batch.motif.celtic-irish-heroic-romances-of-ireland-leahy-gutenberg-l11964-l11985
---
record_id: batch.motif.celtic-irish-heroic-romances-of-ireland-leahy-gutenberg-l11964-l11985
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-irish/project-gutenberg/heroic-romances-of-ireland-leahy.md
passage_locator:
label: LITERAL TRANSLATION / THE DRIVING OF THE CATTLE OF FLIDAIS / INTRODUCTION
/ THE DRIVING OF THE CATTLE OF FLIDAIS; lines 11964-11985
start: '11964'
end: '11985'
translation: Heroic Romances of Ireland
notes: Generated from OpenAI Batch run motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority;
human review required.
canonical_text:
quote: ''
summary: 'After the raid, Fergus lives with Flidais and holds lordship in part of
Ulster, ruling in Mag I Murthemne and land formerly ruled by Cuchulain. Flidais
later dies by the shore of Bali, after which Fergus''s household worsens because
his needs had been met from her wealth and bounty. Fergus then goes to Connaught
and Croghan, where cattle are promised, but the journey becomes deadly: he is
slain in the west by jealous Ailill. The passage closes by saying Flidais''s tale
is ended and Cualgne''s Raid now comes.'
language: English
quote_policy: summarized
literal_observations:
- id: obs:1
text: Fergus dwells with Flidais after the raid and holds a part in lordship over
Ulster.
category: relationship
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:2
text: Fergus rules in Mag I Murthemne and wins the land once ruled by Cuchulain,
son of Sualtam.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:3
text: Flidais dies by the shore of Bali.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:4
text: After Flidais's death, Fergus's household becomes worse because his requirements
had come from her wealth and bounty.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:5
text: After his wife is dead, Fergus goes to Connaught and later to Croghan.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:6
text: Cattle are promised to Fergus, and he intends to bring them home.
category: object
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:7
text: The quest to Croghan is called deadly, and Fergus finds death in the west.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:8
text: Fergus is slain by jealous Ailill.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:9
text: The passage says Flidais's tale is ended and Cualgne's Raid now comes.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
figures:
- id: fig:1
name_or_label: Fergus
description: A man who dwells with Flidais, holds lordship, rules lands, later goes
to Connaught and Croghan, and is slain by Ailill.
role_refs:
- role:1
- role:2
- role:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:3
- ev:4
- id: fig:2
name_or_label: Flidais
description: Fergus's wife and source of wealth and bounty; she dies by the shore
of Bali.
role_refs:
- role:4
- role:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- id: fig:3
name_or_label: Cuchulain, Sualtam's son
description: Former ruler of land later won by Fergus.
role_refs:
- role:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: fig:4
name_or_label: Maev
description: A person with whom Fergus stays in Connaught for a while.
role_refs:
- role:7
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: fig:5
name_or_label: Ailill
description: A person with whom Fergus stays in Connaught and who later slays Fergus
out of jealousy.
role_refs:
- role:7
- role:8
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:4
roles:
- id: role:1
label: lord and ruler
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: Fergus holds a part in lordship over Ulster and rules in Mag I Murthemne.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: role:2
label: traveler on a deadly quest
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: Fergus goes to Connaught and Croghan, and the quest is described as deadly.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:4
- id: role:3
label: slain man
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: The passage says Fergus was slain and laid low.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: role:4
label: wife
assigned_to:
- fig:2
basis: The passage refers to Fergus's wife being dead in the context of Flidais's
prior death.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- id: role:5
label: benefactor through wealth and bounty
assigned_to:
- fig:2
basis: Fergus's desired goods came from Flidais's wealth and bounty.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: role:6
label: former ruler
assigned_to:
- fig:3
basis: Cuchulain is named as the earlier ruler of land Fergus wins.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: role:7
label: Connaught host or companion
assigned_to:
- fig:4
- fig:5
basis: Fergus stays for a while with Maev and Ailill in Connaught.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: role:8
label: jealous slayer
assigned_to:
- fig:5
basis: Ailill is named as the jealous killer of Fergus.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
symbols:
- id: sym:1
label: cattle promised for homeward taking
literal_form: kine/cattle
associated_figures:
- fig:1
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: sym:2
label: wealth and bounty sustaining Fergus
literal_form: Flidais's wealth and bounty
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: sym:3
label: shore of Bali as place of Flidais's death
literal_form: shore of Bali
associated_figures:
- fig:2
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: sym:4
label: west as place of Fergus's death
literal_form: the west
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:5
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
scenes:
- id: scene:1
label: Fergus's lordship after the raid
summary: After the raid, Fergus dwells with Flidais and holds lordship in part of
Ulster, ruling Mag I Murthemne and land formerly ruled by Cuchulain.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
symbol_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: scene:2
label: Death of Flidais and decline of Fergus's household
summary: Flidais dies by the shore of Bali; afterward Fergus's household worsens
because her wealth and bounty had supplied what he desired.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
symbol_refs:
- sym:2
- sym:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: scene:3
label: Fergus's journey to Connaught and Croghan
summary: After his wife's death, Fergus goes to Connaught, stays with Maev and Ailill,
hears conversation, and is promised cattle to bring home.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:4
- fig:5
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: scene:4
label: Fergus slain in the west
summary: The quest to Croghan is described as deadly; Fergus is slain in the west
by jealous Ailill.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:5
symbol_refs:
- sym:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: scene:5
label: Transition to Cualgne's Raid
summary: The passage closes by ending Flidais's tale and announcing Cualgne's Raid.
