batch.motif.comparative-golden-bough-volume-2-frazer-gutenberg-l11515-l11720
---
record_id: batch.motif.comparative-golden-bough-volume-2-frazer-gutenberg-l11515-l11720
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/comparative/project-gutenberg/golden-bough-volume-2-frazer.md
passage_locator:
label: 'The Golden Bough: A Study in Comparative Religion (Vol. 2 of 2) / CONTENTS
/ NOTE. OFFERINGS OF FIRST-FRUITS. / INDEX.; lines 11515-11720'
start: '11515'
end: '11720'
translation: 'The Golden Bough: A Study in Comparative Religion (Vol. 2 of 2)'
notes: Generated from OpenAI Batch run motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority;
human review required.
canonical_text:
quote: ''
summary: An index segment lists comparative-religion topics and cross-references,
including sun taboos, fire festivals, offerings of first-fruits, taboo and seclusion,
sympathetic eating, scapegoats and disease-boats, totems and external souls, temporary
and sacrificed kings, tree-spirits, tree worship, and beliefs about souls inhabiting
trees.
language: English
quote_policy: summarized
literal_observations:
- id: obs:1
text: The index entry for the sun lists rules forbidding sacred persons, tabooed
persons, and girls at puberty from seeing the sun.
category: relationship
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:2
text: The same sun entry lists a belief that the sun can impregnate women and cross-references
fires as sun charms.
category: relationship
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:3
text: The passage lists fire-related customs in several places, including Swabian
fire festivals, Swedish May Day and midsummer fires, Surenthal midsummer fire
ceremony, and torchlight processions.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- ev:4
- id: obs:4
text: The index describes sympathetic eating as a belief that a person acquires
the character of the animal or person whose flesh he eats.
category: relationship
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:5
text: The taboo entry associates taboo with fatal effects, seclusion of tabooed
persons, preservation of life, and royal and priestly taboos.
category: attribute
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: obs:6
text: The passage lists offerings or festivals of first-fruits in Tana, the Tenimber
Islands, Tonga, and Tjumba.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- ev:8
- ev:9
- ev:10
- id: obs:7
text: The index lists a Tibetan New Year custom and a Tibetan scapegoat.
category: object
evidence_refs:
- ev:11
- id: obs:8
text: The passage lists disease-boats in Timorlaut and expulsion of evil spirits
in Tonquin.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:12
- ev:13
- id: obs:9
text: The tree-spirit entry includes representation by leaf-clad persons, killing
the tree-spirit, annual reasons for killing it, the goat as embodiment, and burning
in effigy or by human representatives.
category: relationship
evidence_refs:
- ev:14
- id: obs:10
text: The tree-spirit entry states that tree spirits give rain and sunshine, cause
crops to grow, and influence women and cattle.
category: attribute
evidence_refs:
- ev:15
- id: obs:11
text: The trees entry lists bleeding trees, souls of trees, souls of the dead animating
trees, trees inhabited by spirits, trees planted at births of children, and trees
as storehouses of the sun’s fire.
category: attribute
evidence_refs:
- ev:16
- id: obs:12
text: The totem entry defines a totem as an object in which a person deposits his
soul for safety.
category: relationship
evidence_refs:
- ev:17
- id: obs:13
text: The passage lists temporary kings and notes that temporary kings are sometimes
hereditary.
category: attribute
evidence_refs:
- ev:18
- id: obs:14
text: The Sweden entry states that King Domalde was sacrificed on account of famine.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:15
text: The passage identifies Thammuz as a corn-spirit.
category: attribute
evidence_refs:
- ev:19
figures:
- id: fig:1
name_or_label: sacred or tabooed persons
description: Persons described in the index as not allowed to see the sun.
role_refs:
- role:1
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: fig:2
name_or_label: girls at puberty
description: Girls at puberty are listed as persons not allowed to see the sun.
role_refs:
- role:1
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: fig:3
name_or_label: tree-spirit
description: A spirit represented by leaf-clad persons, killed, embodied by a goat,
and burned in effigy or by human representatives.
role_refs:
- role:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:14
- id: fig:4
name_or_label: King Domalde
description: A Swedish king listed as sacrificed on account of famine.
role_refs:
- role:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: fig:5
name_or_label: temporary kings
description: Kings listed as temporary and sometimes hereditary.
