batch.motif.greek-aesop-fables-vernon-jones-gutenberg-l4212-l4227
---
record_id: batch.motif.greek-aesop-fables-vernon-jones-gutenberg-l4212-l4227
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/aesops-fables-vernon-jones.md
passage_locator:
label: THE ASS CARRYING THE IMAGE / THE ATHENIAN AND THE THEBAN / THE GOATHERD AND
THE GOAT / THE SHEEP AND THE DOG; lines 4212-4227
start: '4212'
end: '4227'
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: The Sheep complain that the shepherd gives special food to the Dog though
the Sheep provide wool, lambs, and milk. The Dog replies that he protects them
from thieves and wolves by keeping watch. The Sheep accept that his honored treatment
is justified.
language: English
quote_policy: summarized
literal_observations:
- id: obs:1
text: The Sheep complain to the shepherd about unequal treatment between themselves
and the Dog.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:2
text: The Sheep state that they provide wool, lambs, and milk, while they receive
only grass that they must find themselves.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:3
text: The Sheep state that the Dog provides nothing, yet receives food from the
shepherd's own table.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:4
text: The Dog overhears the complaint and answers that the Sheep would be stolen
by thieves or eaten by wolves without him.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:5
text: The Dog says he keeps constant watch over the Sheep.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:6
text: The Sheep acknowledge that the Dog spoke the truth and stop complaining about
his favored regard by the master.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
figures:
- id: fig:1
name_or_label: The Sheep
description: A group of sheep who complain about the shepherd's treatment and later
accept the Dog's explanation.
role_refs:
- role:1
- role:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:6
- id: fig:2
name_or_label: The shepherd / master
description: The keeper of the Sheep and Dog; described as receiving products from
the Sheep and feeding the Dog from his table.
role_refs:
- role:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:3
- ev:6
- id: fig:3
name_or_label: The Dog
description: The shepherd's Dog, fed with table scraps, who states that he protects
the Sheep by keeping watch.
role_refs:
- role:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:4
- ev:5
- id: fig:4
name_or_label: Thieves and wolves
description: Threats named by the Dog as dangers to the Sheep if he did not guard
them.
role_refs:
- role:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
roles:
- id: role:1
label: complainants
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: The Sheep voice a grievance about the shepherd's unequal treatment.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: role:2
label: providers of goods
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: The Sheep say they provide wool, lambs, and milk.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: role:3
label: owner or keeper
assigned_to:
- fig:2
basis: The shepherd is addressed by the Sheep and is called the Dog's master at
the end.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:6
- id: role:4
label: guardian
assigned_to:
- fig:3
basis: The Dog says he keeps watch and prevents thieves and wolves from harming
the Sheep.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:5
- id: role:5
label: threats to the flock
assigned_to:
- fig:4
basis: The Dog names thieves and wolves as dangers from which the Sheep are protected.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
symbols:
- id: sym:1
label: milk
literal_form: milk provided by the Sheep
associated_figures:
- fig:1
taxonomy_refs:
- milk
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: sym:2
label: wool, lambs, and milk
literal_form: goods the Sheep say they provide to the shepherd
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
taxonomy_refs:
- milk
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: sym:3
label: table food
literal_form: tit-bits from the shepherd's own table given to the Dog
associated_figures:
- fig:2
- fig:3
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: sym:4
label: constant watch
literal_form: the Dog's ongoing watch over the Sheep
associated_figures:
- fig:3
- fig:1
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
scenes:
- id: scene:1
label: Complaint about unequal reward
summary: The Sheep tell the shepherd that they provide useful goods but receive
only grass, while the Dog is fed table food despite, in their view, providing
nothing.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:2
- sym:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:3
- id: scene:2
label: Guardian's defense and acceptance
summary: The Dog answers that his watch protects the Sheep from thieves and wolves;
the Sheep accept the truth of this and cease their grievance.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:3
- fig:4
symbol_refs:
- sym:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:5
- ev:6
candidate_motifs:
- id: motif:1
label: unrecognized protective service
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: The Sheep resent the Dog's favored treatment until he explains that his unseen
work protects them from theft and predation.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:4
- ev:5
- ev:6
confidence: high
cautions: This is a passage-level fable pattern label, not a supplied taxonomy motif
family.
- id: motif:2
label: complaint about unequal reward corrected by hidden usefulness
taxonomy_refs:
- wisdom
basis: The Sheep's complaint is resolved when they learn or acknowledge the practical
reason for the Dog's reward.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:3
- ev:4
- ev:6
confidence: medium
cautions: The link to the broad 'wisdom' family is interpretive and should be reviewed.
comparison_claims: []
evidence:
- id: ev:1
type: summary
locator: lines 4212-4215
quote_or_summary: The Sheep complain to the shepherd about the difference between
his treatment of them and his Dog.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/aesops-fables-vernon-jones.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary used.
- id: ev:2
type: quote
locator: lines 4215-4218
quote_or_summary: "“We provide you with wool and lambs and milk and you give us
nothing but grass...”"
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/aesops-fables-vernon-jones.md
rights_note: Public domain source; short excerpt used.
- id: ev:3
type: summary
locator: lines 4218-4220
quote_or_summary: The Sheep say the shepherd gets nothing from the Dog, yet feeds
him with tit-bits from his own table.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/aesops-fables-vernon-jones.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary used.
- id: ev:4
type: quote
locator: lines 4220-4223
quote_or_summary: "“Thieves would steal you! Wolves would eat you!”"
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/aesops-fables-vernon-jones.md
rights_note: Public domain source; short excerpt used.
- id: ev:5
type: summary
locator: lines 4223-4225
quote_or_summary: The Dog says the Sheep would be afraid even to graze if he did
not keep constant watch over them.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/aesops-fables-vernon-jones.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary used.
- id: ev:6
type: summary
locator: lines 4225-4227
quote_or_summary: The Sheep acknowledge the Dog's statement as true and no longer
object to the regard shown him by his master.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/aesops-fables-vernon-jones.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary used.
confidence:
extraction: high
motif_candidates: medium
comparison_claims: high
notes: Literal extraction is straightforward. Motif labels are inferred from the
fable's narrative pattern and require human review; no passage-supported cross-text
comparison is made.
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: |-
The supplied locator label names multiple fables, but the provided passage text contains only 'THE SHEEP AND THE DOG'; extraction is limited to the supplied passage text.
batch_run_id=motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority
custom_id=motif_extract:greek-aesop-fables-vernon-jones-gutenberg__l4212-l4227
passage_sha256=6c6f3cc5561ee5a1a10b64ac08e6fb809297ebb63bf1fbabafbe9038803d0add