diff --git a/src/mw_parser/bulk.clj b/src/mw_parser/bulk.clj
index 2dfa6c4..d841878 100644
--- a/src/mw_parser/bulk.clj
+++ b/src/mw_parser/bulk.clj
@@ -1,10 +1,9 @@
 (ns ^{:doc "parse multiple rules from a stream, possibly a file."
       :author "Simon Brooke"}
   mw-parser.bulk
-  (:use mw-parser.core
-        mw-engine.utils
-        clojure.java.io
-        [clojure.string :only [split trim]])
+  (:require [clojure.string :refer [split trim]]
+            [mw-engine.utils :refer [member?]]
+            [mw-parser.declarative :refer [compile-rule]])
   (:import (java.io BufferedReader StringReader)))
 
 ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
@@ -30,7 +29,6 @@
 ;;;;
 ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
 
-
 (defn comment?
   "Is this `line` a comment?"
   [line]
@@ -40,8 +38,8 @@
   "Parse rules from successive lines in this `string`, assumed to have multiple
    lines delimited by the new-line character. Return a list of S-expressions."
   [string]
-        ;; TODO: tried to do this using with-open, but couldn't make it work.
-  (map #(parse-rule (trim %)) (remove comment? (split string #"\n"))))
+  (map compile-rule 
+       (remove comment? (split string #"\n"))))
 
 (defn parse-file
   "Parse rules from successive lines in the file loaded from this `filename`.
diff --git a/src/mw_parser/declarative.clj b/src/mw_parser/declarative.clj
index b86a32d..403e9de 100644
--- a/src/mw_parser/declarative.clj
+++ b/src/mw_parser/declarative.clj
@@ -150,24 +150,28 @@
 
 (defn compile-rule
   "Parse this `rule-text`, a string conforming to the grammar of MicroWorld rules,
-  into Clojure source, and then compile it into an anonymous
-  function object, getting round the problem of binding mw-engine.utils in
-  the compiling environment. If `return-tuple?` is present and true, return
-  a list comprising the anonymous function compiled, and the function from
-  which it was compiled.
+   into Clojure source, and then compile it into an anonymous
+   function object, getting round the problem of binding mw-engine.utils in
+   the compiling environment. If `return-tuple?` is present and true, return
+   a list comprising the anonymous function compiled, and the function from
+   which it was compiled.
 
-  Throws an exception if parsing fails."
+   Throws an exception if parsing fails."
   ([rule-text return-tuple?]
-   (assert (string? rule-text))
-   (let [rule (trim rule-text)
-         tree (simplify (parse-rule rule))
-         afn (if (rule? tree) (eval (generate tree))
-               ;; else
-                 (throw-parse-exception tree))]
-     (if return-tuple?
-       (list afn rule)
-       ;; else
+   (let [src (trim rule-text)
+         parse-tree (simplify (parse src))
+         fn' (generate parse-tree)
+         afn (try
+               (if (= 'fn (first fn'))
+                 (vary-meta (eval fn') merge (meta fn'))
+                 (throw (Exception. (format "Parse of `%s` did not return a functionn" src))))
+               (catch Exception any (throw (ex-info (.getMessage any)
+                                                    {:src src
+                                                     :parse parse-tree
+                                                     :fn fn'}))))]
+     (if
+      return-tuple?
+       (list afn (trim rule-text))
        afn)))
   ([rule-text]
    (compile-rule rule-text false)))
-
diff --git a/src/mw_parser/errors.clj b/src/mw_parser/errors.clj
index 6e5efbe..ddc599e 100644
--- a/src/mw_parser/errors.clj
+++ b/src/mw_parser/errors.clj
@@ -32,13 +32,11 @@
 ;; (3) the reason for the error
 (def bad-parse-error "I did not understand:\n  '%s'\n  %s\n  %s")
 
-
 (defn- explain-parse-error-reason
   "Attempt to explain the reason for the parse error."
   [reason]
   (str "Expecting one of (" (apply str (map #(str (:expecting %) " ") reason)) ")"))
 
-
 (defn- parser-error-to-map
   [parser-error]
   (let [m (reduce (fn [map item](merge map {(first item)(second item)})) {} parser-error)
@@ -47,7 +45,6 @@
                  (:reason m))]
     (merge m {:reason reason})))
 
-
 (defn throw-parse-exception
   "Construct a helpful error message from this `parser-error`, and throw an exception with that message."
   [parser-error]
diff --git a/src/mw_parser/generate.clj b/src/mw_parser/generate.clj
index 4c2f0c6..af8649b 100644
--- a/src/mw_parser/generate.clj
+++ b/src/mw_parser/generate.clj
@@ -289,7 +289,7 @@
   [source property quantity-frag destinations]
   (vary-meta
    (list 'fn ['cell 'world]
-         (list 'when (list 'and source (list 'pos? 'cell property))
+         (list 'when (list 'and source (list 'pos? (list 'cell property)))
                (list 'map
                      (list 'fn ['d]
                           {:source (list 'select-keys 'cell [:x :y])
@@ -310,6 +310,12 @@
     :NUMBER (generate q-clause)
     :PERCENTAGE (let [multiplier (/ (generate (second q-clause)) 100)]
                   (list '* multiplier (list property 'cell)))
+    :SIMPLE-EXPRESSION (if (= (count q-clause) 2)
+                         (generate-quantity-accessor (second q-clause) property)
+                         (throw (ex-info
+                                 (format "Cannot yet handle q-clause of form: `%s`" q-clause)
+                                 {:clause q-clause
+                                  :property property})))
     :SOME (list 'rand (list property 'cell))
     (throw (ex-info
             (format "Unexpected QUANTITY type: `%s`" (first q-clause))
@@ -343,30 +349,6 @@
                       :LEAST (list 'mw-engine.utils/get-least-cell 'candidates prop)
                       :MOST (list 'mw-engine.utils/get-most-cell 'candidates prop))))
             'candidates))))
-;; (fn
-;;   [cell world]
-;;   (when
-;;    (and (= (:state cell) (or (:house cell) :house)) (pos? cell :food))
-;; (map
-;;    (fn
-;;      [d]
-;;      (assoc
-;;       {}
-;;       :source
-;;       (select-keys cell [:x :y])
-;;       :destination
-;;       (select-keys d [:x :y])
-;;       :property
-;;       :food
-;;       :quantity
-;;       (* 1/10 (:food cell)))
-;;      {})
-;;    (let
-;;     [candidates
-;;      (filter
-;;       (fn [cell] (= (:state cell) (or (:house cell) :house)))
-;;       (mw-engine.utils/get-neighbours world cell 2))]
-;;      (list (mw-engine.utils/get-least-cell candidates :food))))))
 
 (defn generate-flow
   [tree]