batch.motif.comparative-golden-bough-volume-2-frazer-gutenberg-l13255-l13369
---
record_id: batch.motif.comparative-golden-bough-volume-2-frazer-gutenberg-l13255-l13369
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/comparative/project-gutenberg/golden-bough-volume-2-frazer.md
passage_locator:
label: CONTENTS / NOTE. OFFERINGS OF FIRST-FRUITS. / INDEX. / FOOTNOTES; lines 13255-13369
start: '13255'
end: '13369'
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: A set of footnotes describes customs and comparative examples involving
hunters removing the tongues of slain animals, sacred or luck-bringing uses of
those tongues, a folktale hero preserving a beast’s tongue as a token, a suggested
explanation that tongue removal prevents slain animals from warning living animals,
an Abghaz autumn rite involving a white ox from a holy cave that is killed and
eaten, and additional notes on animal sanctity, expiation, and bird-king names.
language: English
quote_policy: summarized
literal_observations:
- id: obs:1
text: The passage states that hunters commonly cut out the tongues of animals they
kill.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:2
text: Omaha hunters remove the tongue of a slain buffalo through an opening in the
animal’s throat.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:3
text: The removed Omaha buffalo tongues are described as sacred, restricted from
touching tools or metal except while boiling in kettles at the sacred tent, and
eaten as sacred food.
category: attribute
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:4
text: Indian bear-hunters cut out a fleshy mass called the bear’s little tongue
and either keep it for good hunting luck or burn it to determine whether the slain
bear’s soul is angry.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:5
text: The passage says folk-tale heroes commonly cut out the tongue of a slain wild
beast and preserve it as a token.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:6
text: The passage suggests that cutting out tongues may prevent slain animals from
telling living animals their fate and frightening them away.
category: other
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:7
text: An Abghaz rite is described as taking place in the middle of autumn.
category: setting
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:8
text: A white ox called Ogginn appears from a holy cave that is also called Ogginn.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:9
text: The white ox is caught and led among assembled men, while women are excluded.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:10
text: The white ox is killed and eaten, and any man who receives no scrap of the
sacred flesh is considered unfortunate.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:11
text: The bones of the white ox are carefully collected, burned in a great hole,
and the ashes are buried there.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:12
text: The passage notes that rich Kalmucks, more than ordinary Kalmucks, commonly
kill sheep or cattle for eating and are therefore said to especially need expiation.
category: relationship
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:13
text: The passage states that eating sheep flesh as regular food is not inconsistent
with an original sanctity of the sheep.
category: attribute
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: obs:14
text: The passage lists names for a bird that mean or imply king, little king, or
king of birds.
category: attribute
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
figures:
- id: fig:1
name_or_label: Omaha hunters
description: Hunters who remove the tongue of a slain buffalo and treat the tongues
as sacred food.
role_refs:
- role:1
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: fig:2
name_or_label: Slain buffalo
description: Animal from which Omaha hunters remove the tongue through an opening
in the throat.
role_refs:
- role:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: fig:3
name_or_label: Indian bear-hunters
description: Hunters who cut out the bear’s little tongue and use it for luck or
divination about the bear’s soul.
role_refs:
- role:1
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: fig:4
name_or_label: Slain bear
description: Bear whose little tongue is removed; its soul may be tested for anger
by burning the tongue-piece.
role_refs:
- role:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: fig:5
name_or_label: Folk-tale hero
description: Hero who cuts out the tongue of a slain wild beast and preserves it
as a token.
role_refs:
- role:1
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: fig:6
name_or_label: Slain wild beast
description: Wild beast in folk-tales whose tongue is cut out and kept as a token.
role_refs:
- role:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: fig:7
name_or_label: Assembled Abghaz men
description: Men among whom the white ox is led and who eat its sacred flesh.
role_refs:
- role:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: fig:8
name_or_label: White ox Ogginn
description: A white ox called Ogginn that appears from a holy cave, is caught,
killed, eaten, and whose bones are burned and ashes buried.
role_refs:
- role:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: fig:9
name_or_label: Women excluded from the Abghaz rite
description: Women are explicitly excluded from the gathering involving the white
ox.
