batch.motif.buddhist-old-india-tales-rouse-gutenberg-l134-l220
---
record_id: batch.motif.buddhist-old-india-tales-rouse-gutenberg-l134-l220
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/giant-crab-old-india-tales-rouse.md
passage_locator:
label: The Giant Crab, and Other Tales from Old India / WARNING / CONTENTS / THE
GIANT CRAB; lines 134-220
start: '134'
end: '220'
translation: The Giant Crab, and Other Tales from Old India
notes: Generated from OpenAI Batch run motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority;
human review required.
canonical_text:
quote: ''
summary: A giant crab living in a mountain lake drowns and eats animals that come
to drink. A great elephant and his wife lead a herd to the lake, where the crab
seizes the elephant. The wife distracts the crab by pretending to respond to his
flirtation, and when the crab releases the elephant, the elephant crushes him.
The animals thank the elephant pair and make them king and queen. The crab's unbreakable
claws are later carried by a flood to a city, where the king's sons make them
into war drums whose sound frightens enemies.
language: English
quote_policy: summarized
literal_observations:
- id: obs:1
text: A huge crab lives alone in a lake in the mountains.
category: setting
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:2
text: Animals from the wild mountains come to the lake to drink because there is
little water in the mountains.
category: setting
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- id: obs:3
text: The crab seizes animals with a claw, pulls them under water, drowns them,
and eats them.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:4
text: The crab grows larger and the animals become afraid to approach the lake.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:5
text: A great elephant and his wife agree to lead a herd to the lake and watch for
the crab.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:6
text: The crab catches the elephant by the leg while the herd is leaving the water.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:7
text: The elephant's wife stays beside him and asks the crab to let her husband
go.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:6
- id: obs:8
text: The crab asks the elephant's wife for a kiss.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: obs:9
text: The elephant's wife pretends to be pleased, causing the crab to release the
elephant and move toward her.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: obs:10
text: Once free, the elephant jumps on the crab's back and crushes him.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
- ev:10
- id: obs:11
text: The animals rejoice, thank the elephant and his wife, and make them king and
queen of all the animals in the mountains.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:11
- id: obs:12
text: The crab's claws remain unbroken in the pool, are carried away by a flood,
and are made into two immense war drums by the king's sons.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:12
- id: obs:13
text: The sound of the drums is enough to frighten enemies away.
category: attribute
evidence_refs:
- ev:12
figures:
- id: fig:1
name_or_label: Giant Crab
description: A huge crab, larger than ordinary crabs, living in a mountain lake;
he seizes and eats animals and later is crushed by the elephant.
role_refs:
- role:1
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:10
- id: fig:2
name_or_label: Great Elephant / Mr. Elephant
description: A great elephant who plans with his wife to end the crab's attacks
and crushes the crab after being released.
role_refs:
- role:2
- role:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:9
- ev:10
- ev:11
- id: fig:3
name_or_label: Mrs. Elephant
description: The elephant's wife, described as beautiful, who stays by her husband
and deceives the crab into releasing him.
role_refs:
- role:3
- role:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:7
- ev:8
- ev:11
- id: fig:4
name_or_label: Mountain animals
description: Deer, antelopes, foxes, wolves, lions, tigers, elephants, and other
creatures that come to drink at the lake and later rejoice at the crab's death.
role_refs:
- role:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- ev:11
- id: fig:5
name_or_label: Herd of elephants
description: A herd led to the lake by the elephant and his wife; they drink, trumpet,
and wash close inshore.
role_refs:
- role:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:5
- id: fig:6
name_or_label: King's sons
description: The sons of a king in a great city who find the crab's claws and make
them into two immense drums.
role_refs:
- role:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:12
roles:
- id: role:1
label: Predatory water-dweller
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: The crab waits in the lake, pulls animals under water, drowns them, and eats
them.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: role:2
label: Crab-slayer and protector
assigned_to:
- fig:2
basis: The elephant resolves to end the crab's attacks and crushes him after escaping
the claw.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:9
- ev:10
- id: role:3
label: Deceptive helper
assigned_to:
- fig:3
basis: The wife pretends to welcome the crab's advances so that he releases her
husband.
