---
title: He told him of the red ibises, who stand in long rows on the banks o… — The Happy Prince, and Other Tales · tree and pragmatics
description: He told him of the red ibises, who stand in long rows on the banks of the Nile, and catch gold-fish in their beaks; of the Sphinx, who is as old as the world itself, and lives in the desert, and knows everything; of the merchants, who walk slowly by the side of their camels, and carry amber beads in
---

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# The Happy Prince, and Other Tales, Opening, part 2, sentence 10

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He told him of the red ibises, who stand in long rows on the banks of the Nile, and catch gold-fish in their beaks; of the Sphinx, who is as old as the world itself, and lives in the desert, and knows everything; of the merchants, who walk slowly by the side of their camels, and carry amber beads in their hands; of the King of the Mountains of the Moon, who is as black as ebony, and worships a large crystal; of the great green snake that sleeps in a palm-tree, and has twenty priests to feed it with honey-cakes; and of the pygmies who sail over a big lake on large flat leaves, and are always at war with the butterflies.

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Prince, red ibises, Sphinx, merchants, Moon, worships · **What happens:** tell, stand, catch, be, live, know · **To what, where:** Egypt, long rows, gold fish, beaks, desert, everything · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is a sentence of «The Happy Prince, and Other Tales» by Oscar Wilde, Opening, part 2. The page gives its syntax tree — a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies — and its pragmatics clause by clause: who acts (Prince, red ibises, Sphinx, merchants), 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:pg902:2:10
# text = He told him of the red ibises, who stand in long rows on the banks of the Nile, and catch gold-fish in their beaks; of the Sphinx, who is as old as the world itself, and lives in the desert, and knows everything; of the merchants, who walk slowly by the side of their camels, and carry amber beads in their hands; of the King of the Mountains of the Moon, who is as black as ebony, and worships a large crystal; of the great green snake that sleeps in a palm-tree, and has twenty priests to feed it with honey-cakes; and of the pygmies who sail over a big lake on large flat leaves, and are always at war with the butterflies.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	told	tell	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	iobj	_	_
4	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	red	red	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	ibises	ibise	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
9	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	10	nsubj	_	_
10	stand	stand	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	acl:relcl	_	_
11	in	in	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	long	long	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	amod	_	_
13	rows	row	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	obl	_	_
14	on	on	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
15	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	banks	bank	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	13	nmod	_	_
17	of	of	ADP	IN	_	19	case	_	_
18	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	19	det	_	_
19	Nile	Nile	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	16	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	22	punct	_	_
21	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	22	cc	_	_
22	catch	catch	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|Typo=Yes|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
23	gold	gold	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	25	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	23	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
25	fish	fish	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	22	obj	_	_
26	in	in	ADP	IN	_	28	case	_	_
27	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	28	nmod:poss	_	_
28	beaks	beak	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	22	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
29	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	32	punct	_	_
30	of	of	ADP	IN	_	32	case	_	_
31	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	32	det	_	_
32	Sphinx	Sphinx	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
33	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	37	punct	_	_
34	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	37	nsubj	_	_
35	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	37	cop	_	_
36	as	as	ADV	RB	_	37	advmod	_	_
37	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	32	amod	_	_
38	as	as	ADP	IN	_	40	case	_	_
39	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	40	det	_	_
40	world	world	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	37	obl	_	_
41	itself	itself	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Emp|Reflex=Yes	40	nmod:unmarked	_	SpaceAfter=No
42	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	44	punct	_	_
43	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	44	cc	_	_
44	lives	live	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	parataxis	_	_
45	in	in	ADP	IN	_	47	case	_	_
46	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	47	det	_	_
47	desert	desert	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	44	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
48	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	50	punct	_	_
49	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	50	cc	_	_
50	knows	know	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	44	conj	_	_
51	everything	everything	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Tot	50	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
52	;	;	PUNCT	,	_	55	punct	_	_
53	of	of	ADP	IN	_	55	case	_	_
54	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	55	det	_	_
55	merchants	merchant	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
56	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	58	punct	_	_
57	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	58	nsubj	_	_
58	walk	walk	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	55	acl:relcl	_	_
59	slowly	slowly	ADV	RB	_	58	advmod	_	_
60	by	by	ADP	IN	_	62	case	_	_
61	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	62	det	_	_
62	side	side	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	58	obl	_	_
63	of	of	ADP	IN	_	65	case	_	_
64	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	65	nmod:poss	_	_
65	camels	camel	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	62	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
66	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	68	punct	_	_
67	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	68	cc	_	_
68	carry	carry	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	58	conj	_	_
69	amber	amber	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	70	compound	_	_
70	beads	bead	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	68	obj	_	_
71	in	in	ADP	IN	_	73	case	_	_
72	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	73	nmod:poss	_	_
73	hands	hand	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	68	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
74	;	;	PUNCT	,	_	77	punct	_	_
75	of	of	ADP	IN	_	77	case	_	_
76	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	77	det	_	_
77	King	King	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	ccomp	_	_
78	of	of	ADP	IN	_	80	case	_	_
79	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	80	det	_	_
80	Mountains	Mountain	PROPN	NNPS	Number=Plur	77	nmod	_	_
81	of	of	ADP	IN	_	83	case	_	_
82	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	83	det	_	_
83	Moon	Moon	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	80	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
84	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	88	punct	_	_
85	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	88	nsubj	_	_
86	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	88	cop	_	_
87	as	as	ADV	RB	_	88	advmod	_	_
88	black	black	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	83	amod	_	_
89	as	as	ADP	IN	_	90	case	_	_
90	ebony	ebony	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	88	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
91	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	96	punct	_	_
92	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	96	cc	_	_
93	worships	worship	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	96	nsubj	_	_
94	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	96	det	_	_
95	large	large	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	96	amod	_	_
96	crystal	crystal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
97	;	;	PUNCT	,	_	102	punct	_	_
98	of	of	ADP	IN	_	102	case	_	_
99	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	102	det	_	_
100	great	great	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	102	amod	_	_
101	green	green	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	102	amod	_	_
102	snake	snake	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	ccomp	_	_
103	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	104	nsubj	_	_
104	sleeps	sleep	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	102	acl:relcl	_	_
105	in	in	ADP	IN	_	109	case	_	_
106	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	109	det	_	_
107	palm	palm	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	109	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
108	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	107	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
109	tree	tree	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	104	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
110	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	112	punct	_	_
111	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	112	cc	_	_
112	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	ccomp	_	_
113	twenty	twenty	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	114	nummod	_	_
114	priests	priest	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	112	obj	_	_
115	to	to	PART	TO	_	116	mark	_	_
116	feed	feed	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	112	xcomp	_	_
117	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	116	obj	_	_
118	with	with	ADP	IN	_	121	case	_	_
119	honey	honey	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	121	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
120	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	119	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
121	cakes	cake	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	116	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
122	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	126	punct	_	_
123	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	126	cc	_	_
124	of	of	ADP	IN	_	126	case	_	_
125	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	126	det	_	_
126	pygmies	pygmy	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	conj	_	_
127	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	128	nsubj	_	_
128	sail	sail	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	126	acl:relcl	_	_
129	over	over	ADP	IN	_	132	case	_	_
130	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	132	det	_	_
131	big	big	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	132	amod	_	_
132	lake	lake	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	128	obl	_	_
133	on	on	ADP	IN	_	136	case	_	_
134	large	large	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	136	amod	_	_
135	flat	flat	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	136	amod	_	_
136	leaves	leaf	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	128	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
137	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	142	punct	_	_
138	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	142	cc	_	_
139	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	142	cop	_	_
140	always	always	ADV	RB	PronType=Tot	142	advmod	_	_
141	at	at	ADP	IN	_	142	case	_	_
142	war	war	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	126	nmod	_	_
143	with	with	ADP	IN	_	145	case	_	_
144	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	145	det	_	_
145	butterflies	butterfly	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	142	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
146	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