role_refs:
- role:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
roles:
- id: role:1
label: Hunter or slayer who removes a tongue
assigned_to:
- fig:1
- fig:3
- fig:5
basis: These figures kill or are associated with killing an animal and cutting out
its tongue or tongue-like part.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:3
- id: role:2
label: Slain animal whose tongue is removed
assigned_to:
- fig:2
- fig:4
- fig:6
basis: Each animal is described as slain and as having its tongue or tongue-like
part removed.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:3
- id: role:3
label: Ritual consumers of sacred flesh
assigned_to:
- fig:7
basis: The assembled men are present when the ox is led among them and they receive
or fail to receive scraps of its sacred flesh.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: role:4
label: Sacred ritual animal
assigned_to:
- fig:8
basis: The ox emerges from a holy cave, is killed and eaten, and its flesh is called
sacred.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: role:5
label: Excluded group
assigned_to:
- fig:9
basis: Women are stated to be excluded from the Abghaz rite.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
symbols:
- id: sym:1
label: Removed animal tongue
literal_form: Tongue of a slain buffalo, bear tongue-piece, or wild beast tongue
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
- fig:4
- fig:5
- fig:6
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:3
- id: sym:2
label: Sacred food from animal flesh
literal_form: Sacred buffalo tongues and sacred flesh of the white ox
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:7
- fig:8
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:4
- id: sym:3
label: Holy cave
literal_form: The holy cave called Ogginn
associated_figures:
- fig:8
taxonomy_refs:
- cave
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: sym:4
label: Fire used on animal remains
literal_form: Burning the bear’s little tongue; burning the ox bones in a great
hole
associated_figures:
- fig:3
- fig:4
- fig:8
taxonomy_refs:
- fire
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:4
- id: sym:5
label: Carefully treated bones and ashes
literal_form: Collected ox bones, burned bones, and buried ashes
associated_figures:
- fig:8
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
scenes:
- id: scene:1
label: Removal and use of tongues from slain animals
summary: Hunters and folk-tale heroes remove tongues or tongue-like parts from slain
animals; the parts may be sacred food, luck-bringing objects, divinatory material,
or tokens.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
- fig:4
- fig:5
- fig:6
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:2
- sym:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:3
- id: scene:2
label: Abghaz autumn rite of the white ox
summary: In autumn a white ox named Ogginn emerges from a holy cave, is caught,
led among men, killed, eaten as sacred flesh, and its bones and ashes are ritually
disposed of.
figure_refs:
- fig:7
- fig:8
- fig:9
symbol_refs:
- sym:2
- sym:3
- sym:4
- sym:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
candidate_motifs:
- id: motif:1
label: Tongue removed from slain animal
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: The passage presents repeated examples of hunters and folk-tale heroes cutting
out the tongues or tongue-like parts of slain animals.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:3
confidence: high
cautions: The examples are grouped by Frazer in a footnote; individual cultural
contexts are only briefly described.
- id: motif:2
label: Animal part as sacred food, luck object, divinatory object, or token
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: Buffalo tongues are eaten as sacred food, the bear’s little tongue is kept
for luck or burned for a sign, and the wild beast’s tongue is preserved as a token.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:3
confidence: high
cautions: The functions differ across examples and should not be treated as identical
without review.
- id: motif:3
label: Slain animal retains agency or communicative danger
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: The bear’s soul may be angry, and Frazer suggests tongue removal may prevent
slain animals from reporting their fate to living animals.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
confidence: medium
cautions: One part is Frazer’s suggested explanation rather than a directly reported
native statement.
- id: motif:4
label: Ritual killing and communal consumption of sacred animal
taxonomy_refs:
- sacrifice
basis: The white ox from the holy cave is killed and eaten, and its flesh is described
as sacred; receiving none is considered unfortunate.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
confidence: high
cautions: The passage says the rite seems to be a sacrament, but details are limited
to the quoted description.
- id: motif:5
label: Careful disposal of sacred animal remains
taxonomy_refs:
- sacrifice
basis: After the ox is eaten, the bones are carefully collected, burned in a great
hole, and the ashes buried.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
confidence: high
cautions: The passage does not state the reason for this treatment.
