batch.motif.buddhist-old-india-tales-rouse-gutenberg-l223-l284
---
record_id: batch.motif.buddhist-old-india-tales-rouse-gutenberg-l223-l284
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/giant-crab-old-india-tales-rouse.md
passage_locator:
label: WARNING / CONTENTS / THE GIANT CRAB / THE HYPOCRITICAL CAT; lines 223-284
start: '223'
end: '284'
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 cat who wants to eat a troop of rats pretends to be a holy ascetic, standing
on one leg facing the sun and claiming to live on air. The rats revere him and
bow as they pass, allowing him to eat the last rat in line each day. The chief
rat notices the troop shrinking, watches from the rear, dodges the cat’s attack,
exposes the deception, and joins the other rats in killing and eating the cat.
The rats then live peacefully.
language: English
quote_policy: summarized
literal_observations:
- id: obs:1
text: A troop of rats lives in holes by a river side.
category: setting
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:2
text: A cat wants to eat the rats but does not attack them all together because
many would escape and he is not strong enough.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:3
text: The cat stands early in the morning near the rats’ holes, facing the sun,
snuffing the air, and standing on one leg.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:4
text: When questioned, the cat says his name is Holy, claims the earth could not
bear his weight if he stood on all four legs, says he feeds on air, and says he
worships the sun.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:5
text: The rats regard the cat as pious and bow to him one by one when they leave
in the morning.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:6
text: Each day the cat waits until the last rat passes, pounces on the hindmost
rat, eats him quickly, and resumes his one-legged posture.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:7
text: The chief of the rats notices the troop has become smaller and suspects the
pious cat may know more than he says.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: obs:8
text: The chief rat places himself at the tail of the troop, watches the cat, and
dodges when the cat prepares to pounce.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: obs:9
text: The chief rat denounces the cat’s piety as false and fastens his teeth at
the cat’s throat.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: obs:10
text: The other rats return during the scuffle and consume the cat until no vestige
remains.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- ev:9
- id: obs:11
text: After the cat is gone, the rats live in peace and happiness.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
figures:
- id: fig:1
name_or_label: The Cat
description: A cat who longs to eat the rats, pretends to be holy, and secretly
eats the hindmost rat each day.
role_refs:
- role:1
- role:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:3
- ev:5
- id: fig:2
name_or_label: The troop of Rats
description: A group of rats living in holes by a river side; they first revere
the cat and later return to consume him.
role_refs:
- role:3
- role:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:4
- ev:8
- ev:9
- id: fig:3
name_or_label: The Chief of the Rats
description: The rat leader who notices the troop shrinking, investigates from the
rear, dodges the cat, and attacks him.
role_refs:
- role:4
- role:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:7
- ev:8
- id: fig:4
name_or_label: The hindmost rats
description: Rats at the tail of the line who are pounced upon and eaten by the
cat before the chief rat intervenes.
role_refs:
- role:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
roles:
- id: role:1
label: Deceptive holy figure
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: The cat calls himself Holy and presents claims of ascetic piety while intending
to eat the rats.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:3
- ev:5
- id: role:2
label: Predator
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: The cat desires to eat the rats and repeatedly pounces on and eats the hindmost
rat.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:5
- id: role:3
label: Deceived victims
assigned_to:
- fig:2
- fig:4
basis: The rats accept the cat’s pious appearance and bow to him, which exposes
the hindmost rats to attack.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:5
- id: role:4
label: Discerning leader
assigned_to:
- fig:3
basis: The chief rat notices losses, suspects the cat, watches from the tail of
the troop, and avoids the attack.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:7
- id: role:5
label: Collective avengers
assigned_to:
- fig:2
- fig:3
basis: After the chief rat seizes the cat, the other rats return and consume the
cat.
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- ev:9
symbols:
- id: sym:1
label: River-side holes
literal_form: Holes by a river side where the rats live
associated_figures:
- fig:2
taxonomy_refs:
- water
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: sym:2
label: One-legged sun-facing posture
literal_form: The cat stands on one leg with his face toward the sun
associated_figures:
- fig:1
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- id: sym:3
label: Air-feeding claim
literal_form: The cat keeps his mouth open and claims to feed on air
associated_figures:
- fig:1
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: sym:4
label: Bowing procession
literal_form: The rats bow to the cat one by one as they pass him
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:4
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:5
- id: sym:5
label: Cat’s throat seized
literal_form: The chief rat fastens his sharp teeth at the cat’s throat
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:3
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
scenes:
- id: scene:1
label: Cat adopts a holy pose
summary: The cat, wanting to eat the rats, stands near their holes in a conspicuous
posture facing the sun and standing on one leg.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: scene:2
label: Rats question the cat
summary: The rats ask the cat about his name and behavior, and he gives pious explanations
about holiness, feeding on air, and worshipping the sun.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
symbol_refs:
- sym:2
- sym:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: scene:3
label: Daily bowing and hidden predation
summary: The rats bow to the cat each morning; as they pass, the cat eats the last
rat in the line and resumes his posture.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:4
symbol_refs:
- sym:2
- sym:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:5
- id: scene:4
label: Chief rat investigates
summary: The chief rat notices that the troop is shrinking, suspects the cat, places
himself at the rear, and watches the cat’s actions.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
symbol_refs:
- sym:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:7
- id: scene:5
label: Cat exposed and destroyed
summary: The chief rat dodges the pounce, denounces the cat’s false piety, seizes
the cat’s throat, and the other rats return and consume the cat.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
symbol_refs:
- sym:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- ev:8
- ev:9
- id: scene:6
label: Peace after removal of predator
summary: After the cat is gone, the rats live in peace and happiness.
