batch.motif.comparative-golden-bough-volume-1-frazer-gutenberg-l1832-l1924
---
record_id: batch.motif.comparative-golden-bough-volume-1-frazer-gutenberg-l1832-l1924
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/comparative/project-gutenberg/golden-bough-volume-1-frazer.md
passage_locator:
label: PREFACE. / J. G. FRAZER. / CHAPTER I. THE KING OF THE WOOD. / MACAULAY.;
lines 1832-1924
start: '1832'
end: '1924'
translation: 'The Golden Bough: A Study in Comparative Religion (Vol. 1 of 2)'
notes: Generated from OpenAI Batch run motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority;
human review required.
canonical_text:
quote: ''
summary: Frazer surveys harvest and seed-time rites in which sacred trees or branches
are cut, set up, offered to, and used to promote crops, cattle, milk, and human
fertility in examples from India, Africa, Gilgit, Germany, Ireland, and Wendish
custom.
language: English
quote_policy: summarized
literal_observations:
- id: obs:1
text: At a Lhoosai harvest festival, the chief and people go into the forest, fell
a large tree, carry it into the village, and set it up in the middle.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:2
text: The Lhoosai ceremony includes sacrifice, pouring spirits and rice over the
tree, and a closing feast and dance performed by unmarried men and girls.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:3
text: Among the Bechuanas, the hack-thorn is described as very sacred, and branches
of it are brought home when the corn is ripe to repair the village cattle-yard.
category: object
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:4
text: Some South-East African groups are said to avoid cutting timber while corn
is green because of fear that crops would be damaged by blight, hail, or early
frost.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:5
text: Among the Aryan tribes of Gilgit, wheat for sowing is mixed with sprigs of
sacred cedar, held over smoke from a cedar bonfire, and partly made into a cake
for the ploughman.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:6
text: At Gilgit, three chosen unmarried youths undergo washing and purification,
bring offerings to a cedar on the mountain, sprinkle wine and oil on it, cut a
branch, and bring it to the village.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:7
text: The Gilgit cedar branch is placed on a large stone beside running water; a
goat is sacrificed and its blood is poured over the branch.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:8
text: Men bring cedar sprays home, where a wife asks what has been brought; the
answer names children, food, cattle, and other desired goods.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:9
text: A wife places cedar leaves with wine and water on the fire, sprinkles other
leaves with flour, suspends them from the ceiling, and addresses the cedar as
Shiri Bagerthum, son of the fairies.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:10
text: Goats are driven to the Chili stone, pelted with pebbles while the Chili is
invoked, and their direction of movement is used for omens about expected kids.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: obs:11
text: In parts of Germany, May-trees are set up at stable and byre doors for horses
and cows; in Ireland a green bough on May-day is said to bring milk; among some
Wends an oak with an iron cock is set up and cattle are driven round it.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
figures:
- id: fig:1
name_or_label: Lhoosai chief and people
description: Participants in the harvest festival who fell, carry, and set up a
large tree.
role_refs:
- role:1
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: fig:2
name_or_label: Unmarried Lhoosai men and girls
description: The only performers in the closing feast and dance of the Lhoosai ceremony.
role_refs:
- role:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: fig:3
name_or_label: Bechuanas
description: People for whom the hack-thorn is described as sacred and who bring
branches home when corn is ripe.
role_refs:
- role:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: fig:4
name_or_label: Aryan tribes of Gilgit
description: Community associated with seed-time rites involving the sacred Chili
cedar.
role_refs:
- role:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:4
- ev:5
- ev:6
- id: fig:5
name_or_label: Three chosen unmarried youths
description: Purified youths who go to the mountain, make offerings at a cedar,
cut a branch, and bring it to the village.
role_refs:
- role:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: fig:6
name_or_label: Ploughman
description: Recipient of the large cake made from wheat associated with the sacred
cedar rite.
role_refs:
- role:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: fig:7
name_or_label: Wife in the Gilgit household rite
description: Household ritual actor who receives the cedar spray, prepares leaves
with wine, water, fire, and flour, and addresses the cedar.
role_refs:
- role:7
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: fig:8
name_or_label: Chili cedar / Shiri Bagerthum
description: Sacred cedar addressed as Shiri Bagerthum, the dreadful king, and son
of the fairies, when wants are prayed for.
