batch.motif.indigenous-australian-australian-legendary-tales-parker-gutenberg-l1021-l1119
---
record_id: batch.motif.indigenous-australian-australian-legendary-tales-parker-gutenberg-l1021-l1119
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/indigenous-australian/project-gutenberg/australian-legendary-tales-parker.md
passage_locator:
label: CONTENTS / PREFACE / INTRODUCTION / ANDREW LANG.; lines 1021-1119
start: '1021'
end: '1119'
translation: 'Australian Legendary Tales: folk-lore of the Noongahburrahs as told
to the Piccaninnies'
notes: Generated from OpenAI Batch run motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority;
human review required.
canonical_text:
quote: ''
summary: Beeargah the hawk takes a comebee containing a firestick when Goonur and
Bootoolgah are distracted, spreads fire through the grass, and the fire secret
becomes common property. A new tale begins in which Weedah the mocking bird builds
many grass humpies, makes fires, imitates many voices to lure solitary men, and
kills them by throwing them into a fire. Mullyan the eagle hawk follows the trail
of his missing cousin Beeargah to Weedah’s camp, observes that many tracks enter
and none leave, and questions Weedah while Weedah edges him toward the fire.
language: English
quote_policy: summarized
literal_observations:
- id: obs:1
text: Goonur and Bootoolgah are distracted by laughter, and the comebee slips from
Goonur’s arm.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:2
text: Beeargah seizes the comebee with his combo, cuts it open, removes the firestick,
and sets nearby grass on fire.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:3
text: Beeargah runs while firing grass with the stick he holds.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:4
text: Bootoolgah stops pursuing Beeargah after seeing fires everywhere and concludes
the secret can no longer be guarded.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:5
text: Weedah builds more than twenty grass nyunnoos or humpies and makes fires before
each to make them appear inhabited.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:6
text: Weedah imitates voices of babies, children, maidens, men, old men, and old
women in rapid succession.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:7
text: Weedah’s stated object is to entice solitary strange black fellows into his
camp, kill them, and gain the surrounding country for himself.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:8
text: Weedah denies that any other people are present and attributes the heard voices
to wind, trees, birds, or fancies.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:9
text: Weedah edges a stranger toward a fire, seizes him, and throws him into the
blaze; the passage says this is repeated many times.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:10
text: Mullyan determines to solve the disappearances after Beeargah, his cousin,
does not return.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:11
text: Mullyan tracks Beeargah over stony ground, sand, plains, and scrub until he
hears many voices near grass humpies.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:12
text: Mullyan observes many trails entering Weedah’s camp but none going out.
category: object
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:13
text: Weedah tells Mullyan to ask the winds, Bahloo the moon, and Yhi the sun, while
continuing to edge him toward the fire.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
figures:
- id: fig:1
name_or_label: Beeargah the hawk
description: A hawk who takes the comebee, removes the firestick, runs away, and
fires the grass; later identified as Mullyan’s cousin who did not return to camp.
role_refs:
- role:1
- role:7
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:4
- id: fig:2
name_or_label: Goonur
description: A figure who carries the comebee on her arm and loses it while laughing.
role_refs:
- role:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: fig:3
name_or_label: Bootoolgah
description: A figure who pursues Beeargah but stops after seeing fires everywhere.
role_refs:
- role:2
- role:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: fig:4
name_or_label: Weedah the mocking bird
description: A mocking bird who builds many grass humpies, imitates voices, lures
solitary men, kills them in fire, and denies knowledge of the disappearances.
role_refs:
- role:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- ev:5
- id: fig:5
name_or_label: Strange black fellows
description: Solitary men who are enticed by Weedah’s imitation voices and killed.
role_refs:
- role:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- id: fig:6
name_or_label: Mullyan the eagle hawk
description: An eagle hawk who follows Beeargah’s trail, questions Weedah, and notes
that many trails enter the camp and none leave.
role_refs:
- role:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:5
- id: fig:7
name_or_label: Bahloo the moon
description: The moon, named by Weedah as one to ask who looks down on the earth
by night.
