batch.motif.celtic-irish-heroic-romances-of-ireland-leahy-gutenberg-l12631-l12734
---
record_id: batch.motif.celtic-irish-heroic-romances-of-ireland-leahy-gutenberg-l12631-l12734
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-irish/project-gutenberg/heroic-romances-of-ireland-leahy.md
passage_locator:
label: THE APPARITION OF THE GREAT QUEEN TO CUCHULAIN / LITERAL TRANSLATION / TEXT
OF LEABHAR NA H-UIDHRI / INTRODUCTION; lines 12631-12734
start: '12631'
end: '12734'
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: An editorial introduction explains that the following pages present the
Leabhar na h-Uidhri text for the conclusion of the Courtship of Etain with interlinear
translation. It describes the passage as containing rhetoric, regular verse, prose,
dialogue, antiquarian material, and descriptive passages, and it discusses several
Irish descriptive styles with examples involving Mider, Eochaid, Cuchulain, horses,
goblins, and supernatural description.
language: English
quote_policy: summarized
literal_observations:
- id: obs:1
text: The passage introduces a text from Leabhar na h-Uidhri corresponding to the
end of the tale of the Courtship of Etain.
category: setting
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:2
text: The editor states that the passage contains rhetoric, regular verse, and prose,
including narrative, rapid dialogue, antiquarian insertion, and two descriptive
passages.
category: attribute
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:3
text: One descriptive style is exemplified by the description of Mider's appearance
and is characterized as a succession of images in short sentences.
category: attribute
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:4
text: Another descriptive style is exemplified by the description of the horses
that Mider offers to Eochaid and is characterized as a series of epithets or substantives.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:5
text: A third descriptive style, said not to appear in the prose of the romances
in this collection, is said to be often used for descriptions of the supernatural.
category: attribute
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:6
text: The editor names passages describing Cuchulain's distortions as examples of
the third descriptive style.
category: attribute
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:7
text: The editor states that the description of goblins met by Cuchulain is clear
and is not to be classed with the third descriptive style.
category: relationship
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: obs:8
text: The regular verse in the extract is described as having description as a prominent
feature.
category: attribute
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
figures:
- id: fig:1
name_or_label: Etain
description: Named in the title of the tale, the Courtship of Etain, whose conclusion
is introduced in this passage.
role_refs:
- role:1
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: fig:2
name_or_label: Mider
description: A named figure whose appearance is described elsewhere in the text
and who is said to offer horses to Eochaid.
role_refs:
- role:2
- role:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:4
- id: fig:3
name_or_label: Eochaid
description: A named figure to whom Mider offers horses.
role_refs:
- role:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: fig:4
name_or_label: Cuchulain
description: A named figure associated with passages describing his distortions
and with a clear description of goblins met by him.
role_refs:
- role:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:6
- id: fig:5
name_or_label: goblins
description: Beings met by Cuchulain in a description mentioned by the editor.
role_refs:
- role:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
roles:
- id: role:1
label: title figure in referenced tale
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: Etain is named in the tale title whose conclusion the introduced text gives.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: role:2
label: described figure
assigned_to:
- fig:2
basis: Mider's appearance is given as the example of one descriptive style.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: role:3
label: offerer of horses
assigned_to:
- fig:2
basis: The passage refers to the horses that Mider offers to Eochaid.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: role:4
label: recipient of offered horses
assigned_to:
- fig:3
basis: Eochaid is named as the recipient of horses offered by Mider.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: role:5
label: figure associated with distortions and goblin encounter
assigned_to:
- fig:4
basis: Cuchulain is named in connection with distortions and with goblins met by
him.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:6
- id: role:6
label: encountered beings
assigned_to:
- fig:5
basis: The goblins are described as being met by Cuchulain.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
symbols:
- id: sym:1
label: horses offered by Mider
literal_form: horses
associated_figures:
- fig:2
- fig:3
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: sym:2
label: Cuchulain's distortions
literal_form: distortions
associated_figures:
- fig:4
taxonomy_refs:
- shapeshifter
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: sym:3
label: goblins met by Cuchulain
literal_form: goblins
associated_figures:
- fig:4
- fig:5
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
scenes:
- id: scene:1
label: Introduction of the Leabhar na h-Uidhri Courtship of Etain text
summary: The editor introduces the manuscript source and explains that the following
text gives the conclusion of the Courtship of Etain with interlinear translation.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
symbol_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: scene:2
label: Mider's appearance as descriptive example
summary: The editor cites the description of Mider's appearance as an example of
a style built from short, image-like sentences.