- id: motif:6
label: Expiation for killing domestic food animals
taxonomy_refs:
- sacrifice
basis: The passage states that rich Kalmucks commonly kill sheep or cattle for eating
and therefore especially need to make expiation.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
confidence: low
cautions: The passage gives little detail about the expiatory act itself.
comparison_claims:
- id: claim:1
claim: The passage explicitly compares real hunting customs of removing animal tongues
with folk-tale incidents in which a hero cuts out a beast’s tongue and keeps it
as a token.
claim_level: same_motif
target: Folk-tale hero preserving the tongue of a slain wild beast as a token
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:3
counter_evidence_refs: []
confidence: high
limitations: The comparison follows Frazer’s argument and does not establish historical
contact between the cited traditions.
- id: claim:2
claim: The passage links tongue removal to a possible function of controlling communication
or agency after an animal’s death, alongside the bear-hunter practice of testing
whether the slain bear’s soul is angry.
claim_level: same_function
target: Practices concerning the post-mortem agency or communicative power of slain
animals
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
counter_evidence_refs: []
confidence: medium
limitations: The prevention-of-communication explanation is presented as a suggestion,
not as a directly attested explanation from the practitioners.
evidence:
- id: ev:1
type: summary
locator: 13255-13261
quote_or_summary: Hunters commonly cut out the tongues of killed animals; Omaha
hunters remove a slain buffalo’s tongue through the throat, treat the tongues
as sacred, keep them from tools or metal except in kettles, and eat them as sacred
food.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/comparative/project-gutenberg/golden-bough-volume-2-frazer.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:2
type: summary
locator: 13261-13267
quote_or_summary: Indian bear-hunters cut out the bear’s little tongue, keep it
for hunting luck, or burn it to determine from the crackling whether the slain
bear’s soul is angry.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/comparative/project-gutenberg/golden-bough-volume-2-frazer.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:3
type: summary
locator: 13267-13276
quote_or_summary: In folk-tales the hero commonly cuts out and preserves the tongue
of a slain wild beast as a token; Frazer suggests tongue cutting may prevent slain
animals from telling live animals their fate.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/comparative/project-gutenberg/golden-bough-volume-2-frazer.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:4
type: summary
locator: 13307-13316
quote_or_summary: 'Reinegg describes an Abghaz autumn rite: a white ox named Ogginn
emerges from a holy cave also named Ogginn, is caught, led among assembled men
while women are excluded, killed and eaten, and its bones are collected, burned,
and buried as ashes.'
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/comparative/project-gutenberg/golden-bough-volume-2-frazer.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:5
type: summary
locator: 13317-13325
quote_or_summary: The passage notes that rich Kalmucks commonly kill sheep or cattle
for eating more than ordinary Kalmucks do, and says they especially need expiation.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/comparative/project-gutenberg/golden-bough-volume-2-frazer.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:6
type: summary
locator: 13330-13335
quote_or_summary: The passage says sheep flesh may now be regular food for a tribe,
but this is not inconsistent with the sheep’s original sanctity.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/comparative/project-gutenberg/golden-bough-volume-2-frazer.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:7
type: summary
locator: 13340-13348
quote_or_summary: The passage lists names for a bird that mean or imply king, little
king, or king of birds, including Greek, Latin, and several European vernacular
names.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/comparative/project-gutenberg/golden-bough-volume-2-frazer.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
confidence:
extraction: medium
motif_candidates: medium
comparison_claims: medium
notes: The passage consists largely of footnotes and compressed comparative citations.
Extraction is strongest where the passage narrates customs directly; brief source
references without details were not expanded.
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: |-
Only the supplied passage and metadata were used. Taxonomy references were assigned only where directly supported by available terms.
batch_run_id=motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority
custom_id=motif_extract:comparative-golden-bough-volume-2-frazer-gutenberg__l13255-l13369
passage_sha256=c095aa9b0c1caf8bcfffd5848453bbd3e0c7d69a1cee5ed84f4d251624e27c18