batch.motif.greek-aesop-fables-vernon-jones-gutenberg-l4582-l4606
---
record_id: batch.motif.greek-aesop-fables-vernon-jones-gutenberg-l4582-l4606
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/aesops-fables-vernon-jones.md
passage_locator:
label: THE ROSE AND THE AMARANTH / THE MAN, THE HORSE, THE OX, AND THE DOG / THE
WOLVES, THE SHEEP, AND THE RAM / THE SWAN; lines 4582-4606
start: '4582'
end: '4606'
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: Wolves propose peace to the Sheep if the Sheep surrender their sheep-dogs
to death; the Sheep agree, but an old Ram warns that the Wolves are dangerous
even while the dogs protect the flock. A Swan, believed to sing only when near
death, is bought by a man who wants to hear its song at dinner; it remains silent
until old age, then sings as death approaches, prompting the owner to regret not
killing it earlier when he wanted the song.
language: English
quote_policy: summarized
literal_observations:
- id: obs:1
text: The Wolves send a deputation to the Sheep proposing lasting peace on condition
that the Sheep give up the sheep-dogs to instant death.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:2
text: The Sheep agree to the Wolves' terms.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:3
text: An old Ram, described as having wisdom from age, intervenes and questions
how peace with the Wolves can be expected.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:4
text: The Ram states that even with dogs present to protect the Sheep, they are
never secure from the Wolves' murderous attacks.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:5
text: The Swan is said to sing once in its life, when it knows it is about to die.
category: attribute
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:6
text: A man buys a Swan in the market and takes it home.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:7
text: The man asks the Swan to sing for dinner guests, but the Swan remains silent.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:8
text: When the Swan grows old and becomes aware of its approaching end, it sings
a sweet, sad song.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:9
text: The owner angrily says that if the Swan sings only when about to die, he should
have wrung its neck when he wanted to hear the song.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
figures:
- id: fig:1
name_or_label: Wolves
description: Predatory group that sends a deputation proposing peace to the Sheep
while demanding the death of the sheep-dogs.
role_refs:
- role:1
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: fig:2
name_or_label: Sheep
description: Group that receives the Wolves' peace proposal and foolishly agrees
to give up the sheep-dogs.
role_refs:
- role:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: fig:3
name_or_label: sheep-dogs
description: Dogs kept at hand to protect the Sheep; the Wolves demand that they
be given up to instant death.
role_refs:
- role:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: fig:4
name_or_label: old Ram
description: An old Ram whose years have brought him wisdom; he interrupts the agreement
and warns the Sheep.
role_refs:
- role:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: fig:5
name_or_label: Swan
description: A bird said to sing only once, when it knows it is about to die; it
remains silent when commanded to entertain, then sings near death.
role_refs:
- role:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:4
- ev:5
- id: fig:6
name_or_label: owner of the Swan
description: A man who buys the Swan after hearing of its song, asks it to sing
for guests, and later regrets not killing it when he wanted the song.
role_refs:
- role:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:6
- id: fig:7
name_or_label: dinner guests
description: Friends of the Swan's owner, present when he asks the Swan to sing
for entertainment.
role_refs:
- role:7
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
roles:
- id: role:1
label: predatory negotiators
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: The Wolves propose peace while demanding the removal and death of the Sheep's
protectors, and the Ram recalls their murderous attacks.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: role:2
label: foolish concession-makers
assigned_to:
- fig:2
basis: The Sheep agree to surrender the sheep-dogs under the Wolves' terms.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: role:3
label: protective guards
assigned_to:
- fig:3
basis: The dogs are described as being at hand to protect the Sheep.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: role:4
label: wise elder counselor
assigned_to:
- fig:4
basis: The Ram is old, his years have brought him wisdom, and he intervenes with
a warning.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: role:5
label: death-song bird
assigned_to:
- fig:5
basis: The Swan is said to sing only when it knows it is about to die, and later
sings as its end approaches.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:5
- id: role:6
label: impatient owner
assigned_to:
- fig:6
basis: The owner buys the Swan for its song, commands it to sing for entertainment,
and later angrily regrets not killing it.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:6
- id: role:7
label: intended audience
assigned_to:
- fig:7
basis: The friends are present at dinner when the owner produces the Swan and asks
it to sing.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
symbols:
- id: sym:1
label: protective sheep-dogs
literal_form: sheep-dogs at hand to protect the Sheep
associated_figures:
- fig:2
- fig:3
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: sym:2
label: swan death-song
literal_form: a sweet, sad song sung when the Swan knows its death is approaching
associated_figures:
- fig:5
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:5
scenes:
- id: scene:1
label: Predators propose peace through disarmament
summary: The Wolves propose a lasting peace if the Sheep surrender the sheep-dogs
to death; the Sheep agree, but the old Ram warns that the Wolves remain dangerous
even with the dogs present.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
- fig:4
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: scene:2
label: Swan bought for its famous song
summary: A man hears that Swans sing before death, buys one in the market, and later
asks it to sing for guests; it remains silent.
