batch.motif.greek-aesop-fables-vernon-jones-gutenberg-l2414-l2432
---
record_id: batch.motif.greek-aesop-fables-vernon-jones-gutenberg-l2414-l2432
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/aesops-fables-vernon-jones.md
passage_locator:
label: THE STAG AT THE POOL / THE DOG AND THE SHADOW / MERCURY AND THE TRADESMEN
/ THE MICE AND THE WEASELS; lines 2414-2432
start: '2414'
end: '2432'
translation: Aesop's Fables; a new translation
notes: Generated from OpenAI Batch run motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority;
human review required.
canonical_text:
quote: Greatness carries its own penalties.
summary: The Mice repeatedly lose a war against the Weasels. On an old Mouse’s advice,
they appoint the biggest Mice as leaders, who mark their rank with straw-plumed
helmets. After another defeat, ordinary Mice escape into their holes, but the
leaders cannot enter because of their rank badges and are caught by the Weasels.
language: English
quote_policy: quoted
literal_observations:
- id: obs:1
text: There is a war between the Mice and the Weasels, and the Mice are repeatedly
defeated, killed, and eaten.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:2
text: The Mice call a council of war after their defeats.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:3
text: An old Mouse says the Mice are beaten because they lack generals to plan battles
and direct movements.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:4
text: The Mice choose the biggest Mice as leaders.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:5
text: The chosen leaders wear helmets with large plumes of straw to distinguish
themselves from the rank and file.
category: object
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:6
text: The Mice go into battle confident of victory but are defeated again.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:7
text: Most Mice escape into their holes after the defeat.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:8
text: The leaders cannot get into their holes because the badges of rank hamper
them, and they are caught by their pursuers.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:9
text: The stated moral is that greatness carries its own penalties.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
figures:
- id: fig:1
name_or_label: The Mice
description: A group at war with the Weasels; they suffer repeated defeats and flee
to their holes after battle.
role_refs:
- role:1
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:4
- id: fig:2
name_or_label: The Weasels
description: Opponents of the Mice who kill and eat them and pursue them after battle.
role_refs:
- role:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:5
- id: fig:3
name_or_label: Old Mouse
description: A Mouse who speaks in the council of war and advises that generals
are needed.
role_refs:
- role:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: fig:4
name_or_label: Biggest Mice / leaders
description: The biggest Mice chosen to lead; they wear straw-plumed helmets as
rank markers and are unable to enter their holes while fleeing.
role_refs:
- role:4
- role:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:5
roles:
- id: role:1
label: defeated army and prey
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: The Mice repeatedly lose battles and many are killed and eaten.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: role:2
label: victorious enemies and pursuers
assigned_to:
- fig:2
basis: The Weasels defeat, kill, eat, and pursue the Mice.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:5
- id: role:3
label: council adviser
assigned_to:
- fig:3
basis: The old Mouse speaks in council and proposes the need for generals.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: role:4
label: appointed leaders
assigned_to:
- fig:4
basis: The biggest Mice are chosen as leaders of the Mice.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: role:5
label: rank-marked victims
assigned_to:
- fig:4
basis: Their badges of rank prevent their escape, making them easy victims.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
symbols:
- id: sym:1
label: straw-plumed helmets
literal_form: helmets bearing large plumes of straw
associated_figures:
- fig:4
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:5
- id: sym:2
label: badges of rank
literal_form: rank markers worn by the leaders
associated_figures:
- fig:4
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: sym:3
label: holes
literal_form: holes used by the Mice as places of escape
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:4
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:5
scenes:
- id: scene:1
label: War and repeated defeat
summary: The Mice are at war with the Weasels and repeatedly suffer losses, with
many being killed and eaten.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
symbol_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: scene:2
label: Council of war
summary: The Mice gather in council, and an old Mouse argues that they lose because
they lack generals.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:3
symbol_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: scene:3
label: Appointment and display of leaders
summary: The Mice appoint the biggest Mice as leaders, and the leaders distinguish
themselves with straw-plumed helmets.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:4
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: scene:4
label: Defeat and failed escape
summary: The Mice are defeated again and flee to their holes; ordinary Mice escape,
but the leaders are impeded by their rank badges and caught.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:4
symbol_refs:
- sym:2
- sym:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:5
- id: scene:5
label: Moral statement
summary: The fable closes with the moral that greatness brings its own penalties.
figure_refs: []
symbol_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
candidate_motifs:
- id: motif:1
label: status markers causing danger
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: The leaders’ visible rank markers prevent them from escaping and make them
easy victims.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:5
- ev:6
confidence: high
cautions: This is a passage-level motif label, not a supplied taxonomy category.
- id: motif:2
label: failed leadership reform
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: The Mice respond to repeated defeat by appointing leaders, but the next battle
still ends in defeat and the leaders suffer especially.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:3
- ev:4
- ev:5
confidence: medium
cautions: The passage emphasizes the penalty of rank more than military strategy
itself.
- id: motif:3
label: moral wisdom fable
taxonomy_refs:
- wisdom
basis: 'The narrative ends with an explicit generalizing moral: “Greatness carries
its own penalties.”'
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
confidence: medium
cautions: The taxonomy reference is broad; the passage is a moral fable rather than
a mythic wisdom episode.
comparison_claims: []
evidence:
- id: ev:1
type: summary
locator: 2414-2417
quote_or_summary: War occurs between the Mice and the Weasels; the Mice repeatedly
lose, and many are killed and eaten.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/aesops-fables-vernon-jones.md
rights_note: Public domain source; concise summary used.
- id: ev:2
type: summary
locator: 2417-2420
quote_or_summary: The Mice call a council of war, where an old Mouse says they lose
because they have no generals to plan and direct battles.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/aesops-fables-vernon-jones.md
rights_note: Public domain source; concise summary used.
- id: ev:3
type: summary
locator: 2420-2424
quote_or_summary: The Mice choose the biggest Mice as leaders, and these leaders
distinguish themselves with helmets bearing large plumes of straw.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/aesops-fables-vernon-jones.md
rights_note: Public domain source; concise summary used.
- id: ev:4
type: summary
locator: 2424-2427
quote_or_summary: The Mice go into battle confident of victory but are defeated
as usual and flee toward their holes.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/aesops-fables-vernon-jones.md
rights_note: Public domain source; concise summary used.
- id: ev:5
type: summary
locator: 2427-2431
quote_or_summary: All escape except the leaders, whose badges of rank prevent them
from entering their holes; they become easy victims to their pursuers.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/aesops-fables-vernon-jones.md
rights_note: Public domain source; concise summary used.
- id: ev:6
type: quote
locator: '2432'
quote_or_summary: "“Greatness carries its own penalties.”"
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/aesops-fables-vernon-jones.md
rights_note: Public domain source; brief quote used.
confidence:
extraction: high
motif_candidates: medium
comparison_claims: uncertain
notes: The narrative sequence and explicit moral are clear. Motif labels are descriptive
and should be reviewed against project taxonomy.
reviewer_status:
status: needs_review
reviewer: ''
reviewed_at: ''
notes: Machine-generated draft from OpenAI Batch; not human-reviewed.
extracted_by: openai_batch:gpt-5.5
extracted_at: '2026-04-28'
notes: |-
Only the supplied passage text was used; no external Aesop index or motif catalogue was consulted.
batch_run_id=motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority
custom_id=motif_extract:greek-aesop-fables-vernon-jones-gutenberg__l2414-l2432
passage_sha256=fc10b40c2f47ddc39b639ecfb35d85b890bbe680f0e3e6cb5dfcab4d89b5048a