batch.motif.buddhist-old-india-tales-rouse-gutenberg-l1648-l1775
---
record_id: batch.motif.buddhist-old-india-tales-rouse-gutenberg-l1648-l1775
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/giant-crab-old-india-tales-rouse.md
passage_locator:
label: THE PIOUS WOLF / BIRDS OF A FEATHER / SPEND A POUND TO WIN A PENNY / THE
CUNNING CRANE AND THE CRAB; lines 1648-1775
start: '1648'
end: '1775'
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 group of fish live in a drying pool near a cool lake. A crane falsely
offers to carry them to safety, first proving the lake exists by taking a one-eyed
fish there and back. He then carries fish away one by one, kills and eats them
at a tree, and leaves their bones there. When he tries the same trick on a crab,
the crab insists on holding the crane’s neck with his claws. The crab discovers
the deception, forces the crane to set him down at the lake, and then cuts off
the crane’s head. The crab lives safely in the lake afterward.
language: English
quote_policy: summarized
literal_observations:
- id: obs:1
text: Fish live in a small pool whose water dries and becomes dangerously low during
hot weather.
category: setting
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:2
text: A cool lake with trees and water-lilies lies nearby, and a crane lives on
its banks.
category: setting
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:3
text: The crane eats fish when he can and thinks of a trick after seeing the fish
gasping in the pool.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:4
text: The crane tells the fish he is sorry for them and offers to carry them to
the nearby lake.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:5
text: The fish initially suspect that the crane wants to eat them.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:6
text: An old one-eyed fish is carried to the lake and back, then reports favorably
on the lake to the other fish.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: obs:7
text: The fish become eager to be carried to the lake one at a time.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: obs:8
text: The crane carries the one-eyed fish away again, places him in a tree cleft,
kills and eats him, and drops his bones at the foot of the tree.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: obs:9
text: The crane repeats the killing until every fish in the pool has been eaten.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
- id: obs:10
text: The crane then sees a crab in the emptied pool and invites him to come to
the lake.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
- id: obs:11
text: The crab refuses to be carried only in the crane’s beak and asks to hold the
crane’s neck with his claws.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:11
- id: obs:12
text: The crab notices that the crane is carrying him toward the tree where the
fish were eaten, not toward the lake.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:12
- id: obs:13
text: The crane reveals the heap of fish bones and says he intends to eat the crab.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:13
- id: obs:14
text: The crab pinches the crane’s neck, frightening him, and demands to be placed
in the lake.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:14
- id: obs:15
text: After being set down at the lakeside, the crab cuts off the crane’s head and
afterward lives in the lake.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:15
figures:
- id: fig:1
name_or_label: the Crane
description: A crane living by the lake; he eats fish, deceives the fish with an
offer of rescue, and later tries to eat the crab.
role_refs:
- role:1
- role:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- ev:4
- ev:8
- ev:13
- id: fig:2
name_or_label: the Fish
description: A group of fish trapped in a drying pool; they accept the crane’s offer
after the one-eyed fish reports on the lake.
role_refs:
- role:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:5
- ev:7
- ev:9
- id: fig:3
name_or_label: the one-eyed Fish
description: An old fish with one eye who is first used to verify the lake and is
then the first fish killed by the crane.
role_refs:
- role:4
- role:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:8
- id: fig:4
name_or_label: the Crab
description: A crab remaining in the pool after the fish are eaten; he secures himself
to the crane’s neck, discovers the deception, and kills the crane.
role_refs:
- role:5
- role:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
- ev:11
- ev:12
- ev:14
- ev:15
roles:
- id: role:1
label: deceptive rescuer
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: The crane offers to carry the fish to a safe lake while actually intending
to eat them.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:4
- ev:8
- ev:13
- id: role:2
label: predator
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: The crane is described as eating fish and kills the fish he transports.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:8
- ev:9
- id: role:3
label: endangered prey group
assigned_to:
- fig:2
- fig:3
basis: The fish are trapped in a drying pool and are eaten one by one by the crane.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:8
- ev:9
- id: role:4
label: scout or test passenger
assigned_to:
- fig:3
basis: The one-eyed fish is sent to see whether the crane’s claim about the lake
is true.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: role:5
label: suspicious passenger
assigned_to:
- fig:4
basis: The crab does not trust the crane’s friendship and insists on gripping the
crane’s neck with his claws.
