of Queen Meave, and other legends of I… · tree and pragmatics
description: Then told the prince How, when his mother mocked his zeal, that child Fared forth alone, with wooden sword and shield, And fife, and silver ball; and how he hurled His little spears before him as he ran, And caught them ere they fell; and how, arrived, He spurned great Eman’s gates, and scaled its w
---

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# The foray of Queen Meave, and other legends of Ireland's heroic age, Opening, part 11, sentence 129

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Then told the prince How, when his mother mocked his zeal, that child Fared forth alone, with wooden sword and shield, And fife, and silver ball; and how he hurled His little spears before him as he ran, And caught them ere they fell; and how, arrived, He spurned great Eman’s gates, and scaled its wall, And lighted in the pleasaunce of the king, His mother’s brother, Conor Conchobar; And how the noble youths of all that land There trained in warlike arts, had on him dashed With insult and with blows: and how the child This way and that had hurled them, while the king Who sat that hour with Fergus, playing chess, Gazed from his turret wondering.

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** mother, Eman, spears, noble youths, king, turret · **What happens:** tell, mock, fare, hurl, run, catch · **To what, where:** prince, zeal, child, little spears, spears, gates · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is a sentence of «The foray of Queen Meave, and other legends of Ireland's heroic age» by Aubrey De Vere, Opening, part 11. The page gives its syntax tree — a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies — and its pragmatics clause by clause: who acts (mother, Eman, spears, noble youths), 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:pg78491:11:131
# text = Then told the prince How, when his mother mocked his zeal, that child Fared forth alone, with wooden sword and shield, And fife, and silver ball; and how he hurled His little spears before him as he ran, And caught them ere they fell; and how, arrived, He spurned great Eman’s gates, and scaled its wall, And lighted in the pleasaunce of the king, His mother’s brother, Conor Conchobar; And how the noble youths of all that land There trained in warlike arts, had on him dashed With insult and with blows: and how the child This way and that had hurled them, while the king Who sat that hour with Fergus, playing chess, Gazed from his turret wondering.
1	Then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	2	advmod	_	_
2	told	tell	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	prince	prince	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	iobj	_	_
5	How	how	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	2	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
7	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	10	advmod	_	_
8	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	9	nmod:poss	_	_
9	mother	mother	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	_
10	mocked	mock	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
11	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	12	nmod:poss	_	_
12	zeal	zeal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
14	that	that	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	15	det	_	_
15	child	child	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	conj	_	_
16	Fared	fare	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	15	acl	_	_
17	forth	forth	ADV	RB	_	16	advmod	_	_
18	alone	alone	ADV	RB	_	16	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	22	punct	_	_
20	with	with	ADP	IN	_	22	case	_	_
21	wooden	wooden	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	22	amod	_	_
22	sword	sword	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	obl	_	_
23	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	24	cc	_	_
24	shield	shield	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	22	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
25	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	27	punct	_	_
26	And	and	CCONJ	CC	_	27	cc	_	_
27	fife	fife	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
28	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	31	punct	_	_
29	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	31	cc	_	_
30	silver	silver	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	31	compound	_	_
31	ball	ball	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
32	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	36	punct	_	_
33	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	36	cc	_	_
34	how	how	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	36	advmod	_	_
35	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	36	nsubj	_	_
36	hurled	hurl	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
37	His	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	39	nmod:poss	_	_
38	little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	39	amod	_	_
39	spears	spear	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	36	obj	_	_
40	before	before	ADP	IN	_	41	case	_	_
41	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	36	obl	_	_
42	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	44	mark	_	_
43	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	44	nsubj	_	_
44	ran	run	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	36	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
45	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	47	punct	_	_
46	And	and	CCONJ	CC	_	47	cc	_	_
47	caught	catch	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	36	parataxis	_	_
48	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	47	obj	_	_
49	ere	ere	ADV	RB	_	47	advmod	_	_
50	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	51	nsubj	_	_
51	fell	fall	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	47	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
52	;	;	PUNCT	,	_	56	punct	_	_
53	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	56	cc	_	_
54	how	how	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	56	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
55	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	54	punct	_	_
56	arrived	arrive	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
57	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	59	punct	_	_
58	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	59	nsubj	_	_
59	spurned	spurn	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	56	conj	_	_
60	great	great	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	61	amod	_	_
61	Eman	Eman	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	63	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
62	’s	's	PART	POS	_	61	case	_	_
63	gates	gate	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	59	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
64	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	66	punct	_	_
65	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	66	cc	_	_
66	scaled	scale	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	parataxis	_	_
67	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	68	nmod:poss	_	_
68	wall	wall	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	66	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
69	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	71	punct	_	_
70	And	and	CCONJ	CC	_	71	cc	_	_
71	lighted	light	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	66	conj	_	_
72	in	in	ADP	IN	_	74	case	_	_
73	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	74	det	_	_
74	pleasaunce	pleasaunce	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	71	obl	_	_
75	of	of	ADP	IN	_	77	case	_	_
76	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	77	det	_	_
77	king	king	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	74	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
78	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	82	punct	_	_
79	His	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	80	nmod:poss	_	_
80	mother	mother	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	82	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
81	’s	's	PART	POS	_	80	case	_	_
82	brother	brother	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	74	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
83	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	84	punct	_	_
84	Conor	Conor	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	74	conj	_	_
85	Conchobar	Conchobar	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	84	flat	_	SpaceAfter=No
86	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	105	punct	_	_
87	And	and	CCONJ	CC	_	105	cc	_	_
88	how	how	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	105	advmod	_	_
89	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	91	det	_	_
90	noble	noble	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	91	amod	_	_
91	youths	youth	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	105	nsubj	_	_
92	of	of	ADP	IN	_	95	case	_	_
93	all	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	95	det	_	_
94	that	that	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	95	det	_	_
95	land	land	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	91	nmod	_	_
96	There	there	PRON	EX	PronType=Dem	97	expl	_	_
97	trained	train	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	95	acl	_	_
98	in	in	ADP	IN	_	100	case	_	_
99	warlike	warlike	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	100	amod	_	_
100	arts	art	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	97	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
101	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	102	punct	_	_
102	had	have	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	91	conj	_	_
103	on	on	ADP	IN	_	104	case	_	_
104	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	102	obl	_	_
105	dashed	dash	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
106	With	with	ADP	IN	_	107	case	_	_
107	insult	insult	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	105	obl	_	_
108	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	110	cc	_	_
109	with	with	ADP	IN	_	110	case	_	_
110	blows	blow	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	107	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
111	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	121	punct	_	_
112	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	121	cc	_	_
113	how	how	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	121	advmod	_	_
114	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	115	det	_	_
115	child	child	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	121	nsubj:pass	_	_
116	This	this	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	117	det	_	_
117	way	way	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	115	nmod:unmarked	_	_
118	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	121	cc	_	_
119	that	that	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	121	nsubj:pass	_	_
120	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	121	aux	_	_
121	hurled	hurl	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	conj	_	_
122	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	121	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
123	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	128	punct	_	_
124	while	while	SCONJ	IN	_	128	mark	_	_
125	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	126	det	_	_
126	king	king	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	128	nsubj	_	_
127	Who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	128	nsubj	_	_
128	sat	sit	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	121	parataxis	_	_
129	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	130	mark	_	_
130	hour	hour	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	128	advcl	_	_
131	with	with	ADP	IN	_	132	case	_	_
132	Fergus	Fergus	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	128	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
133	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	134	punct	_	_
134	playing	play	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	128	advcl	_	_
135	chess	chess	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	134	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
136	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	137	punct	_	_
137	Gazed	Gazed	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	134	obl	_	_
138	from	from	ADP	IN	_	140	case	_	_
139	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	140	nmod:poss	_	_
140	turret	turret	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	134	obl	_	_
141	wondering	wonder	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	140	acl	_	SpaceAfter=No
142	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

