batch.motif.greek-aesop-fables-vernon-jones-gutenberg-l2835-l2859
---
record_id: batch.motif.greek-aesop-fables-vernon-jones-gutenberg-l2835-l2859
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/aesops-fables-vernon-jones.md
passage_locator:
label: THE HORSE AND HIS RIDER / THE GOAT AND THE VINE / THE TWO POTS / THE OLD
HOUND; lines 2835-2859
start: '2835'
end: '2859'
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: ''
summary: In one fable, an earthenware pot and a brass pot are swept down a flooded
river; the brass pot offers protection, but the earthenware pot fears that contact
with him would break it. The stated moral is that equals make the best friends.
In another fable, an old hound can no longer hold a boar because of age; when
his master scolds him, the hound says his will remains strong though his body
is old, and asks to be honored for past service.
language: English
quote_policy: summarized
literal_observations:
- id: obs:1
text: Two pots, one earthenware and one brass, are carried down a river in flood.
category: object
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:2
text: The brass pot urges the earthenware pot to stay close so that he can protect
him.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:3
text: The earthenware pot asks the brass pot not to come near, saying that one touch
from the brass pot would break him.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:4
text: 'The fable states the moral: equals make the best friends.'
category: other
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:5
text: A hound who had served his master for years loses strength and speed because
of age.
category: attribute
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:6
text: During a hunt, the hound seizes a wild boar by the ear but cannot keep hold
because his teeth are gone, and the boar escapes.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:7
text: The master scolds the hound after the boar escapes.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:8
text: The hound tells the master that his will remains strong, but his body is old
and feeble, and that he should be honored for what he has been.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
figures:
- id: fig:1
name_or_label: Earthenware Pot
description: A fragile pot made of earthenware, carried down a flooded river beside
a brass pot.
role_refs:
- role:1
- role:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: fig:2
name_or_label: Brazen Pot
description: A brass pot carried down a flooded river who offers to protect the
earthenware pot.
role_refs:
- role:2
- role:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: fig:3
name_or_label: Old Hound
description: A hunting hound formerly effective in service, now weakened by age.
role_refs:
- role:5
- role:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:5
- ev:6
- id: fig:4
name_or_label: Master
description: The hound's master, who sends him after a wild boar and scolds him
after the boar escapes.
role_refs:
- role:7
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: fig:5
name_or_label: Wild Boar
description: A powerful wild boar started by the master during the hunt and briefly
seized by the hound.
role_refs:
- role:8
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
roles:
- id: role:1
label: fragile companion
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: The earthenware pot fears being broken by contact with the brass pot.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: role:2
label: stronger companion offering protection
assigned_to:
- fig:2
basis: The brass pot offers protection to the earthenware pot.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: role:3
label: speaker of prudent refusal
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: The earthenware pot refuses proximity because it would endanger him.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: role:4
label: potentially dangerous protector
assigned_to:
- fig:2
basis: The brass pot's offered protection is rejected because even one touch would
break the earthenware pot.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: role:5
label: aged former servant
assigned_to:
- fig:3
basis: The hound has served for years but has lost strength and speed owing to age.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: role:6
label: speaker defending past merit
assigned_to:
- fig:3
basis: The hound asks to be honored for what he has been rather than abused for
what he is.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: role:7
label: master who rebukes
assigned_to:
- fig:4
basis: The master scolds the hound after the boar escapes.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: role:8
label: quarry that escapes
assigned_to:
- fig:5
basis: The boar escapes after the hound cannot retain his hold.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
symbols:
- id: sym:1
label: flooded river
literal_form: river in flood
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
taxonomy_refs:
- water
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: sym:2
label: contrasting pot materials
literal_form: earthenware pot and brass pot
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: sym:3
label: lost teeth
literal_form: the hound's teeth were gone
associated_figures:
- fig:3
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
scenes:
- id: scene:1
label: Two pots in the flood
summary: An earthenware pot and a brass pot are swept down a flooded river; the
brass pot offers protection, but the earthenware pot refuses proximity because
contact would break him.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:3
- id: scene:2
label: Old hound and escaped boar
summary: An old hunting hound catches a boar by the ear but cannot hold it; after
the master scolds him, the hound explains that his will is strong but his body
is old and asks for honor for past service.
figure_refs:
- fig:3
- fig:4
- fig:5
symbol_refs:
- sym:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:5
- ev:6
candidate_motifs:
- id: motif:1
label: Unequal companions make unsafe friends
taxonomy_refs:
- duality
- wisdom
basis: The fable contrasts a fragile earthenware pot with a stronger brass pot and
explicitly concludes that equals make the best friends.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:3
confidence: medium
cautions: The taxonomy references are broad; the passage's explicit concern is practical
friendship among unequals rather than a developed mythic duality.
- id: motif:2
label: Past service deserves honor despite present weakness
taxonomy_refs:
- wisdom
basis: The hound explains that age has weakened his body though not his will, and
asks the master to honor his former service rather than abuse his present condition.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:5
- ev:6
confidence: high
cautions: This is a moral fable pattern rather than a mythic episode.
- id: motif:3
label: Age weakens the body but not intention
taxonomy_refs:
- wisdom
basis: The hound explicitly contrasts his still-strong will with his old and feeble
body.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
confidence: high
cautions: Closely overlaps with motif:2 and may be better treated as a subtheme.
comparison_claims: []
evidence:
- id: ev:1
type: summary
locator: lines 2835-2840
quote_or_summary: Two pots, one earthenware and one brass, are carried away down
a river in flood.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/aesops-fables-vernon-jones.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:2
type: summary
locator: lines 2840-2845
quote_or_summary: The brass pot urges the other to stay close for protection; the
earthenware pot asks him not to come near because a touch would break him.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/aesops-fables-vernon-jones.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:3
type: quote
locator: moral after THE TWO POTS
quote_or_summary: '"Equals make the best friends."'
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/aesops-fables-vernon-jones.md
rights_note: Public domain source; short quotation.
- id: ev:4
type: summary
locator: THE OLD HOUND opening
quote_or_summary: A hound who had served his master well for years begins to lose
strength and speed because of age.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/aesops-fables-vernon-jones.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:5
type: summary
locator: THE OLD HOUND hunt episode
quote_or_summary: The master starts a powerful wild boar and sets the hound on it;
the hound seizes the boar by the ear but cannot hold it because his teeth are
gone, so the boar escapes and the master scolds him.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/aesops-fables-vernon-jones.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:6
type: quote
locator: THE OLD HOUND closing speech
quote_or_summary: '"My will is as strong as ever, master, but my body is old and
feeble. You ought to honour me for what I have been instead of abusing me for
what I am."'
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/aesops-fables-vernon-jones.md
rights_note: Public domain source; public domain quotation.
confidence:
extraction: high
motif_candidates: medium
comparison_claims: high
notes: Literal extraction is straightforward from the supplied English passage.
Motif taxonomy assignments are broad and should be reviewed, especially for the
Two Pots.
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: |-
No comparison claims were added because the passage itself does not support a specific cross-textual or historical comparison.
batch_run_id=motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority
custom_id=motif_extract:greek-aesop-fables-vernon-jones-gutenberg__l2835-l2859
passage_sha256=ace2a3a7e691affd729616a13cf82b4dd07bf2ef92526ad7580d9e8524e0ca86