batch.motif.greek-aesop-fables-vernon-jones-gutenberg-l5083-l5122
---
record_id: batch.motif.greek-aesop-fables-vernon-jones-gutenberg-l5083-l5122
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/aesops-fables-vernon-jones.md
passage_locator:
label: THE HORSE AND THE STAG / THE FOX AND THE BRAMBLE / THE FOX AND THE SNAKE
/ THE LION, THE FOX, AND THE STAG; lines 5083-5122
start: '5083'
end: '5122'
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 sick Lion in his den asks the Fox to lure a Stag from the wood so the
Lion can eat the Stag's heart and brains. The Fox deceives the Stag with promises
of royal succession, the Lion first fails to kill him, and the Stag escapes with
torn ears. The Fox persuades the Stag to return by reinterpreting the attack as
a misunderstood royal whisper. The Lion then kills and eats the Stag, while the
Fox secretly steals the brains and explains their absence by saying any creature
who twice entered a Lion's den could not have had any.
language: English
quote_policy: summarized
literal_observations:
- id: obs:1
text: A sick Lion lies in his den and is unable to provide himself with food.
category: setting
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:2
text: The Lion asks the Fox to deceive the Stag into coming to the den because he
wants to eat the Stag's heart and brains.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:3
text: The Fox tells the Stag that the Lion is near death and has appointed the Stag
successor to rule over the beasts.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:4
text: The flattered Stag follows the Fox to the Lion's den without suspecting danger.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:5
text: The Lion springs at the Stag but misses a killing attack; the Stag escapes
with torn ears and returns to the wood.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:6
text: The Fox returns to the Stag and claims the Lion only intended to whisper royal
secrets into his ear.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:7
text: The Fox warns that the Lion may make the wolf king unless the Stag returns
and proves his courage.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:8
text: The Stag is persuaded to return, and the Lion overpowers and eats him.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:9
text: The Fox secretly takes the Stag's brains while the Lion is not looking.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:10
text: When the Lion searches for the brains, the Fox says a creature who twice walked
into a Lion's den could not have had any.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
figures:
- id: fig:1
name_or_label: Lion
description: A sick lion in his den, called king by the Fox, who wants the Stag's
heart and brains and later kills and eats the Stag.
role_refs:
- role:1
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:3
- ev:5
- id: fig:2
name_or_label: Fox
description: The Lion's friend who deceives the Stag twice, brings him to the den,
and steals the brains after the Lion kills him.
role_refs:
- role:2
- role:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:4
- ev:5
- ev:6
- id: fig:3
name_or_label: Stag
description: A big stag living in the wood who is flattered by the promise of royal
succession, escapes the first attack with torn ears, but returns and is killed.
role_refs:
- role:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:3
- ev:5
- id: fig:4
name_or_label: Wolf
description: An animal mentioned by the Fox as a possible alternative king if the
Stag does not return.
role_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
roles:
- id: role:1
label: sick predator and ruler
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: The Lion is sick in his den, is described as king by the Fox, seeks prey,
and kills the Stag.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:5
- id: role:2
label: deceptive intermediary
assigned_to:
- fig:2
basis: The Fox carries messages from the Lion to the Stag and twice uses false persuasion
to bring the Stag to the den.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:4
- id: role:3
label: flattered victim
assigned_to:
- fig:3
basis: The Stag is flattered by the promise of succession, follows the Fox, escapes
once, then returns and is killed.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- ev:5
- id: role:4
label: opportunistic thief
assigned_to:
- fig:2
basis: The Fox secretly takes the brains after the Lion kills the Stag.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:6
symbols:
- id: sym:1
label: Lion's den
literal_form: den
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:3
- ev:5
- ev:6
- id: sym:2
label: Wood
literal_form: wood
associated_figures:
- fig:2
- fig:3
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:3
- ev:4
- id: sym:3
label: Heart and brains
literal_form: heart and brains of the Stag
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:5
- ev:6
- id: sym:4
label: Torn ears
literal_form: the Stag's ears torn by the Lion's failed attack
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:3
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: sym:5
label: Horns
literal_form: the Stag's horns
associated_figures:
- fig:3
- fig:2
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
scenes:
- id: scene:1
label: Lion commissions deception
summary: The sick Lion asks the Fox to bring the Stag from the wood to the den so
the Lion can eat the Stag's heart and brains.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:2
- sym:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: scene:2
label: False promise of kingship
summary: The Fox tells the Stag that the Lion is dying and has chosen the Stag as
successor, and the Stag follows him to the den.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: scene:3
label: First attack and escape
summary: The Lion attacks too soon or inaccurately, the Stag escapes with torn ears,
and returns to the wood.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:3
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:2
- sym:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: scene:4
label: Second persuasion
summary: The Fox tells the frightened Stag that the Lion meant only to whisper royal
secrets and suggests the wolf may become king if the Stag does not return.