## Pragmatics {#pragmatics}

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **tell** *speech: assert* | past |  |  | the prince |  | then |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent prince=Recipient |
| 2 | **mock** | past | Eman's mother | Eman's zeal and that child |  |  |  | fife *obl*; silver ball *obl* | vn judgment-33.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent zeal=Theme |
| 3 | **fare** | participle |  | that child *not said here* |  |  |  | with wooden sword and shield; alone, forth *property* | tree rules |
| 4 | **hurl** | past | Eman | Eman's little spears |  |  | before Branch |  | vn throw-17.1-1 «NP V NP PP.destinations»: agent=Agent spear=Theme before he=Destination |
| 5 | **run** | past | Eman |  |  |  |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 6 | **catch** | past |  | spears *= spear* |  |  |  | ere *property* | vn get-13.5.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent they=Theme |
| 7 | **fall** | past | spears *= spear* |  |  |  |  |  | vn occur-48.3 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 8 | **arrive** | past |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 9 | **spurn** | past | Eman | great Eman's gates |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 10 | **scale** | past |  | gate's wall |  |  |  |  | vn pit-10.7 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent wall=Source |
| 11 | **light** | participle |  |  |  | the pleasaunce of the king and Eman's mother's brother and Conor |  |  | vn preparing-26.3-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 12 | **train** | participle |  | all land *not said here* |  | warlike arts; there |  |  | vn hire-13.5.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 13 | **have** | past | the noble youths of all land *not said here* |  |  |  |  | on Eman | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 14 | **dash** | past | the noble youths of all land |  |  |  |  | with insult and blows | vn hit-18.1 «NP V NP PP.instrument»: agent=Agent with insult=Instrument |
| 15 | **hurl** | past · perfect · passive |  | the child  this way |  |  |  | that *nsubj:pass*; walls *= wall* *obj* | vn throw-17.1-1 «NP V NP-Dative NP»: subject=Destination they=Theme |
| 16 | **sit** | past | the king |  |  |  |  | with Fergus; Who *nsubj* | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 17 | **play** | gerund | the king *not said here* | chess |  | Eman's turret |  | Gazed *obl* | vn use-105.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent chess=Theme |
| 18 | **wonder** *speech: ask* | gerund | Eman's turret *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn care-88.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer |

<!-- .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 foray of Queen Meave, and other legends of Ireland's heroic age» by Aubrey De Vere, Project Gutenberg book 78491 (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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