batch.motif.greek-aesop-fables-vernon-jones-gutenberg-l4609-l4631
---
record_id: batch.motif.greek-aesop-fables-vernon-jones-gutenberg-l4609-l4631
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/aesops-fables-vernon-jones.md
passage_locator:
label: THE WOLVES, THE SHEEP, AND THE RAM / THE SWAN / THE SNAKE AND JUPITER / THE
WOLF AND HIS SHADOW; lines 4609-4631
start: '4609'
end: '4631'
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 snake complains to Jupiter that it is often trodden on,
and Jupiter says that biting the first offender would have made others more careful.
In another, a wolf mistakes his enlarged evening shadow for evidence of greatness,
boasts that he should be king rather than fear a lion, and is then killed by a
lion, recognizing that fantasy ruined him.
language: English
quote_policy: summarized
literal_observations:
- id: obs:1
text: A snake suffers from being frequently trodden upon by humans and animals.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:2
text: The snake's vulnerability is attributed to the length of his body and inability
to raise himself above the ground.
category: attribute
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:3
text: The snake complains to Jupiter about the risks he faces.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:4
text: Jupiter responds with little sympathy and says that biting the first one who
trod on the snake would have made others more careful.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:5
text: A wolf roams on a plain while the sun is low in the sky.
category: setting
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:6
text: The wolf is impressed by the apparent size of his shadow.
category: object
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:7
text: The wolf says to himself that he is so large he should not fear a lion and
ought to be king of the beasts.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:8
text: The wolf struts about heedless of danger.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: obs:9
text: A lion springs upon the wolf and begins to devour him.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: obs:10
text: The wolf says that losing sight of facts and following fancies has ruined
him.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
figures:
- id: fig:1
name_or_label: Snake
description: A snake who is often trodden upon and complains to Jupiter.
role_refs:
- role:1
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: fig:2
name_or_label: Jupiter
description: A divine figure who hears the snake's complaint and replies with little
sympathy.
role_refs:
- role:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- id: fig:3
name_or_label: Man and beast
description: Humans and animals who tread upon the snake.
role_refs:
- role:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: fig:4
name_or_label: Wolf
description: A wolf who overestimates himself because of his large shadow and is
attacked by a lion.
role_refs:
- role:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:5
- ev:7
- ev:8
- id: fig:5
name_or_label: Lion
description: A lion who springs upon and begins to devour the wolf.
role_refs:
- role:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
roles:
- id: role:1
label: complainant
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: The snake goes to Jupiter and complains about the risks he faces.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: role:2
label: divine respondent
assigned_to:
- fig:2
basis: Jupiter answers the snake's complaint with advice rather than aid.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: role:3
label: treaders
assigned_to:
- fig:3
basis: Man and beast are described as constantly treading upon the snake.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: role:4
label: self-deceived victim
assigned_to:
- fig:4
basis: The wolf mistakes his shadow's apparent size for his own greatness and is
ruined.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:7
- ev:8
- id: role:5
label: predator
assigned_to:
- fig:5
basis: The lion attacks and begins to devour the wolf.
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
symbols:
- id: sym:1
label: serpent
literal_form: snake
associated_figures:
- fig:1
taxonomy_refs:
- serpent
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: sym:2
label: shadow
literal_form: large shadow cast by the wolf when the sun is low
associated_figures:
- fig:4
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:5
- id: sym:3
label: low sun
literal_form: sun getting low in the sky
associated_figures:
- fig:4
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
scenes:
- id: scene:1
label: Snake complains to Jupiter
summary: A snake, suffering because it is repeatedly trodden on, complains to Jupiter,
who replies that defensive biting would have made others more careful.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:3
- id: scene:2
label: Wolf misled by his shadow
summary: A wolf on a plain at low sun sees his enlarged shadow, boasts that he should
rule rather than fear a lion, then is attacked and devoured by a lion.
figure_refs:
- fig:4
- fig:5
symbol_refs:
- sym:2
- sym:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:5
- ev:6
- ev:7
- ev:8
candidate_motifs:
- id: motif:1
label: serpent complaint before a god
taxonomy_refs:
- serpent
basis: The passage features a snake who appeals to Jupiter about vulnerability to
humans and animals.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:3
confidence: medium
cautions: The available taxonomy supports the serpent symbol/family, but the passage
is a brief animal fable rather than an extended mythic serpent narrative.
- id: motif:2
label: exaggerated self-image leading to destruction
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: The wolf takes his enlarged shadow as evidence of greatness, behaves fearlessly,
and is killed by a lion.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:5
- ev:6
- ev:7
- ev:8
confidence: high
cautions: No specific supplied taxonomy reference directly matches this fable pattern.
- id: motif:3
label: failure to defend oneself invites continued harm
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: Jupiter tells the snake that if he had bitten the first being who trod on
him, others would have been more careful.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
confidence: medium
cautions: This is expressed as the fable's practical logic rather than a named motif
in the supplied taxonomy.
comparison_claims: []
evidence:
- id: ev:1
type: summary
locator: lines 4609-4614
quote_or_summary: A snake is repeatedly trodden upon by man and beast because of
his long body and inability to raise himself above the ground.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/aesops-fables-vernon-jones.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary only.
- id: ev:2
type: summary
locator: lines 4614-4616
quote_or_summary: The snake goes to Jupiter and complains about the risks to which
he is exposed.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/aesops-fables-vernon-jones.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary only.
- id: ev:3
type: summary
locator: lines 4616-4619
quote_or_summary: Jupiter has little sympathy and says that biting the first one
who trod on the snake would have made others more careful.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/aesops-fables-vernon-jones.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary only.
- id: ev:4
type: summary
locator: lines 4621-4624
quote_or_summary: A wolf roams on a plain at low sun and is impressed by the size
of his shadow.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/aesops-fables-vernon-jones.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary only.
- id: ev:5
type: summary
locator: lines 4624-4627
quote_or_summary: The wolf tells himself that he is so big he should not fear a
lion and should be king of the beasts.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/aesops-fables-vernon-jones.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary only.
- id: ev:6
type: summary
locator: lines 4627-4628
quote_or_summary: The wolf struts about heedless of danger.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/aesops-fables-vernon-jones.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary only.
- id: ev:7
type: summary
locator: lines 4628-4629
quote_or_summary: A lion springs upon the wolf and begins to devour him.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/aesops-fables-vernon-jones.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary only.
- id: ev:8
type: summary
locator: lines 4629-4631
quote_or_summary: The wolf laments that losing sight of facts and following fancies
caused his ruin.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/aesops-fables-vernon-jones.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary only.
confidence:
extraction: high
motif_candidates: medium
comparison_claims: high
notes: Extraction is based only on the supplied passage. Candidate motifs are plain
descriptive labels; only the serpent taxonomy reference is directly supported
by the supplied taxonomy.
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 passage_locator label references additional fables, but the supplied passage_text includes only THE SNAKE AND JUPITER and THE WOLF AND HIS SHADOW; extraction is limited to the provided text.
batch_run_id=motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority
custom_id=motif_extract:greek-aesop-fables-vernon-jones-gutenberg__l4609-l4631
passage_sha256=5a0c9faccb342cf6195e30df2a5fbfcbb4daee19da9394d7bcda8f2b7f55b0bf