role_refs:
- role:8
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:5
- ev:6
- id: fig:9
name_or_label: Goats and cattle
description: Herd animals brought into ritual relation with tree, branch, stone,
or May-tree in several examples.
role_refs:
- role:9
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:6
- ev:7
- id: fig:10
name_or_label: German peasants, Irish people, and Wends
description: European groups cited in May-tree, green-bough, and oak-tree rites
involving milk or thriving cattle.
role_refs:
- role:10
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
roles:
- id: role:1
label: Harvest tree bearers
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: They go to the forest, fell the tree, bring it to the village, and set it
up.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: role:2
label: Dance performers
assigned_to:
- fig:2
basis: The passage states that unmarried men and girls alone perform the dance.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: role:3
label: Custodians of sacred hack-thorn custom
assigned_to:
- fig:3
basis: They regard the hack-thorn as very sacred and use its branches in a seasonal
cattle-yard practice.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: role:4
label: Seed-time ritual community
assigned_to:
- fig:4
basis: The Gilgit rites occur at the beginning of wheat-sowing and involve community
rejoicing and household actions.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:4
- ev:5
- id: role:5
label: Purified ritual emissaries
assigned_to:
- fig:5
basis: They undergo washing and purification before going to the mountain cedar
and bringing back a branch.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: role:6
label: Agricultural recipient
assigned_to:
- fig:6
basis: The ploughman receives the cake baked on the cedar fire.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: role:7
label: Household ritual performer
assigned_to:
- fig:7
basis: She receives the cedar spray, performs leaf, fire, flour, and invocation
actions, and later drives goats to the stone.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:6
- id: role:8
label: Personified sacred cedar power
assigned_to:
- fig:8
basis: The cedar is addressed by a title used when praying for wants to be fulfilled
and is credited in the song with bringing wife, sons, right ways, and many children.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:6
- id: role:9
label: Fertility beneficiaries and omen animals
assigned_to:
- fig:9
basis: Branches repair the cattle-yard, goats are brought to the Chili stone for
omens, and cattle are driven round a tree to thrive.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:6
- ev:7
- id: role:10
label: Comparative May-tree practitioners
assigned_to:
- fig:10
basis: They are cited as setting up May-trees, fastening green boughs, or driving
cattle around an oak.
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
symbols:
- id: sym:1
label: Sacred tree or branch
literal_form: large tree, hack-thorn branch, Chili cedar, May-tree, green bough,
oak-tree
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:3
- fig:4
- fig:8
- fig:10
taxonomy_refs:
- tree
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:3
- ev:4
- ev:5
- ev:7
- id: sym:2
label: Cedar fire and smoke
literal_form: large bonfire of cedar wood; cedar leaves placed on the fire
associated_figures:
- fig:4
- fig:6
- fig:7
- fig:8
taxonomy_refs:
- fire
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:5
- id: sym:3
label: Running water and ablution
literal_form: running water beside the stone, stream receiving bones, general ablution,
wine and water on leaves
associated_figures:
- fig:4
- fig:7
- fig:8
taxonomy_refs:
- water
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:5
- id: sym:4
label: Chili stone
literal_form: large stone beside running water where the cedar branch is placed
and where goats are later driven
associated_figures:
- fig:4
- fig:7
- fig:8
- fig:9
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:6
- id: sym:5
label: Sacrificial goat and blood
literal_form: goat sacrificed, blood poured over the cedar branch, head borne aloft
associated_figures:
- fig:4
- fig:8
- fig:9
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: sym:6
label: Flour, wheat, cakes, walnuts, and pomegranates
literal_form: seed wheat, large cake, flour, cakes, walnuts, pomegranates
associated_figures:
- fig:4
- fig:6
- fig:7
- fig:8
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:5
- ev:6
- id: sym:7
label: Iron cock on oak
literal_form: iron cock fastened to the top of an oak-tree
associated_figures:
- fig:10
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
scenes:
- id: scene:1
label: Lhoosai harvest tree ceremony
summary: At harvest, the chief and people bring a felled tree from the forest into
the village, set it up, offer sacrifice and libations or food over it, then close
with a feast and dance by unmarried youths.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: scene:2
label: Bechuana hack-thorn and crop-timber restrictions
summary: The hack-thorn is treated as sacred; branches are brought home when corn
is ripe for the cattle-yard, while other groups avoid cutting timber while corn
is green to protect crops.