role_refs:
- role:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:18
- id: fig:6
name_or_label: Tibetan scapegoat
description: A scapegoat listed in connection with Tibetan New Year custom.
role_refs:
- role:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:11
- id: fig:7
name_or_label: Thammuz
description: Named in the index as a corn-spirit.
role_refs:
- role:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:19
roles:
- id: role:1
label: sun-avoidant tabooed figure
assigned_to:
- fig:1
- fig:2
basis: The sun entry lists sacred persons, tabooed persons, and girls at puberty
as not allowed to see the sun.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: role:2
label: vegetation or corn spirit
assigned_to:
- fig:3
- fig:7
basis: The passage lists the tree-spirit in relation to vegetation rites and Thammuz
as a corn-spirit.
evidence_refs:
- ev:14
- ev:19
- id: role:3
label: sacrificed ruler
assigned_to:
- fig:4
basis: The Sweden entry states that King Domalde was sacrificed on account of famine.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: role:4
label: temporary ruler
assigned_to:
- fig:5
basis: The index has a separate entry for temporary kings and notes that they are
sometimes hereditary.
evidence_refs:
- ev:18
- id: role:5
label: scapegoat or evil-bearing substitute
assigned_to:
- fig:6
basis: The passage lists a Tibetan scapegoat in proximity to a New Year custom.
evidence_refs:
- ev:11
symbols:
- id: sym:1
label: sun
literal_form: the sun
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: sym:2
label: fire
literal_form: fires, bonfires, torchlight processions, and the sun’s fire stored
in trees
associated_figures:
- fig:3
taxonomy_refs:
- fire
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:3
- ev:4
- ev:16
- id: sym:3
label: tree
literal_form: tree, tree-spirit, tree worship, trees inhabited by spirits
associated_figures:
- fig:3
taxonomy_refs:
- tree
evidence_refs:
- ev:14
- ev:15
- ev:16
- id: sym:4
label: first-fruits
literal_form: offerings or festivals of first-fruits
associated_figures: []
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- ev:8
- ev:9
- ev:10
- id: sym:5
label: totem
literal_form: an object, animal, plant, or similar entity in which a man deposits
his soul for safety
associated_figures: []
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:17
- id: sym:6
label: scapegoat
literal_form: Tibetan scapegoat
associated_figures:
- fig:6
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:11
- id: sym:7
label: disease-boat
literal_form: disease-boats in Timorlaut
associated_figures: []
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:12
scenes:
- id: scene:1
label: Sun taboo and sun charms
summary: The index groups rules forbidding certain sacred or tabooed persons, including
girls at puberty, from seeing the sun, and also lists beliefs about solar impregnation
and fires as sun charms.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: scene:2
label: First-fruits offerings across several places
summary: Offerings or festivals of first-fruits are listed for Tana, the Tenimber
Islands, Tonga, and Tjumba.
figure_refs: []
symbol_refs:
- sym:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- ev:8
- ev:9
- ev:10
- id: scene:3
label: Tree-spirit rites
summary: The tree-spirit is indexed with representation by leaf-clad persons, ritual
killing, annual killing, goat embodiment, burning in effigy, and human representatives
burned as tree-spirit figures.
figure_refs:
- fig:3
symbol_refs:
- sym:2
- sym:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:14
- id: scene:4
label: Tree spirits and animated trees
summary: Tree spirits are said to give rain and sunshine, cause crops to grow, and
influence women and cattle; trees are associated with souls, dead persons, indwelling
spirits, birth plantings, and sun fire.
figure_refs:
- fig:3
symbol_refs:
- sym:2
- sym:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:15
- ev:16
- id: scene:5
label: Soul kept in an external object
summary: The totem entry defines a totem as an object in which a person deposits
his soul for safety.
figure_refs: []
symbol_refs:
- sym:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:17
- id: scene:6
label: Removal of evil or illness
summary: The index lists a Tibetan scapegoat, disease-boats in Timorlaut, and expulsion
of evil spirits in Tonquin.
figure_refs:
- fig:6
symbol_refs:
- sym:6
- sym:7
evidence_refs:
- ev:11
- ev:12
- ev:13
- id: scene:7
label: Ruler sacrifice and temporary kingship
summary: The passage lists temporary kings and separately notes the sacrifice of
King Domalde in Sweden on account of famine.
figure_refs:
- fig:4
- fig:5
symbol_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:18
candidate_motifs:
- id: motif:1
label: Forbidden sight of the sun by tabooed persons
taxonomy_refs:
- initiation
basis: The sun entry repeatedly lists sacred persons, tabooed persons, and girls
at puberty as not allowed to see the sun.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
confidence: medium
cautions: The passage is an index entry and does not describe a full ritual sequence;
the initiation taxonomy is supported mainly by the puberty reference.