evidence_refs:
- ev:11
- id: role:6
label: counterattacker and survivor
assigned_to:
- fig:4
basis: The crab uses his claws to control the crane, reaches the lake safely, kills
the crane, and survives there.
evidence_refs:
- ev:14
- ev:15
symbols:
- id: sym:1
label: drying pool
literal_form: small pool with water drying up in summer heat
associated_figures:
- fig:2
- fig:3
- fig:4
taxonomy_refs:
- water
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:10
- id: sym:2
label: cool lake
literal_form: nearby deep, fresh, cool lake shaded by trees and covered with water-lilies
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:3
- fig:4
taxonomy_refs:
- water
- tree
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:6
- ev:15
- id: sym:3
label: tree of killing
literal_form: tree cleft and foot of the tree where the crane kills fish and drops
their bones
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
- fig:4
taxonomy_refs:
- tree
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- ev:12
- ev:13
- id: sym:4
label: crab’s claws on crane’s neck
literal_form: the crab’s claws gripping and pinching the crane’s neck
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:4
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:11
- ev:14
- id: sym:5
label: heap of bones
literal_form: bones of the fish under the tree
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:4
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:13
scenes:
- id: scene:1
label: Drying pool and nearby lake
summary: Fish are trapped in a small pool drying in the heat, while a cool lake
lies nearby under trees and water-lilies.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: scene:2
label: Crane’s offer and fish suspicion
summary: The crane sees the fish’s distress, plans a trick, and offers to carry
them to the lake; the fish suspect he wants to eat them.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:4
- ev:5
- id: scene:3
label: Test journey by the one-eyed fish
summary: The crane takes the one-eyed fish to the lake and back; the old fish praises
the lake, making the rest of the fish eager to go.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
symbol_refs:
- sym:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:7
- id: scene:4
label: Fish killed at the tree
summary: The crane transports the fish one by one but kills and eats them at a tree,
leaving their bones there until the pool is emptied of fish.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:3
- sym:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- ev:9
- id: scene:5
label: Crab’s guarded journey
summary: The crane invites the crab, but the crab insists on holding the crane’s
neck with his claws and notices they are headed toward the killing tree.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:4
symbol_refs:
- sym:3
- sym:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
- ev:11
- ev:12
- id: scene:6
label: Deceiver overpowered
summary: The crane admits he ate the fish and will eat the crab; the crab pinches
him, makes him land at the lake, and cuts off his head.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:4
symbol_refs:
- sym:2
- sym:4
- sym:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:13
- ev:14
- ev:15
candidate_motifs:
- id: motif:1
label: false rescue by a predator
taxonomy_refs:
- trickster_boundary
basis: The crane presents himself as a helper who will carry the fish to safety,
but he is actually using the journey to kill and eat them.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:4
- ev:8
- ev:9
- ev:13
confidence: high
cautions: The available taxonomy does not include a specific animal-fable deceiver
category; “trickster_boundary” is used broadly for deception and violated trust.
- id: motif:2
label: deceiver caught by his own trick
taxonomy_refs:
- trickster_boundary
basis: The crane’s transport scheme is turned against him when the crab demands
to grip his neck, making the predator vulnerable and leading to his death.
evidence_refs:
- ev:11
- ev:14
- ev:15
confidence: high
cautions: This is a moralized animal-fable pattern rather than a direct mythic trickster
episode.
- id: motif:3
label: wise smaller animal survives treachery
taxonomy_refs:
- wisdom
basis: The crab distrusts the crane, chooses a safer method of transport, recognizes
the danger, and survives by acting decisively.
evidence_refs:
- ev:11
- ev:12
- ev:14
- ev:15
confidence: medium
cautions: The passage frames the crab as having more sense than the fish, but the
taxonomy reference “wisdom” is broad.
