batch.motif.comparative-golden-bough-volume-2-frazer-gutenberg-l4349-l4409
---
record_id: batch.motif.comparative-golden-bough-volume-2-frazer-gutenberg-l4349-l4409
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 4349-4409'
start: '4349'
end: '4409'
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: Frazer describes reported ceremonies in several island communities in which
sickness, disease-demons, or spirits blamed for sickness are transferred into
boats, canoes, branches, animals, ashes, spittle, or puppets and sent away by
sea, river, tide, or fire. Some ceremonies include offerings, invocations, processions,
noise-making, bathing, or ritual struggle with a disease demon.
language: English
quote_policy: summarized
literal_observations:
- id: obs:1
text: In Timorlaut, a small prao containing an image of a man and provisions is
launched to drift away with wind and tide in order to mislead sickness-causing
demons.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:2
text: During the Timorlaut launch, people address sickness and tell it to go away
from the land.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:3
text: Three days after the Timorlaut launch, a pig is killed and part of its flesh
is offered to Dudilaa, who is said to live in the sun.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:4
text: A stranded disease-bearing prao is feared by coastal people and is burned,
with the stated reason that demons fly from fire.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:5
text: In Buro, a provisioned prao fitted with sails, oars, and anchor is used to
carry away demons of disease.
category: object
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:6
text: In Buro, people beat gongs and drums and rush about for a day and a night
to frighten demons.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:7
text: In Buro, ten young men strike people with branches dipped in water, then put
the branches into the prao and tow it out to sea.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:8
text: In Buro, one participant addresses Small-pox as Grandfather and tells it to
go away to another land because food for the voyage has been prepared.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: obs:9
text: After the Buro prao is sent away, all the people bathe together in the sea.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: obs:10
text: Frazer states that the striking with branches is intended to rid people of
disease-demons, which are supposed to be transferred to the branches.
category: other
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: obs:11
text: In inland Ceram, a priest strikes houses with consecrated branches during
sickness, then throws the branches into the river to be carried to the sea.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: obs:12
text: Frazer compares the Ceram river disposal of branches to the Wotyak practice
of throwing devil-expelling sticks into a river.
category: relationship
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: obs:13
text: In Amboina, a patient's body is rubbed with a live white cock, which is then
placed on a little prao and committed to the waves.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
- id: obs:14
text: In the Babar archipelago, the disease-carrying bark contains ashes from every
kitchen and a bowl into which all sick people have spat.
category: object
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
- id: obs:15
text: Frazer states that putting puppets in a boat to represent sick persons and
lure demons is not uncommon.
category: other
evidence_refs:
- ev:11
- id: obs:16
text: In Tikopia, during an epidemic cough, a flower-adorned canoe is carried around
the island and then launched on the sea.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:12
- id: obs:17
text: In the Nicobar Islands, sickness or failure to catch fish is blamed on spirits,
offerings are made, and priests force a disease demon into a garlanded model boat
towed far out to sea.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:13
figures:
- id: fig:1
name_or_label: Timorlaut people
description: The people who launch the prao and address sickness in Timorlaut.
role_refs:
- role:1
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: fig:2
name_or_label: sickness-causing demons
description: Demons said to be causing sickness and to be misled by the prao.
role_refs:
- role:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: fig:3
name_or_label: Dudilaa
description: A being described as living in the sun and receiving part of a sacrificed
pig.
role_refs:
- role:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: fig:4
name_or_label: oldest man in Timorlaut ceremony
description: One of the oldest men who petitions Dudilaa for the health of the village.
role_refs:
- role:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: fig:5
name_or_label: Buro people
description: The people who beat gongs and drums, undergo branch-striking, and bathe
after the prao is sent away.
role_refs:
- role:1
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:5
- ev:6
- id: fig:6
name_or_label: ten young men in Buro
description: Ten stalwart young men who strike people with water-dipped branches
and tow the disease-burdened prao to sea.
role_refs:
- role:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: fig:7
name_or_label: Grandfather Small-pox
description: Small-pox addressed as a grandfather and told to go away to another
land.
role_refs:
- role:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: fig:8
name_or_label: Ceram priest
description: A priest who strikes houses with consecrated branches during sickness.
