batch.motif.comparative-golden-bough-volume-2-frazer-gutenberg-l4042-l4119
---
record_id: batch.motif.comparative-golden-bough-volume-2-frazer-gutenberg-l4042-l4119
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;
lines 4042-4119'
start: '4042'
end: '4119'
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: 'The passage describes several periodic ceremonies interpreted by Frazer
as expulsions of devils or evil spirits: Hindoo Koosh harvest devil-driving by
gunfire; Khond seed-time removal of evil spirits using a seed-bearing car, ritual
beating, hog-killing, prayer, and first sowing; Balinese large-scale expulsion
at the dark moon with offerings, torch processions, noise, priestly curses, and
enforced silence; and a Fijian annual ceremony connected with the balolo sea-slug,
involving prayer for crops and winds, communal noise, silence, feasting, and a
concluding uproar.'
language: English
quote_policy: summarized
literal_observations:
- id: obs:1
text: Among some Hindoo Koosh tribes, devils are expelled after the autumn harvest,
especially from granaries.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:2
text: In the Hindoo Koosh harvest rite, porridge is eaten, the family head fires
a matchlock into the floor and then fires outside until his powder horn is exhausted,
while neighbours do likewise.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:3
text: The Khonds expel devils at seed-time and worship Pitteri Pennu, described
as the god of increase and gain.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:4
text: The Khond priest collects seed and feathers from the tribal head and from
village households in a rude car made from a basket, sticks, and bamboo rollers.
category: object
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:5
text: The Khond seed car is taken to a field outside the village while young men
beat each other and strike the air with long sticks.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:6
text: The seed carried out in the Khond car is called the share of the evil spirits,
spoilers of the seed, and the car and contents are abandoned to them.
category: relationship
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:7
text: Khond households kill hogs over the year’s seed and pray to Pitteri Pennu;
elders feast, young men pelt the elders with jungle fruit, and sowing begins after
the tribal head sows first.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:8
text: In Bali, periodical expulsions of devils are commonly held on the dark moon
in the ninth month.
category: setting
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:9
text: At a Balinese cross-road near the principal temple, offerings are set out
for devils and a horn summons the devils to the prepared meal.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:10
text: Balinese men light torches from the holy lamp before the chief priest, march
through streets crying for the devils to depart, and householders make loud knocking
noises.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:11
text: In the Balinese rite, the priest curses the fiends at the banquet, after which
silence and movement restrictions are observed to make the returning devils think
Bali is a desert island.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:12
text: During the Balinese silent interval, household work and cooking stop, only
watchmen may appear in streets, and wreaths of thorns and leaves hang at entrances
to warn strangers away.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:13
text: In parts of Fiji, an annual ceremony is timed by the appearance of the balolo
sea-slug, which swarms from coral reefs on a single day of the year.
category: setting
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: obs:14
text: In the Fijian ceremony, an influential man ascends a tree and prays to the
spirit of the sky for good crops, fair winds, and similar benefits.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: obs:15
text: The Fijian rite includes a period of loud clatter, drumming, and shouting,
followed by four days of silence, feasting on sea-slug, and prohibition of work.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: obs:16
text: At the end of the Fijian ceremony, men and boys make an uproar by knocking
with clubs and sticks at house doors and crying “Sinariba.”
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
figures:
- id: fig:1
name_or_label: Hindoo Koosh tribes
description: Tribes among whom devil-expulsion after harvest is reported; compared
by Frazer with the Hos and Mundaris.
role_refs:
- role:1
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: fig:2
name_or_label: Head of the family
description: Household head who fires a matchlock into the floor and then outside
during the Hindoo Koosh rite.
role_refs:
- role:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: fig:3
name_or_label: Devils or evil spirits
description: Harmful beings to be expelled from granaries, seed-corn, houses, villages,
or districts.
role_refs:
- role:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:4
- ev:5
- id: fig:4
name_or_label: Khonds of India
description: People described as expelling devils at seed-time rather than at harvest.
role_refs:
- role:1
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- id: fig:5
name_or_label: Pitteri Pennu
description: Khond god of increase and gain in every shape, worshipped at seed-time.
role_refs:
- role:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- id: fig:6
name_or_label: Khond priest
description: Ritual officiant who carries the seed car from house to house and receives
seed and feathers.
role_refs:
- role:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: fig:7
name_or_label: Lineal head of the tribe
description: Khond tribal head who receives ceremonial precedence in agriculture
and sows first on the third day.
