batch.motif.greek-aesop-fables-vernon-jones-gutenberg-l4297-l4320
---
record_id: batch.motif.greek-aesop-fables-vernon-jones-gutenberg-l4297-l4320
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/aesops-fables-vernon-jones.md
passage_locator:
label: THE PIG AND THE SHEEP / THE GARDENER AND HIS DOG / THE RIVERS AND THE SEA
/ THE LION IN LOVE; lines 4297-4320
start: '4297'
end: '4320'
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: Two fables are presented. In the first, the Rivers complain that the Sea
makes their sweet waters salty, and the Sea tells them to keep away if they wish
to remain sweet. In the second, a Lion seeks to marry a cottager's daughter; the
cottager requires the Lion to have his teeth and nails removed, then drives him
away once he is disarmed.
language: English
quote_policy: summarized
literal_observations:
- id: obs:1
text: All the Rivers combine to protest against the Sea for making their waters
salt.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:2
text: The Rivers say they are sweet and drinkable before mingling with the Sea,
but briny and unpalatable afterward.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:3
text: The Sea replies that the Rivers should keep away if they want to remain sweet.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:4
text: A Lion falls deeply in love with a cottager's daughter and wants to marry
her.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:5
text: The cottager does not want to give his daughter to a fearsome husband but
also does not want to offend the Lion.
category: relationship
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:6
text: The cottager tells the Lion he cannot consent to the marriage unless the Lion
lets him draw his teeth and pare his nails.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: obs:7
text: The stated reason for removing the Lion's teeth and nails is that the daughter
is terribly afraid of them.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: obs:8
text: The Lion agrees to the removal of his teeth and nails because he is much in
love.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: obs:9
text: After the Lion is disarmed, the cottager is no longer afraid and drives him
away with a club.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
figures:
- id: fig:1
name_or_label: the Rivers
description: Collective rivers whose waters are described as sweet and drinkable
before reaching the Sea.
role_refs:
- role:1
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: fig:2
name_or_label: the Sea
description: Body of water accused by the Rivers of making their waters salt; replies
that they should keep away.
role_refs:
- role:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:3
- id: fig:3
name_or_label: the Lion
description: A fearsome lion who loves a cottager's daughter, seeks marriage, and
submits to having teeth and nails removed.
role_refs:
- role:3
- role:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:6
- ev:7
- ev:8
- id: fig:4
name_or_label: the cottager's daughter
description: Daughter whom the Lion wants to marry; said to be terribly afraid of
the Lion's teeth and nails.
role_refs:
- role:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:6
- id: fig:5
name_or_label: the Cottager
description: Father of the daughter; sets a condition for the Lion's marriage request
and later drives the disarmed Lion away.
role_refs:
- role:5
- role:7
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:6
- ev:8
roles:
- id: role:1
label: complainants
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: The Rivers combine to protest against the Sea's action.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: role:2
label: respondent to complaint
assigned_to:
- fig:2
basis: The Sea answers the Rivers' accusation with a brief instruction to keep away.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: role:3
label: marriage-seeking suitor
assigned_to:
- fig:3
basis: The Lion wants to marry the cottager's daughter.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: role:4
label: desired bride
assigned_to:
- fig:4
basis: The Lion wants to marry the cottager's daughter.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: role:5
label: father withholding consent
assigned_to:
- fig:5
basis: The cottager is unwilling to give his daughter to the Lion and sets a condition
for consent.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:6
- id: role:6
label: disarmed powerful animal
assigned_to:
- fig:3
basis: The Lion allows his teeth to be drawn and nails pared, after which he is
described as disarmed.
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- ev:8
- id: role:7
label: deviser of expedient
assigned_to:
- fig:5
basis: The cottager hits upon an expedient that removes the Lion's dangerous teeth
and nails, then drives him away.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:6
- ev:8
symbols:
- id: sym:1
label: water changed by mingling
literal_form: sweet river waters becoming salt, briny, and unpalatable after mingling
with the Sea
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
taxonomy_refs:
- water
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: sym:2
label: salt sea
literal_form: the Sea whose waters are salt/briny
associated_figures:
- fig:2
taxonomy_refs:
- water
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: sym:3
label: teeth and nails
literal_form: the Lion's teeth and nails, removed as a condition for marriage consent
associated_figures:
- fig:3
- fig:5
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:7
- id: sym:4
label: club
literal_form: club used by the cottager to drive away the disarmed Lion
associated_figures:
- fig:5
- fig:3
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
scenes:
- id: scene:1
label: Rivers protest to the Sea
summary: The Rivers accuse the Sea of making their sweet waters salty after they
mingle with it, and the Sea tells them to stay away if they want to remain sweet.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:3
- id: scene:2
label: Lion asks to marry cottager's daughter
summary: A Lion loves a cottager's daughter and seeks marriage, while the father
fears the Lion and hesitates to refuse openly.