figure_refs:
- fig:2
- fig:3
- fig:4
symbol_refs:
- sym:2
- sym:4
- sym:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: scene:5
label: Killing, feast, and stolen brains
summary: The Stag returns; the Lion kills and eats him, while the Fox secretly removes
the brains and later explains their absence as proof of the Stag's foolishness.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:6
candidate_motifs:
- id: motif:1
label: Trickster lures prey to a predator
taxonomy_refs:
- trickster_boundary
basis: The Fox acts as intermediary for the Lion and twice persuades the Stag to
enter the Lion's den through deceptive speech.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:4
- ev:5
confidence: medium
cautions: The available taxonomy label is broad; the passage presents animal trickery
but does not explicitly mark a boundary-crossing category.
- id: motif:2
label: Fatal gullibility after a warning escape
taxonomy_refs:
- wisdom
basis: The Stag survives the first attack and recognizes the danger, but accepts
the Fox's second explanation and returns, leading to his death.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:4
- ev:5
- ev:6
confidence: medium
cautions: The wisdom taxonomy is inferred from the fable's closing judgment about
the Stag's lack of brains; no separate moral is supplied in the passage.
- id: motif:3
label: Cunning servant steals the coveted portion
taxonomy_refs:
- trickster_boundary
basis: After helping the Lion obtain the Stag, the Fox steals the brains as his
own reward and verbally deflects the Lion's search.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:6
confidence: medium
cautions: This is a local action motif in the passage; broader taxonomy placement
is tentative.
comparison_claims: []
evidence:
- id: ev:1
type: summary
locator: lines 5083-5090
quote_or_summary: The Lion lies sick in his den, asks his friend the Fox to lure
the big Stag from the wood, and says he wants the Stag's heart and brains for
dinner.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/aesops-fables-vernon-jones.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary generated from supplied passage.
- id: ev:2
type: summary
locator: lines 5090-5099
quote_or_summary: The Fox tells the Stag that the Lion is near death and has appointed
him successor over the beasts; the flattered Stag follows the Fox to the den unsuspectingly.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/aesops-fables-vernon-jones.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary generated from supplied passage.
- id: ev:3
type: summary
locator: lines 5099-5104
quote_or_summary: Inside the den the Lion springs at the Stag but misjudges; the
Stag escapes with torn ears and returns to the shelter of the wood.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/aesops-fables-vernon-jones.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary generated from supplied passage.
- id: ev:4
type: summary
locator: lines 5104-5115
quote_or_summary: The Fox tries again; the Stag threatens him with his horns, but
the Fox claims the Lion meant to whisper royal secrets and may appoint the wolf
king unless the Stag returns.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/aesops-fables-vernon-jones.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary generated from supplied passage.
- id: ev:5
type: summary
locator: lines 5115-5119
quote_or_summary: The Stag is persuaded to return; the Lion overpowers him and feasts
on the carcass while the Fox secretly steals the brains.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/aesops-fables-vernon-jones.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary generated from supplied passage.
- id: ev:6
type: quote
locator: lines 5119-5122
quote_or_summary: The Fox says it is useless to look for the brains because “a creature
who twice walked into a Lion's den can't have got any.”
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/aesops-fables-vernon-jones.md
rights_note: Public domain source; short quotation from supplied passage.
confidence:
extraction: high
motif_candidates: medium
comparison_claims: uncertain
notes: Literal sequence, figures, and objects are clear in the supplied passage.
Motif-family mapping is cautious because the available taxonomy is broad and not
passage-specific. No comparison claims were added because the passage does not
itself compare this fable with another text or tradition.
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 text was used; although the locator label names multiple fables, the passage text provided here contains only “THE LION, THE FOX, AND THE STAG.”
batch_run_id=motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority
custom_id=motif_extract:greek-aesop-fables-vernon-jones-gutenberg__l5083-l5122
passage_sha256=00f40a7dba2747e569d5d5b100c54faa98bb095cde3e146c3732e40c88ece120