---
title: "When he had killed my sons he took hold of me and stripped the skin… — Celtic Fairy Tales · tree and pragmatics
description: "When he had killed my sons he took hold of me and stripped the skin and flesh from the small of my back down, and when he had done that he took the skin of a black sheep that had been hanging on the wall for seven years and clapped it on my body in place of my own flesh and skin; and the sheepskin 
---

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# Celtic Fairy Tales, The Shee an Gannon and the Gruagach Gaire, sentence 59

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
"When he had killed my sons he took hold of me and stripped the skin and flesh from the small of my back down, and when he had done that he took the skin of a black sheep that had been hanging on the wall for seven years and clapped it on my body in place of my own flesh and skin; and the sheepskin grew on me, and every year since then I shear myself, and every bit of wool I use for the stockings that I wear I clip off my own back."

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** man, black sheep, sheepskin · **What happens:** kill, take, strip, do, hang, clap · **To what, where:** man, hold, skin, small, wall, body

<!-- .vabout -->
This is a sentence of «Celtic Fairy Tales» by Joseph Jacobs, The Shee an Gannon and the Gruagach Gaire. The page gives its syntax tree — a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies — and its pragmatics clause by clause: who acts (man, black sheep, sheepskin), 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:pg7885:19:59
# text = "When he had killed my sons he took hold of me and stripped the skin and flesh from the small of my back down, and when he had done that he took the skin of a black sheep that had been hanging on the wall for seven years and clapped it on my body in place of my own flesh and skin; and the sheepskin grew on me, and every year since then I shear myself, and every bit of wool I use for the stockings that I wear I clip off my own back."
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	When	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	5	advmod	_	_
3	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj:pass	_	_
4	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	_
5	killed	kill	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
6	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
7	sons	son	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obj	_	_
8	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
9	took	take	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	acl:relcl	_	_
10	hold	hold	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	_
11	of	of	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
12	me	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	10	nmod	_	_
13	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	14	cc	_	_
14	stripped	strip	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	9	conj	_	_
15	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	skin	skin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obj	_	_
17	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	18	cc	_	_
18	flesh	flesh	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	conj	_	_
19	from	from	ADP	IN	_	21	case	_	_
20	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	21	det	_	_
21	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	obl	_	_
22	of	of	ADP	IN	_	24	case	_	_
23	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	24	nmod:poss	_	_
24	back	back	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	21	obl	_	_
25	down	down	ADV	RB	_	24	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
26	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	31	punct	_	_
27	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	31	cc	_	_
28	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	31	advmod	_	_
29	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	31	nsubj	_	_
30	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	31	aux	_	_
31	done	do	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	5	parataxis	_	_
32	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	34	mark	_	_
33	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	34	nsubj	_	_
34	took	take	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	31	advcl	_	_
35	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	36	det	_	_
36	skin	skin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	34	obj	_	_
37	of	of	ADP	IN	_	40	case	_	_
38	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	40	det	_	_
39	black	black	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	40	amod	_	_
40	sheep	sheep	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	36	nmod	_	_
41	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	44	nsubj	_	_
42	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	44	aux	_	_
43	been	be	AUX	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	44	aux	_	_
44	hanging	hang	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	40	acl:relcl	_	_
45	on	on	ADP	IN	_	47	case	_	_
46	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	47	det	_	_
47	wall	wall	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	44	obl	_	_
48	for	for	ADP	IN	_	50	case	_	_
49	seven	seven	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	50	nummod	_	_
50	years	year	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	44	obl	_	_
51	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	52	cc	_	_
52	clapped	clap	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	34	conj	_	_
53	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	52	obj	_	_
54	on	on	ADP	IN	_	56	case	_	_
55	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	56	nmod:poss	_	_
56	body	body	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	52	obl	_	_
