batch.motif.indigenous-australian-australian-legendary-tales-parker-gutenberg-l344-l455
---
record_id: batch.motif.indigenous-australian-australian-legendary-tales-parker-gutenberg-l344-l455
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/indigenous-australian/project-gutenberg/australian-legendary-tales-parker.md
passage_locator:
label: CONTENTS / PREFACE / INTRODUCTION / ANDREW LANG.; lines 344-455
start: '344'
end: '455'
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: In the opening of the tale, Dinewan the emu is recognized as king of the
birds. Goomblegubbon the bustard, jealous of Dinewan's superiority, tricks Dinewan
into cutting off her wings by pretending to have no wings herself. Dinewan and
her mate cut off each other's wings, after which Goomblegubbon reveals the deception
and flies away. Dinewan then plans revenge by hiding most of her young and appearing
with only two; Goomblegubbon, influenced by envy and rivalry, kills all her young
except two. Dinewan then reveals that she has twelve children and rebukes Goomblegubbon
for killing hers.
language: English
quote_policy: summarized
literal_observations:
- id: obs:1
text: Dinewan the emu is described as the largest bird and is acknowledged as king
by the other birds.
category: relationship
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:2
text: Goomblegubbon the bustard is jealous of Dinewan, especially of Dinewan's high
flight, swift running, and triumphant behavior.
category: attribute
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:3
text: Goomblegubbon concludes that she cannot defeat Dinewan in open fighting and
decides to use cunning to injure Dinewan's wings and limit her flight.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:4
text: Goomblegubbon hides her wings while squatting and tells Dinewan that a kingly
bird should do without wings.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:5
text: Dinewan and her mate decide to sacrifice their wings to preserve their kingship,
using a combo or stone tomahawk to cut them off.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:6
text: Goomblegubbon reveals that she still has wings, mocks Dinewan, and escapes
by flying away while Dinewan cannot follow.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:7
text: Dinewan plans revenge by hiding all but two of her young under a big salt
bush before going to Goomblegubbon's plain.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: obs:8
text: Goomblegubbon is seen feeding with twelve young ones, while Dinewan presents
herself as having only two.
category: relationship
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: obs:9
text: Dinewan tells Goomblegubbon that two children would grow larger because twelve
are too many to feed.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: obs:10
text: Goomblegubbon, moved by envy and rivalry, kills all her young ones except
two.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: obs:11
text: Dinewan rebukes Goomblegubbon as cruel and greedy, stating that she herself
has twelve children and that food is plentiful.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
figures:
- id: fig:1
name_or_label: Dinewan mother
description: Female emu; part of the bird group acknowledged as royal; tricked into
losing her wings and later initiates a retaliatory deception.
role_refs:
- role:1
- role:3
- role:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:4
- ev:6
- ev:9
- id: fig:2
name_or_label: Dinewan mate
description: Mate of the Dinewan mother; participates in the mutual cutting off
of wings.
role_refs:
- role:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: fig:3
name_or_label: Goomblegubbon mother
description: Female bustard; jealous rival of Dinewan who deceives Dinewan and is
later deceived into killing most of her own young.
role_refs:
- role:2
- role:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:3
- ev:5
- ev:8
- id: fig:4
name_or_label: young Dinewans
description: Dinewan's children; most are hidden under a salt bush while two accompany
Dinewan to Goomblegubbon's plain.
role_refs:
- role:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:9
- id: fig:5
name_or_label: young Goomblegubbons
description: Goomblegubbon's twelve young ones; all but two are killed by their
mother after Dinewan's deceptive advice.
role_refs:
- role:6
- role:7
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:8
- id: fig:6
name_or_label: other birds
description: Collective group that acknowledges Dinewan as king.
role_refs:
- role:8
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
roles:
- id: role:1
label: acknowledged bird ruler
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: The emu is described as the largest bird and as king acknowledged by the
other birds.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: role:2
label: jealous rival
assigned_to:
- fig:3
basis: Goomblegubbon envies Dinewan's superiority and seeks to end it.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: role:3
label: self-mutilating royal pair
assigned_to:
- fig:1
- fig:2
basis: The Dinewan mother and her mate cut off each other's wings after deciding
to sacrifice them.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: role:4
label: retaliatory deceiver
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: Dinewan hides most of her children and uses the appearance of only two children
to influence Goomblegubbon.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:7
- id: role:5
label: deceived child-killer
assigned_to:
- fig:3
basis: Goomblegubbon kills all her young except two after accepting Dinewan's misleading
example.
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: role:6
label: offspring used in rivalry
assigned_to:
- fig:4
- fig:5
basis: Both sets of young are counted and compared in the mothers' rivalry over
size and superiority.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:7
- ev:8
- id: role:7
label: victims of maternal killing
assigned_to:
- fig:5
basis: Goomblegubbon kills all her young ones but two.