- id: motif:2
label: Fires as solar charms and seasonal fire rites
taxonomy_refs:
- seasonal_cycle
basis: The passage links fires to sun charms and lists May Day, Easter, midsummer,
and other fire ceremonies.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:3
- ev:4
confidence: medium
cautions: The index supplies cross-references rather than detailed descriptions
of the ceremonies.
- id: motif:3
label: First-fruits offerings
taxonomy_refs:
- sacred_exchange
basis: The passage lists offerings or festivals of first-fruits in multiple locations.
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- ev:8
- ev:9
- ev:10
confidence: high
cautions: The index does not specify the recipients, ritual actions, or myths attached
to the offerings.
- id: motif:4
label: Sympathetic eating to acquire qualities
taxonomy_refs:
- sacred_exchange
basis: The sympathetic-eating entry defines the belief that one acquires the character
of the animal or person whose flesh is eaten.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
confidence: medium
cautions: The taxonomy reference is functional and approximate; the passage does
not frame the act as exchange with a deity.
- id: motif:5
label: Killing or burning the vegetation spirit
taxonomy_refs:
- sacrifice
- seasonal_cycle
- dying_and_returning
basis: The tree-spirit entry lists killing the tree-spirit, annual reasons for killing
it, and burning the tree-spirit in effigy or through human representatives.
evidence_refs:
- ev:14
confidence: high
cautions: The index does not narrate a death-and-return sequence, so the dying-and-returning
reference should be reviewed.
- id: motif:6
label: Tree inhabited by souls or spirits
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: The trees entry lists souls of trees, souls of the dead animating trees,
and trees inhabited by spirits.
evidence_refs:
- ev:16
confidence: high
cautions: Available taxonomy includes tree as a symbol but not a precise motif for
spirit-inhabited trees.
- id: motif:7
label: External soul secured in a totemic object
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: The totem entry defines a totem as an object in which a person deposits his
soul for safety.
evidence_refs:
- ev:17
confidence: high
cautions: No matching motif-family reference is available in the supplied taxonomy
list.
- id: motif:8
label: Scapegoat or vehicle for removing evil and disease
taxonomy_refs:
- sacrifice
basis: The passage lists a Tibetan scapegoat, disease-boats in Timorlaut, and expulsion
of evil spirits in Tonquin.
evidence_refs:
- ev:11
- ev:12
- ev:13
confidence: medium
cautions: The index does not explicitly connect all three entries into a single
rite; the grouping is based on their literal functions as listed.
- id: motif:9
label: Sacrificed king in response to famine
taxonomy_refs:
- sacrifice
- royal_legitimacy
basis: The Sweden entry states that King Domalde was sacrificed on account of famine.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
confidence: high
cautions: The passage gives only an index summary, not the full mythic or historical
account.
- id: motif:10
label: Temporary kingship
taxonomy_refs:
- royal_legitimacy
basis: The passage has an entry for temporary kings and notes that they are sometimes
hereditary.
evidence_refs:
- ev:18
confidence: medium
cautions: The index does not specify the ritual purpose or mythic function of the
temporary kings.
comparison_claims:
- id: claim:1
claim: The passage itself groups first-fruits offerings in Tana, the Tenimber Islands,
Tonga, and Tjumba as comparable practices under the same index topic.
claim_level: same_function
target: first-fruits offering practices in Tana, Tenimber Islands, Tonga, and Tjumba
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- ev:8
- ev:9
- ev:10
counter_evidence_refs: []
confidence: medium
limitations: The claim is limited to index-level functional grouping; no historical
contact or common origin is implied.
- id: claim:2
claim: The passage groups fire customs from Swabia, Sweden, Surenthal, and torchlight
processions as comparable seasonal or solar fire practices.
claim_level: same_function
target: European fire festivals, midsummer fires, May Day fires, and torchlight
processions
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:3
- ev:4
counter_evidence_refs: []
confidence: medium
limitations: The index does not describe the rituals in detail and does not establish
a shared origin.