figure_refs:
- fig:5
- fig:6
- fig:7
symbol_refs:
- sym:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:4
- id: scene:3
label: Song at the approach of death
summary: When the Swan becomes old and aware of its approaching end, it sings; the
owner angrily concludes that he should have killed it earlier if he wanted the
song.
figure_refs:
- fig:5
- fig:6
symbol_refs:
- sym:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:6
candidate_motifs:
- id: motif:1
label: wise elder warns against foolish surrender
taxonomy_refs:
- wisdom
basis: The old Ram, explicitly associated with wisdom from age, intervenes when
the Sheep agree to give up their protectors and gives a reasoned warning.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
confidence: high
cautions: The taxonomy link is limited to the explicit wisdom theme; no broader
mythic comparison is asserted.
- id: motif:2
label: predator's peace proposal requires removal of protection
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: The Wolves' proposed peace depends on the Sheep giving up the sheep-dogs
to death, leaving the flock less protected.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
confidence: high
cautions: This is a fable pattern rather than a supplied taxonomy motif family.
- id: motif:3
label: song reserved for the moment before death
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: The Swan is said to sing only once, when it knows it is about to die, and
later sings as its end approaches.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:5
confidence: high
cautions: No available taxonomy reference directly matches the death-song pattern.
- id: motif:4
label: desire for a marvel at the wrong time
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: The owner wants the Swan's song for entertainment, but the song occurs only
at the Swan's natural approach to death.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:5
- ev:6
confidence: medium
cautions: This abstracts the fable's situation; the passage itself frames the owner's
regret but does not provide an explicit moral.
comparison_claims: []
evidence:
- id: ev:1
type: summary
locator: lines 4582-4588
quote_or_summary: The Wolves send a deputation proposing lasting peace with the
Sheep if the Sheep give up the sheep-dogs to instant death; the Sheep agree.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/aesops-fables-vernon-jones.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized from supplied passage.
- id: ev:2
type: summary
locator: lines 4588-4592
quote_or_summary: An old Ram, whose years have brought him wisdom, intervenes and
asks how they can expect peace, since even with the dogs protecting them they
are not secure from the Wolves' attacks.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/aesops-fables-vernon-jones.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized from supplied passage.
- id: ev:3
type: summary
locator: lines 4594-4596
quote_or_summary: The Swan is said to sing only once in its life, when it knows
it is about to die.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/aesops-fables-vernon-jones.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized from supplied passage.
- id: ev:4
type: summary
locator: lines 4596-4601
quote_or_summary: A man who has heard of the Swan's song buys one in the market,
takes it home, and later asks it to sing for dinner guests, but it remains silent.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/aesops-fables-vernon-jones.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized from supplied passage.
- id: ev:5
type: summary
locator: lines 4601-4603
quote_or_summary: When the Swan grows old and becomes aware of its approaching end,
it breaks into a sweet, sad song.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/aesops-fables-vernon-jones.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized from supplied passage.
- id: ev:6
type: summary
locator: lines 4603-4606
quote_or_summary: The owner angrily says that if the Swan sings only when about
to die, he was foolish not to wring its neck when he wanted to hear the song.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/aesops-fables-vernon-jones.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized from supplied passage.
confidence:
extraction: high
motif_candidates: medium
comparison_claims: uncertain
notes: Literal extraction is straightforward from the supplied passage. Motif labels
beyond explicit wisdom are descriptive fable-pattern candidates without taxonomy
matches. No comparison claims are made because the passage itself does not support
a specific cross-textual 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: |-
Only the supplied passage and metadata were used.
batch_run_id=motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority
custom_id=motif_extract:greek-aesop-fables-vernon-jones-gutenberg__l4582-l4606
passage_sha256=992c45c84a76281ef1c1c8df1d1d7b6ef7ac97095a511f48e8c0f59783538b1d