figure_refs: []
symbol_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
candidate_motifs:
- id: motif:1
label: Loss of sustaining wife and benefactor brings decline
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: After Flidais dies, Fergus's household worsens because her wealth and bounty
had supplied his needs.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
confidence: medium
cautions: The passage states material and household decline, but does not elaborate
a broader mythic pattern.
- id: motif:2
label: Deadly journey after bereavement
taxonomy_refs:
- departure
basis: After his wife dies, Fergus departs for Connaught and Croghan; the quest
is called deadly and ends in his death.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:4
confidence: medium
cautions: The taxonomy link to departure is limited to the literal act of going;
no full departure-return cycle is present.
- id: motif:3
label: Promised cattle connected with a fatal expedition
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: Cattle are promised to Fergus, and the journey to Croghan where he goes is
described as a deadly quest.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:4
confidence: medium
cautions: The passage does not specify who promises the cattle or whether the cattle
directly cause the death.
- id: motif:4
label: Jealous slaying of a companion or guest
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: Fergus stays with Maev and Ailill, then is slain by jealous Ailill.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:4
confidence: high
cautions: The nature of Ailill's jealousy is not explained in this passage.
- id: motif:5
label: Transfer or acquisition of rulership over former heroic land
taxonomy_refs:
- royal_legitimacy
basis: Fergus holds lordship and rules land formerly ruled by Cuchulain.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
confidence: low
cautions: The passage reports the acquisition of rule but gives no ritual, genealogical,
or divine legitimation.
comparison_claims:
- id: claim:1
claim: The passage explicitly links the close of Flidais's tale to the beginning
of Cualgne's Raid as a narrative transition within the corpus.
claim_level: same_function
target: Cualgne's Raid
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
counter_evidence_refs: []
confidence: high
limitations: This is a textual sequencing claim only; it does not establish a shared
motif beyond the passage's explicit transition.
evidence:
- id: ev:1
type: summary
locator: 11964-11968
quote_or_summary: Fergus dwells with Flidais after the raid, holds part of Ulster's
lordship, rules in Mag I Murthemne, and wins land once ruled by Cuchulain, son
of Sualtam.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-irish/project-gutenberg/heroic-romances-of-ireland-leahy.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:2
type: summary
locator: 11969-11972
quote_or_summary: Flidais dies by the shore of Bali; after her death Fergus's household
fares worse because his needs had come from her wealth and bounty.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-irish/project-gutenberg/heroic-romances-of-ireland-leahy.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:3
type: summary
locator: 11974-11980
quote_or_summary: After his wife's death, Fergus goes to Connaught, stays with Maev
and Ailill, hears conversation, is promised cattle, and plans to bring them home.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-irish/project-gutenberg/heroic-romances-of-ireland-leahy.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:4
type: summary
locator: 11981-11983
quote_or_summary: Fergus goes to Croghan on a deadly quest, finds death in the west,
and is slain by jealous Ailill.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-irish/project-gutenberg/heroic-romances-of-ireland-leahy.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:5
type: quote
locator: 11984-11985
quote_or_summary: "“Flidais' tale is ended: now comes Cualgne's Raid!”"
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-irish/project-gutenberg/heroic-romances-of-ireland-leahy.md
rights_note: Public domain source; short quotation.
- id: ev:6
type: note
locator: FN#92
quote_or_summary: The footnote gives the pronunciation of Mag I Murthemne as “Maw
Moortemmy.”
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-irish/project-gutenberg/heroic-romances-of-ireland-leahy.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized note.
confidence:
extraction: high
motif_candidates: medium
comparison_claims: medium
notes: Literal extraction is straightforward. Motif labels are cautious because
the passage is a brief transitional conclusion and does not elaborate symbolic
or comparative context.
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 taxonomy symbol references were assigned because the available symbol list does not directly include cattle, shore, west, wealth, or bounty.
batch_run_id=motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority
custom_id=motif_extract:celtic-irish-heroic-romances-of-ireland-leahy-gutenberg__l11964-l11985
passage_sha256=5e1a8d291b466d553d86346285cbc94cb0a31afb1491cc25a9c5b136043b5593