role_refs:
- role:2
- role:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- id: fig:8
name_or_label: Khond young men
description: Participants who attend the seed car, beat each other and the air with
sticks, and later pelt returning elders with jungle fruit.
role_refs:
- role:7
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- id: fig:9
name_or_label: People of Bali
description: Island population described as holding large-scale periodical expulsions
of devils.
role_refs:
- role:1
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:5
- id: fig:10
name_or_label: Balinese priest or priests
description: Ritual authorities who order expulsion, recite prayers, and curse the
fiends at the banquet.
role_refs:
- role:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:5
- id: fig:11
name_or_label: Balinese torch-bearing men
description: Men who light torches at the holy lamp and march through streets crying
for devils to depart.
role_refs:
- role:7
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: fig:12
name_or_label: People of Fiji
description: People in some parts of Fiji who performed an annual ceremony associated
with the balolo sea-slug.
role_refs:
- role:1
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:7
- id: fig:13
name_or_label: Influential Fijian man
description: Man who ascends a tree and prays to the spirit of the sky for crops,
winds, and other benefits.
role_refs:
- role:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: fig:14
name_or_label: Spirit of the sky
description: Spirit addressed in prayer by the influential Fijian man.
role_refs:
- role:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: fig:15
name_or_label: Balolo sea-slug
description: Sea-slug whose annual appearance from coral reefs marks the time of
the Fijian ceremony and feast.
role_refs:
- role:8
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
roles:
- id: role:1
label: ritual community
assigned_to:
- fig:1
- fig:4
- fig:9
- fig:12
basis: These groups are described as collectively performing periodic ceremonies.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:4
- ev:6
- id: role:2
label: household or lineage ritual leader
assigned_to:
- fig:2
- fig:7
basis: The family head and the lineal tribal head perform precedence-bearing ritual
actions.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:3
- id: role:3
label: expelled harmful beings
assigned_to:
- fig:3
basis: Devils, fiends, or evil spirits are repeatedly described as beings driven
out or prevented from interfering.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:4
- ev:5
- id: role:4
label: addressed deity or spirit
assigned_to:
- fig:5
- fig:14
basis: Pitteri Pennu and the spirit of the sky are recipients of prayer or worship
in the ceremonies.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- ev:6
- id: role:5
label: ritual officiant
assigned_to:
- fig:6
- fig:10
- fig:13
basis: These figures perform formal ritual actions such as collecting offerings,
reciting prayers, cursing fiends, or praying from a tree.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:4
- ev:5
- ev:6
- id: role:6
label: first sower
assigned_to:
- fig:7
basis: The lineal head sows first before the rest may sow.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: role:7
label: active expulsion participants
assigned_to:
- fig:8
- fig:11
basis: Young men and torch-bearing men perform vigorous actions connected with driving
away spirits.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:4
- id: role:8
label: seasonal timing sign and feast food
assigned_to:
- fig:15
basis: The balolo’s annual appearance signals the ceremony and the sea-slug is eaten
during the feast.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
symbols:
- id: sym:1
label: matchlock gunfire
literal_form: matchlock fired into the floor and outside the house
associated_figures:
- fig:2
taxonomy_refs:
- fire
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: sym:2
label: seed car
literal_form: rude car made from a basket on sticks with bamboo rollers, carrying
seed and feathers
associated_figures:
- fig:4
- fig:6
- fig:8
- fig:3
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: sym:3
label: share of seed for evil spirits
literal_form: collected seed abandoned with the car as the share of the evil spirits
associated_figures:
- fig:3
- fig:4
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: sym:4
label: hog killed over seed
literal_form: hog killed by each household over the year’s seed
associated_figures:
- fig:4
- fig:5
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: sym:5
label: cross-road offering place
literal_form: offerings set out for devils at a cross-road near the principal temple
associated_figures:
- fig:3
- fig:9
- fig:10
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: sym:6
label: holy lamp and torches
literal_form: torches lit at the holy lamp burning before the chief priest
associated_figures:
- fig:10
- fig:11
taxonomy_refs:
- fire
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: sym:7
label: noise as expulsion action
literal_form: gunfire, knocking, drumming, shouting, clatter, and club-striking
at doors
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:9
- fig:11
- fig:12
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:4
- ev:6
- ev:7
- id: sym:8
label: protective thorn-and-leaf wreaths
literal_form: wreaths of thorns and leaves hung at entrances
associated_figures:
- fig:9
taxonomy_refs:
- tree
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: sym:9
label: tree ascent for prayer
literal_form: an influential man ascends a tree to pray to the sky spirit
associated_figures:
- fig:13
- fig:14
taxonomy_refs:
- tree
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: sym:10
label: balolo sea-slug
literal_form: annual sea-slug swarming from coral reefs and eaten at feast
associated_figures:
- fig:15
- fig:12
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
scenes:
- id: scene:1
label: Hindoo Koosh harvest devil-driving
summary: After the last autumn crop is gathered, porridge is eaten and household
heads fire matchlocks in and outside the house to drive evil spirits from granaries,
followed by rejoicing the next day.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:7
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: scene:2
label: Khond seed-time car procession
summary: At seed-time a priest gathers seed and feathers in a rude car from the
tribal head and households, then the car is carried outside the village with young
men beating each other and striking the air.