role_refs:
- role:8
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: fig:8
name_or_label: Yhi the sun
description: The sun, named by Weedah as one to ask who looks down by day.
role_refs:
- role:8
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
roles:
- id: role:1
label: firestick taker
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: Beeargah seizes the comebee, cuts it open, takes the firestick, and spreads
fire through the grass.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: role:2
label: keepers of the guarded fire secret
assigned_to:
- fig:2
- fig:3
basis: Goonur has the comebee, Bootoolgah pursues Beeargah, and Bootoolgah concludes
their secret can no longer be guarded.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: role:3
label: unsuccessful pursuer
assigned_to:
- fig:3
basis: Bootoolgah runs after Beeargah but cannot catch him and stops pursuit.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: role:4
label: deceptive voice imitator and killer
assigned_to:
- fig:4
basis: Weedah imitates many voices to lure solitary men and kills them by throwing
them into fire.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- id: role:5
label: lured victims
assigned_to:
- fig:5
basis: Solitary men hear Weedah’s voices, enter his camp, and are killed.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- id: role:6
label: tracker and investigator
assigned_to:
- fig:6
basis: Mullyan follows Beeargah’s trail, investigates the disappearances, and confronts
Weedah.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:5
- id: role:7
label: missing cousin
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: Mullyan says Beeargah is his cousin and seeks what Weedah did with him.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:5
- id: role:8
label: invoked celestial observers
assigned_to:
- fig:7
- fig:8
basis: Weedah refers to Bahloo the moon looking down by night and Yhi the sun looking
down by day.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
symbols:
- id: sym:1
label: guarded firestick
literal_form: Firestick hidden inside the comebee
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
taxonomy_refs:
- fire
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: sym:2
label: comebee
literal_form: Object carried by Goonur, seized by Beeargah with his combo, cut open,
and found to contain the firestick
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: sym:3
label: grass fires
literal_form: Grass set on fire by Beeargah as he runs
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:3
taxonomy_refs:
- fire
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: sym:4
label: deceptive camp fires
literal_form: Fires made before Weedah’s grass nyunnoos to make them appear inhabited
associated_figures:
- fig:4
taxonomy_refs:
- fire
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: sym:5
label: killing blaze
literal_form: Big glowing fire or blaze into which Weedah throws victims
associated_figures:
- fig:4
- fig:5
- fig:6
taxonomy_refs:
- fire
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:5
- id: sym:6
label: grass nyunnoos or humpies
literal_form: More than twenty grass shelters built by Weedah as part of the false
camp
associated_figures:
- fig:4
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:4
- id: sym:7
label: imitated many voices
literal_form: Sounds of babies crying, women laughing or singing, men talking, and
other voices produced by Weedah
associated_figures:
- fig:4
- fig:5
- fig:6
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- ev:4
- id: sym:8
label: tracks entering but not leaving
literal_form: Many trails into Weedah’s camp and none going out
associated_figures:
- fig:4
- fig:5
- fig:6
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
scenes:
- id: scene:1
label: Beeargah takes the hidden firestick
summary: While Goonur and Bootoolgah are distracted, Beeargah takes the comebee,
cuts it open, removes the firestick, sets grass on fire, and escapes pursuit until
the fire secret is no longer guarded.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:2
- sym:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: scene:2
label: Weedah constructs a false crowded camp
summary: Weedah builds many grass humpies, lights fires before them, and imitates
many kinds of voices so passersby will think a large group is present.
figure_refs:
- fig:4
symbol_refs:
- sym:4
- sym:6
- sym:7
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: scene:3
label: Weedah lures and burns solitary strangers
summary: A solitary man hears voices, approaches Weedah’s apparently occupied camp,
is told he has imagined the voices, is edged toward the fire, and is thrown into
the blaze; the pattern repeats many times.
figure_refs:
- fig:4
- fig:5
symbol_refs:
- sym:5
- sym:7
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: scene:4
label: Mullyan investigates Weedah’s camp
summary: Mullyan follows Beeargah’s trail to Weedah’s camp, hears the same many
voices, sees only Weedah, notes tracks entering without leaving, and questions
Weedah as Weedah moves him toward the fire.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:4
- fig:6
- fig:7
- fig:8
symbol_refs:
- sym:5
- sym:6
- sym:7
- sym:8
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:5
candidate_motifs:
- id: motif:1
label: theft or seizure of guarded fire
taxonomy_refs:
- sacred_theft
basis: Beeargah takes the comebee from its keepers, removes the hidden firestick,
and makes the guarded fire secret common property by spreading fires.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
confidence: high
cautions: The passage frames the act as taking a guarded secret, but does not explicitly
use the term sacred.