figure_refs:
- fig:2
symbol_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
candidate_motifs:
- id: motif:1
label: Predator disguised as a holy ascetic
taxonomy_refs:
- trickster_boundary
basis: The cat uses a display of holiness and ascetic claims to gain the rats’ trust
while secretly eating them.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:3
- ev:4
- ev:5
confidence: high
cautions: The taxonomy reference is broad; the passage supports deception and boundary-crossing
between piety and predation, but does not name an external motif type.
- id: motif:2
label: Wise leader exposes deception
taxonomy_refs:
- wisdom
basis: The chief rat observes the troop’s losses, suspects the cat, watches from
the rear, avoids the attack, and exposes the cat’s false piety.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:7
- ev:8
confidence: high
cautions: The motif is inferred from the chief rat’s actions within this passage
only.
- id: motif:3
label: Collective destruction of the deceiving predator
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: Once the cat’s deception is exposed, the chief rat attacks and the other
rats return to consume the cat completely.
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- ev:9
confidence: medium
cautions: This is a narrative pattern in the passage, not tied to a supplied taxonomy
family.
comparison_claims: []
evidence:
- id: ev:1
type: summary
locator: lines 223-228
quote_or_summary: A troop of rats lives in holes by a river side; a cat sees them,
wants to eat them, and decides not to attack all at once because many would escape
and he is not strong enough.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/giant-crab-old-india-tales-rouse.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary permitted.
- id: ev:2
type: summary
locator: lines 230-231
quote_or_summary: The cat stands early in the morning near the rats’ holes, facing
the sun, snuffing the air, and standing on one leg.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/giant-crab-old-india-tales-rouse.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary permitted.
- id: ev:3
type: summary
locator: lines 233-249
quote_or_summary: The rats question the cat; he says his name is Holy, says the
earth could not bear his weight on all four legs, claims to feed on air, and says
he faces the sun to worship it.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/giant-crab-old-india-tales-rouse.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary permitted.
- id: ev:4
type: summary
locator: lines 251-253
quote_or_summary: The rats think the cat is pious and thereafter bow to him one
by one when they start out in the morning.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/giant-crab-old-india-tales-rouse.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary permitted.
- id: ev:5
type: summary
locator: lines 255-258
quote_or_summary: As the rats file past, the cat waits for the last one, pounces
on the hindmost, eats him quickly, and resumes standing on one leg while licking
his lips.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/giant-crab-old-india-tales-rouse.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary permitted.
- id: ev:6
type: summary
locator: lines 260-265
quote_or_summary: The chief of the rats notices the troop is smaller, misses familiar
faces, and suspects that the pious cat may know more than he admits.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/giant-crab-old-india-tales-rouse.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary permitted.
- id: ev:7
type: summary
locator: lines 267-272
quote_or_summary: The chief rat places himself at the tail of the troop, watches
the cat, and dodges when the cat prepares to pounce.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/giant-crab-old-india-tales-rouse.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary permitted.
- id: ev:8
type: summary
locator: lines 274-280
quote_or_summary: The chief rat exposes the cat’s false piety, springs to the cat’s
throat, and the other rats return during the scuffle.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/giant-crab-old-india-tales-rouse.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary permitted.
- id: ev:9
type: summary
locator: lines 280-284
quote_or_summary: The rats consume the cat until no vestige remains, and afterward
they live in peace and happiness.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/giant-crab-old-india-tales-rouse.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary permitted.
confidence:
extraction: high
motif_candidates: medium
comparison_claims: uncertain
notes: The passage is self-contained and literal events are clear. Motif labels
are broad and should be reviewed against project taxonomy practice. No comparison
claims were made because the passage itself does not supply an explicit comparative
frame.
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: |-
Used only the supplied passage and metadata. Taxonomy references were limited to provided motif families and symbols.
batch_run_id=motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority
custom_id=motif_extract:buddhist-old-india-tales-rouse-gutenberg__l223-l284
passage_sha256=2d7a079ca1d043841518896989790cf417a6f186583d5a34ac8f253beccf178f