batch.motif.greek-aesop-fables-vernon-jones-gutenberg-l4443-l4454
---
record_id: batch.motif.greek-aesop-fables-vernon-jones-gutenberg-l4443-l4454
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/aesops-fables-vernon-jones.md
passage_locator:
label: THE WASP AND THE SNAKE / THE EAGLE AND THE BEETLE / THE FOWLER AND THE LARK
/ THE FISHERMAN PIPING; lines 4443-4454
start: '4443'
end: '4454'
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: A fisherman tries to lure fish from the sea by playing a flute from a rock,
fails, then catches them with a net and remarks that they leap only after he has
stopped piping.
language: English
quote_policy: summarized
literal_observations:
- id: obs:1
text: A fisherman who can play the flute goes to the seashore with nets and a flute.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:2
text: He stands on a projecting rock and plays a tune, expecting the music to make
the fish jump out of the sea.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:3
text: No fish appear while he is playing.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:4
text: He throws down the flute, casts his net into the sea, and catches many fish.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:5
text: The landed fish leap about on the shore.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:6
text: The fisherman addresses the fish, saying they would not dance when he piped
but now can do nothing else.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
figures:
- id: fig:1
name_or_label: Fisherman
description: A fisherman who can play the flute and uses nets to catch fish.
role_refs:
- role:1
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:4
- id: fig:2
name_or_label: fish
description: Fish in the sea that do not appear while the flute is played, are later
caught in the net, and leap on the shore.
role_refs:
- role:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:4
- ev:5
- ev:6
roles:
- id: role:1
label: unsuccessful musical lure and successful net-catcher
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: The fisherman first tries to attract fish by piping, then succeeds by casting
his net.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- ev:4
- id: role:2
label: unresponsive fish later caught
assigned_to:
- fig:2
basis: The fish do not come when the flute is played but are caught and leap on
shore afterward.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:4
- ev:5
- ev:6
symbols:
- id: sym:1
label: flute
literal_form: flute used by the fisherman to play music
associated_figures:
- fig:1
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:4
- ev:6
- id: sym:2
label: net
literal_form: fishing net cast into the sea
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:4
- id: sym:3
label: sea
literal_form: sea from which the fisherman tries to draw and catch fish
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
taxonomy_refs:
- water
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:4
- id: sym:4
label: projecting rock
literal_form: rock on the seashore where the fisherman stands
associated_figures:
- fig:1
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
scenes:
- id: scene:1
label: Attempt to summon fish with music
summary: The fisherman goes to the shore with nets and flute, stands on a projecting
rock, and plays in expectation that fish will jump from the sea; no fish appear.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:2
- sym:3
- sym:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:3
- id: scene:2
label: Netting and rebuke of the fish
summary: After the music fails, the fisherman throws down the flute, casts his net,
catches many fish, and comments on their leaping after they are landed.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:2
- sym:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:5
- ev:6
candidate_motifs:
- id: motif:1
label: failed magical or musical lure replaced by practical action
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: The fisherman expects flute music to bring fish out of the sea, but only
succeeds when he uses his net.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- ev:4
confidence: medium
cautions: The passage is a fable rather than an explicit mythic or ritual account;
the available taxonomy does not provide a close motif family for this pattern.
- id: motif:2
label: ironic reversal of dancing fish
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: The fisherman says the fish would not dance when he piped but leap after
being caught and landed.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:6
confidence: medium
cautions: The identification treats the fisherman’s metaphor of dancing as a narrative
pattern; it is not marked as a formal motif in the supplied taxonomy.
comparison_claims: []
evidence:
- id: ev:1
type: summary
locator: 4443-4446
quote_or_summary: A fisherman able to play the flute goes to the seashore with his
nets and flute.
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: 4446-4448
quote_or_summary: He stands on a projecting rock and plays a tune, thinking the
music will bring fish jumping from the sea.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/aesops-fables-vernon-jones.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:3
type: summary
locator: 4448-4449
quote_or_summary: He plays for some time, but no fish appear.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/aesops-fables-vernon-jones.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:4
type: summary
locator: 4449-4451
quote_or_summary: He throws down the flute, casts his net into the sea, and makes
a large catch of fish.
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: 4451-4452
quote_or_summary: After being landed, the fish leap about on the shore.
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: 4452-4454
quote_or_summary: '"You rascals! you wouldn''t dance when I piped: but now I''ve
stopped, you can do nothing else!"'
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/aesops-fables-vernon-jones.md
rights_note: Public domain source; short quotation.
confidence:
extraction: high
motif_candidates: medium
comparison_claims: high
notes: The literal narrative details are clear. Motif labels are descriptive because
no close supplied taxonomy family applies.
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 provided passage was used; the locator label includes multiple fable titles, but the supplied passage text contains only 'THE FISHERMAN PIPING.'
batch_run_id=motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority
custom_id=motif_extract:greek-aesop-fables-vernon-jones-gutenberg__l4443-l4454
passage_sha256=142122b284d59e07168896f6950f3cfdd9359c73180b2ec2f190f1ad886c4ba0