figure_refs:
- fig:3
- fig:4
- fig:5
- fig:6
- fig:7
- fig:8
symbol_refs:
- sym:2
- sym:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: scene:3
label: Khond hog-killing, feast, and first sowing
summary: Households kill hogs over seed and pray to Pitteri Pennu; elders feast,
young men pelt them with jungle fruit, and sowing begins after the tribal head
sows first.
figure_refs:
- fig:4
- fig:5
- fig:7
- fig:8
symbol_refs:
- sym:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: scene:4
label: Balinese expulsion by offerings, fire, and noise
summary: At the dark moon, Balinese villagers assemble at the temple, place offerings
for devils at a cross-road, summon them with a horn, light torches from the holy
lamp, march through streets telling devils to depart, and create loud knocking
noises in houses.
figure_refs:
- fig:3
- fig:9
- fig:10
- fig:11
symbol_refs:
- sym:5
- sym:6
- sym:7
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: scene:5
label: Balinese silence and restriction after expulsion
summary: After the priest curses and drives the fiends away, the community keeps
silence and restricts movement and work to prevent devils from recognizing and
returning to Bali.
figure_refs:
- fig:3
- fig:9
- fig:10
symbol_refs:
- sym:8
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: scene:6
label: Fijian balolo-timed ceremony
summary: The appearance of the balolo marks an annual feast; an influential man
climbs a tree and prays to the sky spirit, then the community makes loud noise
followed by four days of quiet, feasting, and work prohibitions.
figure_refs:
- fig:12
- fig:13
- fig:14
- fig:15
symbol_refs:
- sym:7
- sym:9
- sym:10
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: scene:7
label: Fijian concluding uproar
summary: At daylight after the fourth night, men and boys run through the town,
knock at house doors with clubs and sticks, and cry “Sinariba.”
figure_refs:
- fig:12
symbol_refs:
- sym:7
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
candidate_motifs:
- id: motif:1
label: periodic expulsion of devils or evil spirits
taxonomy_refs:
- seasonal_cycle
basis: The passage repeatedly describes communal ceremonies held at harvest, seed-time,
dark moon, or annual sea-slug appearance to drive out devils or spirits.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:4
- ev:6
- ev:7
confidence: high
cautions: The taxonomy reference captures the periodic or seasonal framing, not
a specific devil-expulsion taxonomy category.
- id: motif:2
label: offering or allotted share to harmful spirits to prevent interference
taxonomy_refs:
- sacred_exchange
basis: Khond seed is explicitly called the share of evil spirits and abandoned to
them so they have no excuse to interfere; Balinese offerings and a meal are also
prepared for devils before expulsion.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:4
confidence: medium
cautions: The passage frames these as expulsion rites; the exchange interpretation
is clearest for the Khond seed share and less explicit for Bali.
- id: motif:3
label: ritual noise used to drive away spirits
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: Gunfire, knocking, drumming, shouting, and striking with sticks occur in
rites associated with expelling devils or concluding the ceremony.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:4
- ev:6
- ev:7
confidence: high
cautions: The Fijian rite is said to have the aspect of an expulsion of devils rather
than being explicitly named as one in the quoted passage.
- id: motif:4
label: ritual silence after expulsion
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: Bali observes a day of silence and inactivity after devils are driven away;
Fiji has four days of quiet after the initial clatter.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:6
confidence: high
cautions: The stated rationale of deceiving returning devils is explicit for Bali
but not for Fiji.
- id: motif:5
label: ritual slaughter and prayer over seed before sowing
taxonomy_refs:
- sacrifice
- seasonal_cycle
basis: Khond households kill hogs over the year’s seed, pray to Pitteri Pennu, and
begin sowing only after the tribal head has sown.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
confidence: medium
cautions: The passage says hogs are killed and prayers made, but does not explicitly
call the hog-killing a sacrifice.