role_refs:
- role:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: fig:9
name_or_label: Amboina patient
description: A sick person whose whole body is rubbed with a live white cock.
role_refs:
- role:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
- id: fig:10
name_or_label: Tikopia chiefs' sons
description: Four sons of principal chiefs who carry a little canoe around the island.
role_refs:
- role:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:12
- id: fig:11
name_or_label: Tikopia population
description: The whole population accompanies the canoe circuit, with some beating
bushes and others crying aloud.
role_refs:
- role:1
evidence_refs:
- ev:12
- id: fig:12
name_or_label: Nicobar priests
description: Priests with faces reddened with paint and swine's blood who pretend
to catch the disease demon and force it into a model boat.
role_refs:
- role:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:13
- id: fig:13
name_or_label: Nicobar spirits or shades
description: Spirits blamed for sickness or lack of fish, and shades receiving parts
of the pig offering.
role_refs:
- role:2
- role:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:13
roles:
- id: role:1
label: ceremony participants
assigned_to:
- fig:1
- fig:5
- fig:11
basis: These groups take part in launching, noise-making, carrying, bathing, or
other communal acts.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:4
- ev:6
- ev:12
- id: role:2
label: disease or disease-causing spirit
assigned_to:
- fig:2
- fig:7
- fig:13
basis: These figures are blamed for sickness, identified with small-pox, or treated
as demons or spirits connected with disease.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:6
- ev:13
- id: role:3
label: recipient of offering
assigned_to:
- fig:3
- fig:13
basis: Dudilaa receives pig flesh, and the Nicobar shades receive parts of a pig
offering.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:13
- id: role:4
label: petitioner
assigned_to:
- fig:4
basis: The oldest man beseeches Dudilaa to make the village people well.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: role:5
label: ritual specialist or ritual agent
assigned_to:
- fig:6
- fig:8
- fig:10
- fig:12
basis: These figures perform central ceremonial actions such as branch-striking,
house-striking, carrying the canoe, or forcing a demon into a model boat.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:8
- ev:12
- ev:13
- id: role:6
label: patient
assigned_to:
- fig:9
basis: The figure is the sick person whose body is rubbed with the cock.
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
symbols:
- id: sym:1
label: disease-carrying vessel
literal_form: prao, bark, canoe, or model boat sent away by water
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:5
- fig:6
- fig:7
- fig:10
- fig:11
- fig:12
- fig:13
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:4
- ev:5
- ev:6
- ev:9
- ev:10
- ev:12
- ev:13
- id: sym:2
label: water route of removal
literal_form: sea, river, tide, waves, or current
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:5
- fig:6
- fig:8
- fig:9
- fig:10
- fig:11
- fig:12
taxonomy_refs:
- water
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:5
- ev:6
- ev:8
- ev:9
- ev:12
- ev:13
- id: sym:3
label: fire repelling demons
literal_form: burning a stranded prao
associated_figures:
- fig:2
taxonomy_refs:
- fire
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: sym:4
label: substitute human image or puppet
literal_form: image of a man or puppets placed in a boat
associated_figures:
- fig:2
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:11
- id: sym:5
label: branches receiving disease-demons
literal_form: branches dipped in water or consecrated branches used to strike people
or houses
associated_figures:
- fig:5
- fig:6
- fig:8
taxonomy_refs:
- water
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:7
- ev:8
- id: sym:6
label: animal contact and transfer
literal_form: live white cock rubbed over a patient's body and sent away in a prao
associated_figures:
- fig:9
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
- id: sym:7
label: village residues gathered into vessel
literal_form: ashes from every kitchen and spittle from sick people placed in bowls
in a bark
associated_figures: []
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
- id: sym:8
label: food offering for spirit or disease
literal_form: pig flesh, roasted pig portions, or food prepared for voyage
associated_figures:
- fig:3
- fig:7
- fig:13
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:6
- ev:13
scenes:
- id: scene:1
label: Timorlaut prao sent away with sickness
summary: A small prao with a man-image and provisions is launched while the people
command sickness to leave; later a pig portion is offered to Dudilaa for village
health.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
- fig:4
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:2
- sym:4
- sym:8
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: scene:2
label: Stranded prao burned
summary: If the Timorlaut prao strands at an inhabited place, people fear the sickness
will break out there and burn the prao because demons flee from fire.