- id: claim:3
claim: The passage groups sacred persons, tabooed persons, and girls at puberty
under the shared pattern of avoiding the sun.
claim_level: same_function
target: sun-avoidance taboos for sacred, tabooed, and pubescent persons
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
counter_evidence_refs: []
confidence: medium
limitations: The comparison is internal to the index entry and does not specify
the same cultural context or rationale for every case.
- id: claim:4
claim: The passage juxtaposes scapegoat, disease-boats, and expulsion of evil spirits
as practices concerned with removing evil, sickness, or harmful forces.
claim_level: same_function
target: scapegoat, disease-boat, and evil-spirit expulsion practices
evidence_refs:
- ev:11
- ev:12
- ev:13
counter_evidence_refs: []
confidence: low
limitations: The index entries are separate; their functional comparison is cautious
and should be checked against the referenced sections.
evidence:
- id: ev:1
type: summary
locator: lines 11515-11522; index entry 'Sun'
quote_or_summary: The sun entry lists staying the sun, prohibitions on sacred persons
and girls at puberty seeing the sun, traces of the rule in folktales, belief that
the sun can impregnate women, tabooed persons not seeing the sun, and fires as
sun charms.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/comparative/project-gutenberg/golden-bough-volume-2-frazer.md
rights_note: Public domain; Project Gutenberg source metadata indicates full text
allowed.
- id: ev:2
type: summary
locator: lines 11528-11534; index entries 'Surenthal' and 'Swabia'
quote_or_summary: The passage lists a midsummer fire ceremony in Surenthal and Swabian
fire festivals, Easter fires, and midsummer fires.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/comparative/project-gutenberg/golden-bough-volume-2-frazer.md
rights_note: Public domain; Project Gutenberg source metadata indicates full text
allowed.
- id: ev:3
type: summary
locator: lines 11535-11544; index entry 'Sweden'
quote_or_summary: The Sweden entry lists King Domalde sacrificed on account of famine,
May Eve and midsummer ceremonies, Christmas customs, Yule straw, May Day fires,
midsummer bonfires, mistletoe superstition, and divining rods from mistletoe.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/comparative/project-gutenberg/golden-bough-volume-2-frazer.md
rights_note: Public domain; Project Gutenberg source metadata indicates full text
allowed.
- id: ev:4
type: citation
locator: index entry 'Torchlight processions' within lines 11515-11720
quote_or_summary: The passage includes an index entry for torchlight processions.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/comparative/project-gutenberg/golden-bough-volume-2-frazer.md
rights_note: Public domain; Project Gutenberg source metadata indicates full text
allowed.
- id: ev:5
type: summary
locator: lines 11572-11576; index entry 'Sympathetic eating'
quote_or_summary: Sympathetic eating is indexed as the belief that a person acquires
the character of the animal or person whose flesh he eats.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/comparative/project-gutenberg/golden-bough-volume-2-frazer.md
rights_note: Public domain; Project Gutenberg source metadata indicates full text
allowed.
- id: ev:6
type: summary
locator: lines 11580-11585; index entry 'Taboo'
quote_or_summary: The taboo entry lists fatal effects, seclusion of tabooed persons,
taboo as preserving life, and royal and priestly taboos.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/comparative/project-gutenberg/golden-bough-volume-2-frazer.md
rights_note: Public domain; Project Gutenberg source metadata indicates full text
allowed.
- id: ev:7
type: citation
locator: index entry 'Tana' within lines 11515-11720
quote_or_summary: The Tana entry includes offerings of first-fruits.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/comparative/project-gutenberg/golden-bough-volume-2-frazer.md
rights_note: Public domain; Project Gutenberg source metadata indicates full text
allowed.
- id: ev:8
type: citation
locator: index entry 'Tenimber Islands' within lines 11515-11720
quote_or_summary: The Tenimber Islands entry includes offering of first-fruits.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/comparative/project-gutenberg/golden-bough-volume-2-frazer.md
rights_note: Public domain; Project Gutenberg source metadata indicates full text
allowed.
- id: ev:9
type: summary
locator: index entry 'Tonga' within lines 11515-11720
quote_or_summary: The Tonga entry lists a ceremony concerning sacred contagion and
a festival of first-fruits.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/comparative/project-gutenberg/golden-bough-volume-2-frazer.md
rights_note: Public domain; Project Gutenberg source metadata indicates full text
allowed.