figure_refs:
- fig:3
- fig:9
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: scene:3
label: Gilgit seed wheat and cedar smoke
summary: At wheat-sowing, seed wheat is mixed with cedar sprigs, held over cedar
smoke, and partly made into a cake baked on the cedar fire for the ploughman.
figure_refs:
- fig:4
- fig:6
- fig:8
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:2
- sym:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: scene:4
label: Gilgit mountain cedar branch rite
summary: Purified unmarried youths make offerings to a cedar, cut a branch, bring
it to the village, place it on a stone by running water, and a goat is sacrificed
with blood poured over the branch.
figure_refs:
- fig:4
- fig:5
- fig:8
- fig:9
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:3
- sym:4
- sym:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: scene:5
label: Gilgit household reception and goat omen
summary: A man brings a cedar spray home; his wife receives it through a question-and-answer
formula about children, food, and cattle, performs leaf and flour rites, and later
drives goats to the Chili stone for omens of offspring.
figure_refs:
- fig:4
- fig:7
- fig:8
- fig:9
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:2
- sym:3
- sym:4
- sym:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:6
- id: scene:6
label: European May-tree and cattle rites
summary: May-trees, green boughs, and an oak with an iron cock are set at stables,
houses, or village center and associated with milk production or cattle thriving.
figure_refs:
- fig:9
- fig:10
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:7
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
candidate_motifs:
- id: motif:1
label: Seasonal sacred tree brought into village or household
taxonomy_refs:
- sacred_tree_axis
- seasonal_cycle
basis: Several rites occur at harvest, wheat-sowing, May-day, or July and involve
a tree, branch, or bough brought into a village, household, stable, or central
place.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:3
- ev:4
- ev:5
- ev:7
confidence: medium
cautions: The passage emphasizes fertility functions rather than a fully articulated
world-axis symbolism; the taxonomy link to sacred_tree_axis should be reviewed.
- id: motif:2
label: Tree or branch as crop-fertilizing power
taxonomy_refs:
- seasonal_cycle
basis: The passage explicitly states that trees are credited with fostering crop
growth; examples include seed wheat mixed with cedar sprigs and smoked over cedar
fire.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
confidence: high
cautions: This is Frazer’s interpretation of reported customs, not a direct native
explanation in every example.
- id: motif:3
label: Personified sacred cedar grants household fertility and abundance
taxonomy_refs:
- sacred_tree_axis
- sacred_exchange
basis: The Chili cedar is addressed with a divine or royal title in petitions, and
household speech and song credit it with children, food, cattle, wife, sons, and
many children.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:6
confidence: medium
cautions: The passage reports a ritual address and song; the exact theology of the
cedar-spirit is not fully described.
- id: motif:4
label: Sacrifice and offerings applied to a sacred tree or branch
taxonomy_refs:
- sacrifice
- sacred_exchange
basis: The Lhoosai pour rice and spirits over a tree after sacrifice; at Gilgit,
wine and oil are sprinkled on a cedar and goat blood is poured over the cedar
branch.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:4
confidence: high
cautions: The transactional meaning of the offering is inferred from the passage’s
fertility context.
- id: motif:5
label: Tree rite for herds, milk, and animal increase
taxonomy_refs:
- seasonal_cycle
- sacred_tree_axis
basis: Hack-thorn branches are used in the cattle-yard; goats are brought to the
Chili stone for kid omens; May-trees, green boughs, and an oak rite are linked
with milk or cattle thriving.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:6
- ev:7
confidence: high
cautions: The practices are drawn from different regions and should not be treated
as historically connected without external evidence.
comparison_claims:
- id: claim:1
claim: The passage presents Lhoosai, Gilgit, and European May-tree or bough customs
as functionally similar seasonal tree rites connected with crop, herd, or household
fertility.
claim_level: same_function
target: Harvest-May, Gilgit Chili cedar, and European May-tree/green-bough rites
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:3
- ev:5
- ev:7
counter_evidence_refs: []
confidence: medium
limitations: The passage supports functional comparison only; it does not demonstrate
historical contact, common origin, or identical meanings.