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: role:4
label: Threatened animal community
assigned_to:
- fig:4
- fig:5
basis: The animals need the lake to drink but fear the crab, and the elephant herd
enters the water during the plan.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:4
- ev:5
- id: role:5
label: Rewarded royal pair
assigned_to:
- fig:2
- fig:3
basis: The animals make the elephant and his wife king and queen after the crab
is killed.
evidence_refs:
- ev:11
- id: role:6
label: Makers of war drums
assigned_to:
- fig:6
basis: The king's sons find the claws and make them into two immense drums used
in war.
evidence_refs:
- ev:12
symbols:
- id: sym:1
label: Mountain lake
literal_form: A lake in the mountains where the crab lives and where animals come
to drink.
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
- fig:4
- fig:5
taxonomy_refs:
- water
- mountain
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:3
- id: sym:2
label: Crab claws
literal_form: The crab's huge claws, used to seize animals; after his death the
claws remain unbroken.
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:6
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:12
- id: sym:3
label: Flood
literal_form: A great autumn flood that carries the crab's claws from the pool into
the river.
associated_figures: []
taxonomy_refs:
- water
evidence_refs:
- ev:12
- id: sym:4
label: War drums
literal_form: Two immense drums made from the crab's claws and beaten when going
to war.
associated_figures:
- fig:6
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:12
- id: sym:5
label: Elephant's crushing weight
literal_form: The elephant jumps on the crab's back, cracking and crushing his shell.
associated_figures:
- fig:2
- fig:1
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
scenes:
- id: scene:1
label: Predatory crab at the mountain lake
summary: The giant crab occupies the mountain lake, catches animals that come to
drink, and causes the animals to fear the scarce water source.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:4
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:3
- id: scene:2
label: Elephant pair sets a plan
summary: A great elephant and his wife decide to lead a herd to the lake and watch
for the crab while the other elephants drink.
figure_refs:
- fig:2
- fig:3
- fig:5
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:5
- id: scene:3
label: Crab seizes the elephant
summary: As the herd leaves the water, the crab grips the elephant's leg, and the
elephant's wife remains beside him.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
- fig:5
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:6
- id: scene:4
label: Wife distracts the crab
summary: The crab asks the elephant's wife for a kiss; she pretends to be pleased,
and the crab releases her husband to crawl toward her.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- ev:8
- id: scene:5
label: Elephant crushes the crab
summary: The freed elephant jumps on the crab's back until the crab's shell cracks
and he dies.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
symbol_refs:
- sym:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
- ev:10
- id: scene:6
label: Animals confer kingship
summary: The animals rejoice, thank the elephant and his wife, and make them king
and queen of the mountain animals.
figure_refs:
- fig:2
- fig:3
- fig:4
symbol_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:11
- id: scene:7
label: Claws become war drums
summary: The crab's unbreakable claws are left in the pool, carried by flood and
river to a city, and made into war drums by the king's sons.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:6
symbol_refs:
- sym:2
- sym:3
- sym:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:12
candidate_motifs:
- id: motif:1
label: Dangerous water source guarded by a predatory creature
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: The only available lake water is made dangerous because the giant crab pulls
drinking animals under and eats them.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
confidence: high
cautions: No supplied taxonomy motif directly names this pattern.
- id: motif:2
label: Coordinated deception frees a captive from a monster
taxonomy_refs:
- trickster_boundary
basis: The elephant's wife feigns attraction to the crab so that he releases her
husband, allowing the elephant to kill him.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:7
- ev:8
- ev:9
confidence: medium
cautions: The taxonomy reference is approximate; the deceiver is a helper rather
than a standalone trickster figure.
- id: motif:3
label: Heroic animal slays a communal predator
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: The elephant decides to end the crab's attacks and crushes him, after which
the other animals rejoice.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:10
- ev:11
confidence: high
cautions: The passage frames the action in animal-tale terms rather than explicitly
as heroic myth.
- id: motif:4
label: Deliverers made king and queen
taxonomy_refs:
- royal_legitimacy
basis: After the crab's death, the animals thank the elephant and his wife and make
them king and queen of all animals in the mountains.
evidence_refs:
- ev:11
confidence: high
cautions: The kingship is awarded by the animal community within the tale; no broader
royal institution is described.