- id: motif:6
label: seasonal sign marks ritual time
taxonomy_refs:
- seasonal_cycle
basis: The Fijian annual rite is timed by the single-day appearance of the balolo
sea-slug; other rites are tied to harvest, seed-time, and dark moon.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:4
- ev:6
confidence: high
cautions: The specific timing mechanisms vary by community.
comparison_claims:
- id: claim:1
claim: The passage presents Hindoo Koosh, Khond, Balinese, and Fijian ceremonies
as comparable examples, or near-examples, of periodic expulsion of devils or harmful
spirits.
claim_level: same_motif
target: periodic communal expulsion of devils or harmful spirits across the cited
traditions
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:4
- ev:6
- ev:7
counter_evidence_refs: []
confidence: medium
limitations: This is Frazer’s comparative framing; the passage itself provides descriptive
parallels but does not establish historical contact or common inheritance.
- id: claim:2
claim: The Khond and Balinese examples share the pattern of preparing a material
portion or meal for spirits in connection with removing them from the community
or protecting crops.
claim_level: same_function
target: offerings or spirit portions used in expulsion/protection rites
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:4
counter_evidence_refs: []
confidence: medium
limitations: The Khond passage states the preventive rationale explicitly; the Balinese
passage describes offerings and a meal followed by expulsion but does not phrase
it as a negotiated exchange.
- id: claim:3
claim: The Balinese and Fijian examples both combine an initial period of loud communal
noise with a subsequent interval of enforced quiet and suspended work.
claim_level: same_function
target: noise followed by silence in communal cleansing or expulsion-like rites
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:5
- ev:6
counter_evidence_refs: []
confidence: high
limitations: Only Bali is explicitly explained as deceiving returning devils during
the silence; the Fijian explanation is not specified in the passage.
evidence:
- id: ev:1
type: summary
locator: lines 4042-4053
quote_or_summary: 'Among some Hindoo Koosh tribes, devil-expulsion follows harvest:
evil spirits are driven from granaries by eating mool and firing matchlocks; the
next day is spent rejoicing and in Chitral the festival is called devil-driving.'
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: lines 4053-4070
quote_or_summary: The Khonds expel devils at seed-time; a priest gathers seed and
feathers in a basket-car from the tribal head and houses, and young men attend
it outside the village while beating each other and striking the air. The carried
seed is described as the share of the evil spirits, spoilers of the seed.
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: lines 4070-4078
quote_or_summary: After the Khond car rite, each household kills a hog over the
seed and prays to Pitteri Pennu; elders feast, young men pelt them with jungle
fruit, and the tribal head sows first before others may sow.
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: lines 4079-4098
quote_or_summary: In Bali, periodic devil-expulsions are held, commonly on the dark
moon of the ninth month; offerings are set at a temple cross-road, priests pray,
a horn summons devils to the meal, torch-bearing men march through streets crying
“Depart! go away!”, and householders make loud knocking noises.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/comparative/project-gutenberg/golden-bough-volume-2-frazer.md
rights_note: Public domain source; includes brief quoted cry from public domain
passage.
- id: ev:5
type: summary
locator: lines 4098-4110
quote_or_summary: The Balinese priest curses the fiends at the banquet and drives
them from the district; then silence and restrictions on movement, work, cooking,
market activity, and rice-field labor are observed, with thorn-and-leaf wreaths
hung at entrances.
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: lines 4111-4117
quote_or_summary: In parts of Fiji, an annual ceremony with the aspect of devil-expulsion
is timed by the balolo sea-slug; an influential man climbs a tree and prays to
the sky spirit, then loud drumming and shouting are followed by four days of quiet,
feasting, and work prohibitions.
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: lines 4117-4119
quote_or_summary: At daylight after the fourth night in the Fijian ceremony, the
town erupts in noise as men and boys knock on house doors with clubs and sticks
and cry “Sinariba.”
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/comparative/project-gutenberg/golden-bough-volume-2-frazer.md
rights_note: Public domain source; includes brief quoted cry from public domain
passage.
confidence:
extraction: high
motif_candidates: medium
comparison_claims: medium
notes: The passage is descriptive and explicitly comparative, but most interpretation
follows Frazer’s framing. Taxonomy refs are limited to available broad categories
and should be reviewed.
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 provided passage and metadata. No historical-contact or inheritance claims are made.
batch_run_id=motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority
custom_id=motif_extract:comparative-golden-bough-volume-2-frazer-gutenberg__l4042-l4119
passage_sha256=c4d2fddeca6ee1751bba802ab9cb44e5cc3e0e71fcbfc44ba48ca525ef8ae11c