figure_refs:
- fig:2
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: scene:3
label: Buro branch transfer and sea disposal
summary: A provisioned prao is prepared; noise is made to frighten demons; young
men strike people with water-dipped branches, place the branches in the prao,
tow it to sea, address Small-pox, and the people bathe.
figure_refs:
- fig:5
- fig:6
- fig:7
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:2
- sym:5
- sym:8
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:5
- ev:6
- ev:7
- id: scene:4
label: Ceram and Wotyak river disposal of expelling implements
summary: Consecrated branches or sticks used in expelling sickness-demons or devils
are thrown into a river so the current carries them away.
figure_refs:
- fig:8
symbol_refs:
- sym:2
- sym:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: scene:5
label: Amboina cock sent away in prao
summary: A patient's body is rubbed with a live white cock, after which the cock
is placed on a small prao and sent into the waves.
figure_refs:
- fig:9
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:2
- sym:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
- id: scene:6
label: Babar village substances placed in disease bark
summary: A bark intended to carry away village sickness contains ashes from every
kitchen and spittle from sick people.
figure_refs: []
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:7
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
- id: scene:7
label: Tikopia canoe procession and launch
summary: During epidemic cough, a flowered canoe is carried around the island by
chiefs' sons with the population accompanying, then launched on the sea.
figure_refs:
- fig:10
- fig:11
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:12
- id: scene:8
label: Nicobar offerings and demon placed in model boat
summary: When sickness or lack of fish is blamed on spirits, a pig is roasted and
offerings are made; priests, marked with paint and blood, enact catching the disease
demon and force it into a garlanded model boat towed far out to sea.
figure_refs:
- fig:12
- fig:13
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:2
- sym:8
evidence_refs:
- ev:13
candidate_motifs:
- id: motif:1
label: Sending disease away in a vessel
taxonomy_refs:
- ark_vessel
basis: Multiple reported ceremonies place sickness, disease-demons, or their substitutes
into a prao, bark, canoe, or model boat and send it away by sea, tide, or waves.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:4
- ev:5
- ev:6
- ev:9
- ev:10
- ev:12
- ev:13
confidence: high
cautions: The available taxonomy lacks a specific scapegoat or disease-expulsion
category; ark_vessel is an approximate vessel-based motif family reference.
- id: motif:2
label: Transfer of affliction into substitute object or animal
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: The passage describes disease-demons being transferred to branches, represented
by puppets, or associated with a live cock, ashes, and spittle before disposal.
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- ev:9
- ev:10
- ev:11
confidence: high
cautions: No exact supplied taxonomy reference for substitution or scapegoat transfer
is available.
- id: motif:3
label: Ritual offering to secure healing or appease spirits
taxonomy_refs:
- sacrifice
- sacred_exchange
basis: Pig flesh or pig portions are offered to Dudilaa or shades, and food is prepared
for Small-pox's voyage in connection with healing or removal of disease.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:6
- ev:13
confidence: medium
cautions: The passage reports offerings in some but not all described ceremonies.
- id: motif:4
label: Purification or removal by water
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: Disease-bearing vessels, branches, sticks, a cock, and offerings are carried
away by sea, river, waves, current, tide, or a sea launch; Buro participants also
bathe after the rite.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:6
- ev:8
- ev:9
- ev:12
- ev:13
confidence: high
cautions: Water is a supplied symbol reference, but not a supplied motif-family
reference.
- id: motif:5
label: Fire as protection from disease-demons
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: The passage states that a stranded prao is burned because demons fly from
fire.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
confidence: medium
cautions: This motif is supported by a single detail in the passage.
comparison_claims:
- id: claim:1
claim: Frazer presents the East Indian island ceremonies as similar instances of
a repeated practice in which disease is sent away in a vessel.
claim_level: same_function
target: Timorlaut, Buro, Amboina, Babar, Tikopia, and Nicobar vessel rites for disease
removal
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:4
- ev:9
- ev:10
- ev:12
- ev:13
counter_evidence_refs: []
confidence: high
limitations: The passage supports functional comparison, not proof of historical
contact or common origin.