- id: motif:5
label: Monster remains transformed into fearsome war instruments
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: The crab's claws survive, are carried to a city, and are made into war drums
whose sound frightens enemies.
evidence_refs:
- ev:12
confidence: high
cautions: No supplied taxonomy motif directly covers the transformation of remains
into instruments.
comparison_claims: []
evidence:
- id: ev:1
type: summary
locator: lines 134-143
quote_or_summary: A lake in the mountains contains a crab described as the largest
ever heard of, larger than a dining-room table, with claws as large as an armchair.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/giant-crab-old-india-tales-rouse.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary provided.
- id: ev:2
type: summary
locator: lines 145-153
quote_or_summary: Wild mountain animals come to the lake to drink; the crab watches,
nips at least one animal with a huge claw, pulls it under, drowns it, and eats
it.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/giant-crab-old-india-tales-rouse.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary provided.
- id: ev:3
type: summary
locator: lines 155-160
quote_or_summary: The crab grows bigger from feeding on the animals, and the animals
become afraid to approach the lake despite the scarcity of water in the mountains.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/giant-crab-old-india-tales-rouse.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary provided.
- id: ev:4
type: summary
locator: lines 162-166
quote_or_summary: A great elephant decides to end the crab's actions; he and his
wife agree to lead a herd to drink while they watch for the crab.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/giant-crab-old-india-tales-rouse.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary provided.
- id: ev:5
type: summary
locator: lines 168-176
quote_or_summary: At the lake, the elephant pair goes farthest into the water; as
the herd begins to leave, the elephant feels a powerful nip on his leg from the
crab.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/giant-crab-old-india-tales-rouse.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary provided.
- id: ev:6
type: quote
locator: lines 176-178
quote_or_summary: '"Dear Mr. Crab!" she said, "please let my husband go!"'
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/giant-crab-old-india-tales-rouse.md
rights_note: Public domain source; brief quotation.
- id: ev:7
type: summary
locator: lines 180-190
quote_or_summary: The crab sees Mrs. Elephant, is attracted to her, and asks whether
she will give him a kiss.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/giant-crab-old-india-tales-rouse.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary provided.
- id: ev:8
type: summary
locator: lines 192-196
quote_or_summary: Mrs. Elephant pretends to be pleased and tempting; the crab lets
go of the elephant and crawls toward her.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/giant-crab-old-india-tales-rouse.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary provided.
- id: ev:9
type: summary
locator: lines 198-204
quote_or_summary: The elephant has endured the pain silently; the passage states
the situation was part of their trick, and when his leg is free he trumpets and
jumps on the crab's back.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/giant-crab-old-india-tales-rouse.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary provided.
- id: ev:10
type: summary
locator: lines 206-209
quote_or_summary: The crab's shell cracks under the elephant's weight as the elephant
jumps on his back until the crab is crushed.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/giant-crab-old-india-tales-rouse.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary provided.
- id: ev:11
type: summary
locator: lines 211-214
quote_or_summary: The animals rejoice at the crab's death, thank the elephant and
his wife, and make them king and queen of all animals in the mountains.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/giant-crab-old-india-tales-rouse.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary provided.
- id: ev:12
type: summary
locator: lines 216-220
quote_or_summary: Only the crab's hard claws remain; a flood carries them into a
river and to a great city, where the king's sons make two immense war drums from
them, whose sound frightens enemies away.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/giant-crab-old-india-tales-rouse.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary provided.
confidence:
extraction: high
motif_candidates: medium
comparison_claims: uncertain
notes: Literal extraction is based directly on the supplied passage. Motif taxonomy
assignments are limited because several prominent patterns in the tale do not
correspond exactly to the supplied taxonomy list. No comparison claims were added
because the passage itself does not compare this tale with another tradition or
corpus.
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: |-
All observations, figures, roles, symbols, scenes, and candidate motifs are derived only from the supplied passage and metadata.
batch_run_id=motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority
custom_id=motif_extract:buddhist-old-india-tales-rouse-gutenberg__l134-l220
passage_sha256=07764e96ca6fb4639b68c4661419891089dc1b2e2ae50122244deb3e096696c9