- id: ev:10
type: citation
locator: index entry 'Tjumba' within lines 11515-11720
quote_or_summary: The Tjumba entry lists a harvest festival.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/comparative/project-gutenberg/golden-bough-volume-2-frazer.md
rights_note: Public domain; Project Gutenberg source metadata indicates full text
allowed.
- id: ev:11
type: summary
locator: index entry 'Tibetan' within lines 11515-11720
quote_or_summary: The Tibetan entry lists a New Year’s day custom and a scapegoat.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/comparative/project-gutenberg/golden-bough-volume-2-frazer.md
rights_note: Public domain; Project Gutenberg source metadata indicates full text
allowed.
- id: ev:12
type: citation
locator: index entry 'Timorlaut' within lines 11515-11720
quote_or_summary: The Timorlaut entry lists disease-boats.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/comparative/project-gutenberg/golden-bough-volume-2-frazer.md
rights_note: Public domain; Project Gutenberg source metadata indicates full text
allowed.
- id: ev:13
type: summary
locator: index entry 'Tonquin' within lines 11515-11720
quote_or_summary: The Tonquin entry lists expulsion of evil spirits and a time of
licence, among other indexed topics.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/comparative/project-gutenberg/golden-bough-volume-2-frazer.md
rights_note: Public domain; Project Gutenberg source metadata indicates full text
allowed.
- id: ev:14
type: summary
locator: lines near index entry 'Tree-spirit' within 11515-11720
quote_or_summary: The tree-spirit entry lists leaf-clad representatives, killing
the tree-spirit, annual reasons for killing it, goat embodiment, burning in effigy,
and human beings burned as representatives of it.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/comparative/project-gutenberg/golden-bough-volume-2-frazer.md
rights_note: Public domain; Project Gutenberg source metadata indicates full text
allowed.
- id: ev:15
type: summary
locator: lines near index subentry 'Tree spirits' within 11515-11720
quote_or_summary: Tree spirits are indexed as giving rain and sunshine, causing
crops to grow, and influencing women and cattle.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/comparative/project-gutenberg/golden-bough-volume-2-frazer.md
rights_note: Public domain; Project Gutenberg source metadata indicates full text
allowed.
- id: ev:16
type: summary
locator: lines near index entries 'Tree worship' and 'Trees' within 11515-11720
quote_or_summary: The passage lists tree worship and trees that bleed, have souls,
are animated by souls of the dead, inhabited by spirits, planted at births, and
regarded as storehouses of the sun’s fire.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/comparative/project-gutenberg/golden-bough-volume-2-frazer.md
rights_note: Public domain; Project Gutenberg source metadata indicates full text
allowed.
- id: ev:17
type: summary
locator: index entries 'Totem' and 'Totemism' within lines 11515-11720
quote_or_summary: The totem entry defines a totem as an object, such as an animal
or plant, in which a person deposits his soul for safety; totemism is also indexed.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/comparative/project-gutenberg/golden-bough-volume-2-frazer.md
rights_note: Public domain; Project Gutenberg source metadata indicates full text
allowed.
- id: ev:18
type: summary
locator: index entry 'Temporary kings' within lines 11515-11720
quote_or_summary: Temporary kings are indexed and noted as sometimes hereditary.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/comparative/project-gutenberg/golden-bough-volume-2-frazer.md
rights_note: Public domain; Project Gutenberg source metadata indicates full text
allowed.
- id: ev:19
type: citation
locator: index entry 'Thammuz' within lines 11515-11720
quote_or_summary: Thammuz is indexed as a corn-spirit.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/comparative/project-gutenberg/golden-bough-volume-2-frazer.md
rights_note: Public domain; Project Gutenberg source metadata indicates full text
allowed.
confidence:
extraction: medium
motif_candidates: medium
comparison_claims: low
notes: The passage is an index segment with many compressed cross-references. Literal
extraction is mostly secure, but motif assignment and comparisons should be checked
against the referenced chapters.
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: |-
No historical-contact or common-inheritance claims are made. Taxonomy references are limited to the supplied motif-family and symbol lists.
batch_run_id=motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority
custom_id=motif_extract:comparative-golden-bough-volume-2-frazer-gutenberg__l11515-l11720
passage_sha256=6de2f40c0f0a80c1ab20102108f209a2c22701893d796c342952888c8b175275