- id: claim:2
claim: Frazer explicitly compares the Ceram disposal of consecrated branches in
a river to the Wotyak disposal of devil-expelling sticks in a river.
claim_level: same_function
target: Ceram branch disposal and Wotyak stick disposal
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
counter_evidence_refs: []
confidence: high
limitations: The comparison is limited to the shared disposal mechanism and expulsion
function as stated in the passage.
- id: claim:3
claim: The passage states that the practice of sending diseases away in boats is
also known beyond the East Indian Archipelago.
claim_level: same_motif
target: East Indian Archipelago vessel rites compared with Tikopia and Nicobar examples
evidence_refs:
- ev:12
- ev:13
counter_evidence_refs: []
confidence: high
limitations: The passage gives examples but does not establish transmission, chronology,
or a full typology.
evidence:
- id: ev:1
type: summary
locator: lines 4349-4355
quote_or_summary: In Timorlaut, a small prao containing a man-image and provisions
is set adrift to mislead sickness-causing demons; people tell sickness to go away.
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 4355-4361
quote_or_summary: Three days later a pig is killed; part is offered to Dudilaa,
who lives in the sun, while an old man asks him to make the village people well.
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 4361-4365
quote_or_summary: If the prao strands at an inhabited place, sickness is expected
there; coastal people burn it because demons fly from fire.
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 4365-4369
quote_or_summary: In Buro, a twenty-foot prao fitted with equipment and provisions
carries disease demons; people beat gongs and drums and rush about to frighten
demons.
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: lines 4369-4374
quote_or_summary: Ten young men strike people with water-dipped branches, put the
branches aboard the prao, and tow the disease-burdened prao out to sea.
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 4374-4378
quote_or_summary: One man tells Grandfather Small-pox to go away to another land
because food has been made ready for the voyage; after landing, all the people
bathe in the sea.
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 4378-4382
quote_or_summary: Frazer explains that striking people with branches is meant to
rid them of disease-demons, which are supposed to transfer to the branches before
removal by prao.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/comparative/project-gutenberg/golden-bough-volume-2-frazer.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:8
type: summary
locator: lines 4382-4388
quote_or_summary: In Ceram, a priest strikes houses with consecrated branches during
sickness and throws them into the river; Frazer compares Wotyaks throwing devil-expelling
sticks into a river.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/comparative/project-gutenberg/golden-bough-volume-2-frazer.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:9
type: summary
locator: lines 4388-4391
quote_or_summary: In Amboina, the patient's body is rubbed with a live white cock,
then the cock is placed on a small prao and committed to the waves.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/comparative/project-gutenberg/golden-bough-volume-2-frazer.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:10
type: summary
locator: lines 4391-4394
quote_or_summary: In the Babar archipelago, a sickness-carrying bark contains one
bowl of ashes from every kitchen and another bowl containing the spittle of all
sick people.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/comparative/project-gutenberg/golden-bough-volume-2-frazer.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:11
type: summary
locator: lines 4394-4396
quote_or_summary: Frazer states that putting puppets in a boat to represent sick
persons and lure demons is not uncommon.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/comparative/project-gutenberg/golden-bough-volume-2-frazer.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:12
type: summary
locator: lines 4397-4404
quote_or_summary: In Tikopia, during an epidemic cough, a flower-adorned canoe is
carried around the island by chiefs' sons with the population accompanying, then
launched on the sea.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/comparative/project-gutenberg/golden-bough-volume-2-frazer.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:13
type: summary
locator: lines 4404-4409
quote_or_summary: In the Nicobar Islands, sickness or lack of fish is blamed on
spirits; after pig offerings, priests marked with paint and blood pretend to catch
the disease demon and force it into a garlanded model boat towed far out to sea.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/comparative/project-gutenberg/golden-bough-volume-2-frazer.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
confidence:
extraction: high
motif_candidates: medium
comparison_claims: high
notes: The passage is itself a comparative synthesis with explicit functional comparisons.
Motif taxonomy mapping is less certain because the supplied taxonomy lacks exact
categories for scapegoat transfer, disease expulsion, or apotropaic rites.
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 limited to the supplied lists.
batch_run_id=motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority
custom_id=motif_extract:comparative-golden-bough-volume-2-frazer-gutenberg__l4349-l4409
passage_sha256=18ca983ee598f8a7411cea6cfc63b31e9cbcb458528d3ef5a83e5c99bde7023d