- id: claim:2
claim: Frazer explicitly compares the Gilgit sacred cedar with the European May-tree
as possessing similar powers over women and cattle.
claim_level: same_function
target: Gilgit Chili cedar and European May-tree powers over women and cattle
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:6
- ev:7
counter_evidence_refs: []
confidence: high
limitations: The claim reflects the author’s comparative framing; the passage does
not provide independent local explanations for all European examples.
- id: claim:3
claim: The passage groups sacrifice, libation, or offering to trees with desired
abundance in crops, children, cattle, or milk.
claim_level: same_motif
target: Tree-offering rites for fertility and abundance
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:3
- ev:4
- ev:5
- ev:7
counter_evidence_refs: []
confidence: medium
limitations: The examples vary by region, ritual sequence, and object; the shared
motif is broad and should be reviewed against primary ethnographic sources.
evidence:
- id: ev:1
type: summary
locator: 1832-1839
quote_or_summary: At a Lhoosai harvest festival in South-East India, the chief and
people fell a large tree, bring it into the village, set it up, offer sacrifice,
pour spirits and rice over it, and end with a feast and dance by unmarried men
and girls.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/comparative/project-gutenberg/golden-bough-volume-1-frazer.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:2
type: summary
locator: 1839-1847
quote_or_summary: Among the Bechuanas the hack-thorn is very sacred; when corn is
ripe men bring home branches to repair the cattle-yard. Frazer also reports South-East
African restrictions on cutting timber while corn is green, lest crops be harmed
by blight, hail, or frost.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/comparative/project-gutenberg/golden-bough-volume-1-frazer.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:3
type: summary
locator: 1848-1862
quote_or_summary: At Gilgit wheat-sowing, wheat from the Raja’s granary is mixed
with sprigs of the sacred Chili cedar, held over smoke from a cedar bonfire, and
partly baked as a cake for the ploughman; Frazer says this is meant to fertilise
the seed by the sacred cedar.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/comparative/project-gutenberg/golden-bough-volume-1-frazer.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:4
type: summary
locator: 1863-1878
quote_or_summary: Three chosen unmarried youths purify themselves, take wine, oil,
bread, and fruit to a mountain cedar, sprinkle wine and oil on it, eat a sacrificial
feast, cut a branch, bring it to the village, place it on a large stone beside
running water, and a goat is sacrificed with blood poured over the branch.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/comparative/project-gutenberg/golden-bough-volume-1-frazer.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:5
type: summary
locator: 1878-1893
quote_or_summary: After the Gilgit sacrifice, each man takes a cedar spray home;
when his wife asks what he has brought, he answers that he has brought children,
food, cattle, or whatever is wanted. The wife uses cedar leaves with wine, water,
fire, flour, and a ceiling suspension, and addresses the cedar as Shiri Bagerthum.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/comparative/project-gutenberg/golden-bough-volume-1-frazer.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:6
type: summary
locator: 1893-1913
quote_or_summary: The wife later bakes cakes, drives family goats to the Chili stone,
pelts them with pebbles while invoking the Chili, and draws omens about the number
and sex of expected kids. A five-day song addresses the Dread Fairy King and credits
him with filling the house, bringing wife, sons, right ways, and many children.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/comparative/project-gutenberg/golden-bough-volume-1-frazer.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:7
type: summary
locator: 1914-1924
quote_or_summary: 'Frazer states that the Gilgit goat-driving rite is meant to impart
the cedar’s fertilising influence, then compares European May-tree customs: German
May-trees at stable and byre doors to increase milk, an Irish green bough for
summer milk, and a Wendish oak with an iron cock around which cattle are driven
to thrive.'
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/comparative/project-gutenberg/golden-bough-volume-1-frazer.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
confidence:
extraction: high
motif_candidates: medium
comparison_claims: medium
notes: The passage is explicit about fertility functions and contains Frazer’s own
comparisons, but taxonomy mapping is approximate and should be reviewed, especially
the sacred_tree_axis assignment.
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. No historical-contact claim is made.
batch_run_id=motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority
custom_id=motif_extract:comparative-golden-bough-volume-1-frazer-gutenberg__l1832-l1924
passage_sha256=4d3ff072e4dbea30fcf479e28faf568410fa23e203ecc24d728f231f82dc7ca3