- id: motif:4
label: dangerous journey from failing water to refuge
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: The fish and crab seek movement from a drying pool to a fresh lake; the journey
becomes the setting for deception and survival.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:4
- ev:6
- ev:15
confidence: medium
cautions: The journey is local and practical, not explicitly a sacred or afterlife
passage.
comparison_claims: []
evidence:
- id: ev:1
type: summary
locator: lines 1648-1654
quote_or_summary: A number of fish live in a little pool; when summer heat comes,
the water dries and becomes barely enough to hide them.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/giant-crab-old-india-tales-rouse.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:2
type: summary
locator: lines 1655-1659
quote_or_summary: A beautiful, fresh, cool lake lies nearby under great trees and
water-lilies; a crane lives on its banks.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/giant-crab-old-india-tales-rouse.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:3
type: summary
locator: lines 1660-1663
quote_or_summary: The crane eats fish when he can, sees the fish gasping in the
little pool, and thinks of a trick to get them without trouble.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/giant-crab-old-india-tales-rouse.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:4
type: quote
locator: lines 1664-1667
quote_or_summary: "“I know a beautiful lake close by... and if you like I will carry
you there.”"
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/giant-crab-old-india-tales-rouse.md
rights_note: Public domain source; short quotation.
- id: ev:5
type: quote
locator: lines 1668-1675
quote_or_summary: "“We don't believe you; what you want is to eat us.”"
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/giant-crab-old-india-tales-rouse.md
rights_note: Public domain source; short quotation.
- id: ev:6
type: summary
locator: lines 1676-1690
quote_or_summary: An old one-eyed fish is sent to inspect the lake; the crane carries
him there and back, and the fish praises the lake’s depth, coolness, shade, water-lilies,
and flies.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/giant-crab-old-india-tales-rouse.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:7
type: summary
locator: lines 1691-1698
quote_or_summary: All the fish become eager to go and beg the crane to carry them;
the crane says he can take only one at a time.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/giant-crab-old-india-tales-rouse.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:8
type: summary
locator: lines 1699-1707
quote_or_summary: The crane carries the one-eyed fish away again, lays him in a
tree cleft, pecks out his eye, kills and eats him, and drops his bones under the
tree.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/giant-crab-old-india-tales-rouse.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:9
type: summary
locator: lines 1708-1716
quote_or_summary: The crane returns for more fish, falsely says the first fish is
happy, and repeats the killing until every fish has been eaten.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/giant-crab-old-india-tales-rouse.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:10
type: summary
locator: lines 1717-1721
quote_or_summary: After the fish are gone, the crane sees a crab in the pool and
invites him to come to the lake.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/giant-crab-old-india-tales-rouse.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:11
type: summary
locator: lines 1722-1733
quote_or_summary: The crab asks how he will be carried, rejects relying only on
the crane’s beak, and says he will hold the crane’s neck with his claws; the crane
agrees.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/giant-crab-old-india-tales-rouse.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:12
type: summary
locator: lines 1734-1738
quote_or_summary: While being carried, the crab sees that they are going toward
the tree where the crane used to sit and eat the fish, not to the lake.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/giant-crab-old-india-tales-rouse.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:13
type: quote
locator: lines 1739-1745
quote_or_summary: "“Just look at that heap of bones under yon tree!... I ate them,
and I'm going to eat you!”"
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/giant-crab-old-india-tales-rouse.md
rights_note: Public domain source; short quotation.
- id: ev:14
type: summary
locator: lines 1746-1759
quote_or_summary: The crab nips the crane’s neck; the crane becomes frightened and
begs forgiveness; the crab tells him to put him in the lake.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/giant-crab-old-india-tales-rouse.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:15
type: summary
locator: lines 1760-1765
quote_or_summary: The crane sets the crab on the lakeside mud; once safe, the crab
cuts off the crane’s head and lives happily in the lake afterward.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/giant-crab-old-india-tales-rouse.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
confidence:
extraction: high
motif_candidates: medium
comparison_claims: uncertain
notes: The literal plot and figures are explicit. Motif taxonomy mappings are broad
because the available taxonomy does not include a specific animal-fable predator-deceiver
category. No comparison claims were added because the passage itself does not
compare the tale to 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: |-
Passage is a public-domain English retelling of an animal fable. Extraction separates literal plot details from broader motif candidates.
batch_run_id=motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority
custom_id=motif_extract:buddhist-old-india-tales-rouse-gutenberg__l1648-l1775
passage_sha256=359dc74ff6d0e6e2d61a785afc6519905114bb2496c9edf25eae39a86f843512