batch.motif.greek-aesop-fables-vernon-jones-gutenberg-l3226-l3245
---
record_id: batch.motif.greek-aesop-fables-vernon-jones-gutenberg-l3226-l3245
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/aesops-fables-vernon-jones.md
passage_locator:
label: THE CROW AND THE SWAN / THE STAG WITH ONE EYE / THE FLY AND THE DRAUGHT-MULE
/ THE COCK AND THE JEWEL; lines 3226-3245
start: '3226'
end: '3245'
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, a Fly sitting on a cart shaft threatens a Mule for moving
slowly, but the Mule replies that he obeys only the master who holds the reins
and whip. In the next fable, a Cock searching for food finds a Jewel and says
that its owner would rejoice, but he would rather have a grain of corn than all
jewels.
language: English
quote_policy: summarized
literal_observations:
- id: obs:1
text: A Fly sits on one shaft of a cart while a Mule is pulling it.
category: setting
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:2
text: The Fly tells the Mule to go faster and threatens to use its sting as a goad.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:3
text: The Mule says the master behind him holds the reins, uses a whip, and is the
one he obeys.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:4
text: A Cock scratches the ground for food and turns up a Jewel that had been dropped
there by chance.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:5
text: The Cock says the Jewel would bring joy to its owner but that he prefers a
grain of corn to all the jewels in the world.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
figures:
- id: fig:1
name_or_label: Fly
description: A fly sitting on a cart shaft and addressing the Mule.
role_refs:
- role:1
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: fig:2
name_or_label: Mule
description: A draught-mule pulling a cart and responding calmly to the Fly.
role_refs:
- role:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: fig:3
name_or_label: Master
description: The Mule's master, seated in the cart, holding the reins and using
a whip.
role_refs:
- role:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: fig:4
name_or_label: Cock
description: A cock scratching the ground for food and evaluating the Jewel he finds.
role_refs:
- role:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:4
roles:
- id: role:1
label: impertinent threatener
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: The Fly threatens to use its sting as a goad, and the Mule rejects its impertinence.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: role:2
label: working animal under rightful control
assigned_to:
- fig:2
basis: The Mule is pulling the cart and says he obeys the master who holds the reins
and whip.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: role:3
label: controller of the draught animal
assigned_to:
- fig:3
basis: The master sits behind the Mule, holds the reins, and flicks the Mule with
a whip.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: role:4
label: practical evaluator
assigned_to:
- fig:4
basis: The Cock values a grain of corn over jewels because he is searching for food.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:4
symbols:
- id: sym:1
label: sting as goad
literal_form: The Fly's sting, threatened as a goad.
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: sym:2
label: reins and whip
literal_form: The master's reins and whip used to control the Mule.
associated_figures:
- fig:2
- fig:3
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: sym:3
label: jewel
literal_form: A Jewel found by chance in the ground.
associated_figures:
- fig:4
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:4
- id: sym:4
label: grain of corn
literal_form: A single grain of corn preferred by the Cock over jewels.
associated_figures:
- fig:4
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
scenes:
- id: scene:1
label: Fly threatens the draught-mule
summary: A Fly sits on a cart shaft and threatens to sting the Mule if it does not
move faster; the Mule replies that he obeys his master, not the Fly.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: scene:2
label: Cock finds and rejects the Jewel
summary: A Cock searching for food finds a Jewel and declares that food is more
useful to him than jewels.
figure_refs:
- fig:4
symbol_refs:
- sym:3
- sym:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:4
candidate_motifs:
- id: motif:1
label: false or ineffectual authority challenged by real control
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: The Fly threatens the Mule, but the Mule identifies the master with reins
and whip as the authority he actually obeys.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
confidence: medium
cautions: The fable gives the pattern through animal dialogue; no broader comparative
claim is made in the passage.
- id: motif:2
label: practical need valued over wealth
taxonomy_refs:
- wisdom
basis: The Cock, while seeking food, judges a grain of corn more desirable than
jewels.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:4
confidence: high
cautions: The taxonomy reference is broad; the passage presents a practical judgment
rather than an explicit philosophical teaching.
comparison_claims: []
evidence:
- id: ev:1
type: quote
locator: lines 3226-3231
quote_or_summary: A Fly sat on a cart shaft and told the Mule pulling it to mend
its pace or the Fly would use its sting as a goad.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/aesops-fables-vernon-jones.md
rights_note: Public domain source; concise summary of supplied passage.
- id: ev:2
type: quote
locator: lines 3231-3236
quote_or_summary: The Mule says his master sits behind him, holds the reins, flicks
him with a whip, and is the one he obeys.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/aesops-fables-vernon-jones.md
rights_note: Public domain source; concise summary of supplied passage.
- id: ev:3
type: quote
locator: lines 3239-3242
quote_or_summary: A Cock scratching for food turned up a Jewel that had by chance
been dropped there.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/aesops-fables-vernon-jones.md
rights_note: Public domain source; concise summary of supplied passage.
- id: ev:4
type: quote
locator: lines 3242-3245
quote_or_summary: The Cock says the Jewel would delight its owner, but he would
prefer one grain of corn to all jewels.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/aesops-fables-vernon-jones.md
rights_note: Public domain source; concise summary of supplied passage.
confidence:
extraction: high
motif_candidates: medium
comparison_claims: uncertain
notes: Extraction is based only on the supplied English passage. Candidate motifs
are local passage-level patterns; no comparison claims were added because the
passage itself does not support external comparison.
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 taxonomy symbol references were assigned because none of the available symbol refs matched the literal symbols in the passage.
batch_run_id=motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority
custom_id=motif_extract:greek-aesop-fables-vernon-jones-gutenberg__l3226-l3245
passage_sha256=a99d14d201747f15665bacd8b60c6578d5a776b526c790a9253814de3d139e6e