57	in	in	ADP	IN	_	58	case	_	_
58	place	place	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	52	obl	_	_
59	of	of	ADP	IN	_	62	case	_	_
60	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	62	nmod:poss	_	_
61	own	own	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	62	amod	_	_
62	flesh	flesh	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	58	nmod	_	_
63	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	64	cc	_	_
64	skin	skin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	62	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
65	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	69	punct	_	_
66	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	69	cc	_	_
67	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	68	det	_	_
68	sheepskin	sheepskin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	69	nsubj	_	_
69	grew	grow	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	conj	_	_
70	on	on	ADP	IN	_	71	case	_	_
71	me	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	69	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
72	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	79	punct	_	_
73	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	79	cc	_	_
74	every	every	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	75	det	_	_
75	year	year	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	79	obl:unmarked	_	_
76	since	since	ADP	IN	_	77	case	_	_
77	then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	79	obl	_	_
78	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	79	nsubj	_	_
79	shear	shear	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	69	parataxis	_	_
80	myself	myself	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs|Reflex=Yes	79	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
81	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	88	punct	_	_
82	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	88	cc	_	_
83	every	every	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	84	det	_	_
84	bit	bit	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	88	obl:unmarked	_	_
85	of	of	ADP	IN	_	86	case	_	_
86	wool	wool	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	84	nmod	_	_
87	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	88	nsubj	_	_
88	use	use	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	69	advcl	_	_
89	for	for	ADP	IN	_	91	case	_	_
90	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	91	det	_	_
91	stockings	stocking	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	88	obl	_	_
92	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	94	obj	_	_
93	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	94	nsubj	_	_
94	wear	wear	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	91	acl:relcl	_	_
95	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	96	nsubj	_	_
96	clip	clip	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	94	obj	_	_
97	off	off	ADP	IN	_	100	case	_	_
98	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	100	nmod:poss	_	_
99	own	own	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	100	amod	_	_
100	back	back	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	94	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
101	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
102	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	5	punct	_	_
```

## Pragmatics {#pragmatics}

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **kill** *in a quote* | past · perfect · passive |  | man |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP ADJ»: subject=Experiencer son=Result |
| 2 | **take** *in a quote* | past | man | hold of me |  |  |  |  | vn bring-11.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent hold=Theme |
| 3 | **strip** *in a quote* | past | man *not said here* | the skin and flesh |  | the small |  |  | vn cheat-10.6.1-1-1 «NP V NP PP.source»: agent=Agent skin=Theme from small=Source |
| 4 | **do** *in a quote* | past · perfect | man |  |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 5 | **take** *in a quote* | past | man | the skin of a black sheep |  |  |  |  | vn bring-11.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent skin=Theme |
| 6 | **hang** *in a quote* | past · perfect · progressive | a black sheep |  |  | the wall | year |  | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Agent on wall=Location |
| 7 | **clap** *in a quote* | past | man *not said here* | hold |  | my body |  | in place of my own flesh and skin | vn wink-40.3.1 «NP V NP PP.theme»: agent=Agent it=Patient in place=Theme |
| 8 | **grow** *in a quote* | past | the sheepskin |  |  |  |  | on the man of the house *= man* | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme on i=Location |
| 9 | **shear** *in a quote* | present | the man of the house *= man* | the man of the house *= man* |  |  | year |  | vn wipe\_instr-10.4.2-1 «NP V NP.initial\_location»: agent=Agent myself=Initial\_Location |
| 10 | **use** *in a quote* | present | the man of the house *= man* | every bit of wool |  |  |  | for the stockings | vn eat-39.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 11 | **wear** *in a quote* | present | the man of the house *= man* | the stockings |  | my own back |  |  | vn wipe\_manner-10.4.1-1 «NP V NP PP.source»: agent=Agent that=Theme off back=Source |
| 12 | **clip** *in a quote* |  | the man of the house *= man* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 13 | **hold** *in a quote* |  |  | me |  |  |  |  | nom hold «act transitive»: of=patient |

<!-- .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:** «Celtic Fairy Tales» by Joseph Jacobs, Project Gutenberg book 7885 (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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