- id: motif:2
label: fire made common property among assembled tribes
taxonomy_refs:
- culture_hero
basis: After Beeargah spreads fire, Bootoolgah concludes that the secret has become
common property of all the assembled tribes.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
confidence: medium
cautions: The passage does not explicitly name Beeargah a culture hero; the classification
is based only on the distribution of fire knowledge.
- id: motif:3
label: deceptive voice imitation lures victims
taxonomy_refs:
- trickster_boundary
basis: Weedah imitates many voices from empty shelters to draw solitary men into
his camp and kill them.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
confidence: high
cautions: The passage presents harmful deception rather than playful trickery; the
taxonomy ref is functional and should be reviewed.
- id: motif:4
label: tracker-investigator follows a missing relative’s trail
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: Mullyan follows the trail of his missing cousin Beeargah across varied terrain
to Weedah’s camp and uses tracks to question Weedah.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:5
confidence: high
cautions: No supplied taxonomy ref directly matches this investigative tracking
pattern.
comparison_claims: []
evidence:
- id: ev:1
type: summary
locator: lines 1021-1038
quote_or_summary: Beeargah seizes the comebee, cuts it open, takes the firestick,
fires grass as he runs, and Bootoolgah concludes the secret has become common
property.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/indigenous-australian/project-gutenberg/australian-legendary-tales-parker.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary only.
- id: ev:2
type: summary
locator: lines 1040-1055
quote_or_summary: Weedah builds more than twenty grass nyunnoos, lights fires before
them, imitates many voices, and seeks to lure solitary men so he can kill them
and gain the country around him.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/indigenous-australian/project-gutenberg/australian-legendary-tales-parker.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary only.
- id: ev:3
type: summary
locator: lines 1056-1077
quote_or_summary: A stranger hears many voices, finds only Weedah, is told the sounds
were wind, birds, or fancies, and is edged toward the fire and thrown into the
blaze; the scene is repeated.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/indigenous-australian/project-gutenberg/australian-legendary-tales-parker.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary only.
- id: ev:4
type: summary
locator: lines 1079-1094
quote_or_summary: Mullyan the eagle hawk investigates after Beeargah his cousin
does not return, follows Beeargah’s track over different terrain, hears many voices,
sees grass humpies, and finds only Weedah.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/indigenous-australian/project-gutenberg/australian-legendary-tales-parker.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary only.
- id: ev:5
type: summary
locator: lines 1095-1119
quote_or_summary: Mullyan challenges Weedah about the many voices, Beeargah, and
the many tracks entering the camp with none leaving; Weedah denies knowledge and
invokes the winds, moon, and sun while edging Mullyan toward the fire.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/indigenous-australian/project-gutenberg/australian-legendary-tales-parker.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary only.
confidence:
extraction: high
motif_candidates: medium
comparison_claims: uncertain
notes: Literal extraction is based directly on the passage. Motif taxonomy assignments
for fire distribution and trickster deception are plausible but require human
review in cultural context. No comparison claims were added because the passage
itself does not make an explicit 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: |-
The supplied line range includes the end of a prior fire episode followed by the beginning of “Weedah the Mocking Bird”; both were extracted because both are present in the passage.
batch_run_id=motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority
custom_id=motif_extract:indigenous-australian-australian-legendary-tales-parker-gutenberg__l1021-l1119
passage_sha256=265d261912ab1869c3ec5602e52aec00b042944c625ebcf5cfcf5a881992eae3