## Pragmatics {#pragmatics}

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **tell** *speech: assert* | past | Prince |  | Egypt |  |  | of the red ibises | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Agent he=Recipient clause=Topic |
| 2 | **stand** | present | the red ibises |  |  | long rows on the banks of the Nile |  |  | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Agent in row=Location |
| 3 | **catch** | present | Prince *not said here* | gold fish |  | fish's beaks |  |  | vn get-13.5.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent fish=Theme |
| 4 | **is** | present | the Sphinx |  |  |  |  | as the world  world; old *property* | tree rules |
| 5 | **live** | present |  |  |  | the desert |  |  | vn lodge-46 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in desert=Location |
| 6 | **know** | present |  | everything |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1-1 «NP V NP PP.attribute»: agent=Experiencer everything=Stimulus |
| 7 | **walk** | present | the merchants |  |  |  |  | by the side of fish's camels; slowly *property* | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme by side=Trajectory |
| 8 | **carry** | infinitive | the merchants *not said here* | amber beads |  | fish's hands |  |  | vn fit-54.3 «NP V NP PP.location»: agent=Agent bead=Value in hand=Location |
| 9 | **is** | present | the Moon |  |  |  |  | as ebony; black *property* | tree rules |
| 10 | **crystal** |  | worships |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 11 | **sleep** | present | the great green snake |  |  | a palm tree |  |  | vn fit-54.3 «NP V NP PP.location»: agent=Agent in tree=Location |
| 12 | **have** | present |  | twenty priests |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 13 | **feed** | to-infinitive | twenty priests *not said here* | tree |  |  |  | with honey cakes | vn feeding-39.7 «NP V NP PP.recipient»: agent=Agent it=Theme |
| 14 | **sail** | present | the pygmies |  |  | a big lake |  | on large flat leaves | vn nonvehicle-51.4.2-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Agent over lake=Trajectory |
| 15 | **is** | present |  |  |  | war |  | with the butterflies; always *property* | tree rules |

<!-- .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 Happy Prince, and Other Tales» by Oscar Wilde, Project Gutenberg book 902 (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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