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: role:8
label: recognizing community
assigned_to:
- fig:6
basis: The other birds acknowledge Dinewan as king.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
symbols:
- id: sym:1
label: wings and flight
literal_form: bird wings; power of flight
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- ev:4
- ev:5
- id: sym:2
label: combo or stone tomahawk
literal_form: cutting tool used to remove wings
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: sym:3
label: hidden brood under salt bush
literal_form: young Dinewans hidden under a big salt bush
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:4
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: sym:4
label: two children and twelve children
literal_form: contrasting numbers of young birds
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:3
- fig:4
- fig:5
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:7
- ev:8
- ev:9
- id: sym:5
label: food abundance
literal_form: emu bush berries and grasshoppers as food for Dinewan's family
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:4
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
scenes:
- id: scene:1
label: Jealousy over bird kingship
summary: Dinewan is acknowledged as king of the birds, while Goomblegubbon envies
her flight, running, and superior status.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:3
- fig:6
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: scene:2
label: Deceptive proposal to abandon wings
summary: Goomblegubbon hides her wings and claims that a truly superior bird should
be wingless, prompting Dinewan to consider sacrificing her wings.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- ev:4
- id: scene:3
label: Revelation of the wing trick
summary: After Dinewan and her mate cut off their wings, Goomblegubbon reveals her
own wings, mocks Dinewan, and escapes by flight.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:5
- id: scene:4
label: Retaliatory deception through children
summary: Dinewan hides most of her young and appears with only two, leading Goomblegubbon
to think fewer children will grow larger.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:3
- fig:4
- fig:5
symbol_refs:
- sym:3
- sym:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:7
- id: scene:5
label: Killing of the young and rebuke
summary: Goomblegubbon kills all but two of her young, after which Dinewan says
she has twelve children and rebukes Goomblegubbon for cruelty.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:3
- fig:4
- fig:5
symbol_refs:
- sym:4
- sym:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- ev:9
candidate_motifs:
- id: motif:1
label: jealous rival uses deception to damage a superior figure
taxonomy_refs:
- trickster_boundary
basis: Goomblegubbon envies Dinewan's rank and uses a false appearance of winglessness
to induce Dinewan to cut off her wings.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:3
- ev:4
confidence: medium
cautions: The available taxonomy term is broad; the passage presents deception and
rivalry but does not explicitly identify a formal trickster figure.
- id: motif:2
label: self-sacrifice of bodily capacity to preserve rule
taxonomy_refs:
- sacrifice
- royal_legitimacy
basis: Dinewan and her mate sacrifice their wings because they fear losing kingship
to the Goomblegubbons.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:4
confidence: medium
cautions: The sacrifice is political and competitive rather than explicitly sacred
or ritualized.
- id: motif:3
label: retaliatory trick causing destruction of offspring
taxonomy_refs:
- trickster_boundary
basis: Dinewan responds to Goomblegubbon's deception with a counter-deception involving
hidden children, leading Goomblegubbon to kill most of her young.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:7
- ev:8
confidence: high
cautions: The record covers only this passage segment and not the full tale resolution.
- id: motif:4
label: rivalry over fertility and number of children
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: The mothers compare two versus twelve offspring, and the rivalry over producing
larger young drives Goomblegubbon's fatal action.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:7
- ev:8
- ev:9
confidence: medium
cautions: No specific taxonomy reference was available for this exact pattern.
comparison_claims: []
evidence:
- id: ev:1
type: summary
locator: lines 344-455, opening of tale
quote_or_summary: Dinewan the emu is largest bird and is acknowledged as king; Goomblegubbon
is jealous of Dinewan's high flight, swift running, and proud behavior.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/indigenous-australian/project-gutenberg/australian-legendary-tales-parker.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:2
type: summary
locator: lines 344-455, Goomblegubbon's plan
quote_or_summary: Goomblegubbon decides she cannot win by open fighting and must
use cunning to injure Dinewan's wings and check her flight.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/indigenous-australian/project-gutenberg/australian-legendary-tales-parker.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:3
type: summary
locator: lines 344-455, false winglessness episode
quote_or_summary: Goomblegubbon squats with wings hidden, claims to have no wings,
and suggests that Dinewans should do without wings to remain kingly.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/indigenous-australian/project-gutenberg/australian-legendary-tales-parker.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:4
type: summary
locator: lines 344-455, cutting off wings
quote_or_summary: Dinewan and her mate decide to sacrifice their wings; the Dinewan
mother has her mate cut hers off with a combo or stone tomahawk and then cuts
off his.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/indigenous-australian/project-gutenberg/australian-legendary-tales-parker.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:5
type: summary
locator: lines 344-455, Goomblegubbon reveals deception
quote_or_summary: Goomblegubbon laughs, displays her wings, mocks the Dinewans for
being deceived, and flies away beyond wingless Dinewan's reach.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/indigenous-australian/project-gutenberg/australian-legendary-tales-parker.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:6
type: summary
locator: lines 344-455, Dinewan's revenge plan
quote_or_summary: Dinewan hides all her young but two under a big salt bush and
goes with the two young ones to the plain where Goomblegubbon is feeding with
twelve young ones.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/indigenous-australian/project-gutenberg/australian-legendary-tales-parker.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:7
type: summary
locator: lines 344-455, advice about two children
quote_or_summary: Dinewan tells Goomblegubbon that twelve children are too many
to feed and that the food sufficient to make two big birds would only starve twelve.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/indigenous-australian/project-gutenberg/australian-legendary-tales-parker.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:8
type: summary
locator: lines 344-455, Goomblegubbon kills her young
quote_or_summary: Driven by envy and the wish for her remaining young to grow as
big as Dinewans while retaining wings, Goomblegubbon kills all her young ones
except two.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/indigenous-australian/project-gutenberg/australian-legendary-tales-parker.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:9
type: summary
locator: lines 344-455, Dinewan's rebuke
quote_or_summary: Dinewan calls Goomblegubbon cruel and greedy, says she herself
has twelve children, and points to emu bush berries and grasshoppers as plentiful
food.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/indigenous-australian/project-gutenberg/australian-legendary-tales-parker.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
confidence:
extraction: high
motif_candidates: medium
comparison_claims: uncertain
notes: The passage is clear for literal extraction. Motif labels are candidates
only and should be reviewed against the full tale and project 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: |-
Only the supplied passage and metadata were used; no external comparison claims were added.
batch_run_id=motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority
custom_id=motif_extract:indigenous-australian-australian-legendary-tales-parker-gutenberg__l344-l455
passage_sha256=30e4d02f4ccb956fcfb87a63ad0cc940c63fe57f134bbcd1e65bfd55c84dbd09