figure_refs:
- fig:3
- fig:4
- fig:5
symbol_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:5
- id: scene:3
label: Cottager disarms and expels the Lion
summary: The cottager makes removal of the Lion's teeth and nails a condition for
marriage consent; after the Lion agrees and is disarmed, the cottager drives him
away with a club.
figure_refs:
- fig:3
- fig:5
symbol_refs:
- sym:3
- sym:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:7
- ev:8
candidate_motifs:
- id: motif:1
label: avoid corrupting contact
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: The Rivers' problem is presented as the result of mingling with the Sea,
and the Sea's answer is simply to keep away to remain sweet.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
confidence: medium
cautions: This is a fable-level practical pattern, not explicitly a mythic taxonomy
motif in the supplied passage.
- id: motif:2
label: dangerous suitor disarmed by marriage condition
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: The Lion's desired marriage is made conditional on removal of his teeth and
nails; once this is done, he can be driven away.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:6
- ev:7
- ev:8
confidence: high
cautions: The passage gives a secular animal-fable scenario, not a sacred-marriage
motif.
- id: motif:3
label: love makes the powerful vulnerable
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: The Lion agrees to lose his teeth and nails because he is much in love, and
this loss enables the cottager to expel him.
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- ev:8
confidence: high
cautions: The interpretation is limited to the explicit sequence of love, consent
to disarmament, and expulsion.
- id: motif:4
label: practical cunning over brute force
taxonomy_refs:
- wisdom
basis: The cottager avoids openly offending the Lion, devises an expedient, and
overcomes him after removing his dangerous features.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:6
- ev:8
confidence: medium
cautions: The supplied taxonomy item 'wisdom' is broad; the passage supports practical
cleverness rather than a formal wisdom myth.
comparison_claims: []
evidence:
- id: ev:1
type: summary
locator: 4297-4300
quote_or_summary: All the Rivers combine to protest that the Sea makes their waters
salt.
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: quote
locator: 4300-4303
quote_or_summary: '"we are sweet and drinkable" before mingling with the Sea, after
which the waters become "briny and unpalatable."'
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/aesops-fables-vernon-jones.md
rights_note: Public domain source; short quotation used.
- id: ev:3
type: quote
locator: 4303-4304
quote_or_summary: 'The Sea replies: "Keep away from me and you''ll remain sweet."'
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/aesops-fables-vernon-jones.md
rights_note: Public domain source; short quotation used.
- id: ev:4
type: summary
locator: 4307-4309
quote_or_summary: A Lion falls deeply in love with a cottager's daughter and wants
to marry her.
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: 4309-4312
quote_or_summary: The father is unwilling to give his daughter to so fearsome a
husband but does not want to offend the Lion, so he devises an expedient.
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: summary
locator: 4312-4316
quote_or_summary: The cottager tells the Lion that he cannot consent unless allowed
to draw the Lion's teeth and pare his nails, because the daughter is afraid of
them.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/aesops-fables-vernon-jones.md
rights_note: Public domain source; concise summary used.
- id: ev:7
type: summary
locator: 4316-4318
quote_or_summary: Because he is so much in love, the Lion readily agrees to the
removal of his teeth and nails.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/aesops-fables-vernon-jones.md
rights_note: Public domain source; concise summary used.
- id: ev:8
type: summary
locator: 4318-4320
quote_or_summary: Once the Lion is disarmed, the cottager no longer fears him and
drives him away with a club.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/aesops-fables-vernon-jones.md
rights_note: Public domain source; concise summary used.
confidence:
extraction: high
motif_candidates: medium
comparison_claims: uncertain
notes: Extraction is based only on the supplied passage. Motif labels are candidate
fable patterns; broader comparative claims were not made because the passage itself
does not establish them.
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; the passage supports internal fable motifs but not historical or cross-tradition comparison on its own.
batch_run_id=motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority
custom_id=motif_extract:greek-aesop-fables-vernon-jones-gutenberg__l4297-l4320
passage_sha256=8314faeba7741f1a5a65e7b26d5bd4d99f48ce5d301a3b0b2d7713518ed083f8