figure_refs:
- fig:2
symbol_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: scene:3
label: Mider offers horses to Eochaid
summary: The editor cites the horses offered by Mider to Eochaid as an example of
a descriptive style made from epithets or substantives.
figure_refs:
- fig:2
- fig:3
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: scene:4
label: Cuchulain's supernatural distortions
summary: The editor refers to descriptions of Cuchulain's distortions as examples
of a style often used for supernatural description.
figure_refs:
- fig:4
symbol_refs:
- sym:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: scene:5
label: Cuchulain meets goblins
summary: The editor refers to the description of goblins met by Cuchulain and classifies
the description as clear rather than vague.
figure_refs:
- fig:4
- fig:5
symbol_refs:
- sym:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
candidate_motifs:
- id: motif:1
label: supernatural distortion or transformation of a hero figure
taxonomy_refs:
- shapeshifter
basis: The passage says that passages describing Cuchulain's distortions belong
to a style often used for supernatural description.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
confidence: low
cautions: The passage is an editorial discussion of style, not the narrative description
itself; it does not give the details or cause of the distortions.
- id: motif:2
label: offer of remarkable horses between named figures
taxonomy_refs:
- sacred_exchange
basis: The passage mentions the horses that Mider offers to Eochaid as a descriptive
example.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
confidence: low
cautions: The passage only states that horses are offered; it does not describe
a completed exchange, ritual value, or sacred status.
comparison_claims:
- id: claim:1
claim: The passage compares descriptive styles across several Irish romances and
treats descriptions of supernatural material as a recurring stylistic pattern
in nearby corpus traditions.
claim_level: same_function
target: Irish romance descriptions of supernatural figures or events, including
Bruidne da Derga, Bricriu's Feast, the Great Tain, and the Sick-bed
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
counter_evidence_refs:
- ev:6
confidence: medium
limitations: This is a comparison of literary description rather than a direct claim
of shared narrative motif or historical contact.
- id: claim:2
claim: The passage distinguishes the clear goblin description in the Tain bo Regamna
from the vaguer third style used for some supernatural descriptions.
claim_level: same_function
target: Descriptions of supernatural beings in Irish romance prose
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
counter_evidence_refs:
- ev:5
confidence: medium
limitations: The claim concerns descriptive form and clarity, not the origin or
identity of the goblin motif.
evidence:
- id: ev:1
type: summary
locator: lines 12631-12645
quote_or_summary: The passage states that the following pages give the Leabhar na
h-Uidhri text for the conclusion of the Courtship of Etain, with interlinear word-for-word
translation.
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: lines 12661-12670
quote_or_summary: The editor says the passage contains rhetoric, regular verse,
and prose, including narrative, rapid dialogue, an antiquarian insertion, and
two descriptive passages.
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: lines 12678-12685
quote_or_summary: The first descriptive style is exemplified by Mider's appearance
and consists of successive images in short sentences, producing a clear word-picture.
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: lines 12685-12696
quote_or_summary: The second descriptive style is exemplified by the horses that
Mider offers to Eochaid and consists of series of epithets or substantives.
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: summary
locator: lines 12699-12714
quote_or_summary: The editor describes a third style often used for supernatural
description, names Bruidne da Derga, Bricriu's Feast, and the Great Tain, and
says such passages include descriptions of Cuchulain's distortions.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-irish/project-gutenberg/heroic-romances-of-ireland-leahy.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:6
type: summary
locator: lines 12714-12723
quote_or_summary: The editor says the Tain bo Regamna has a clear description of
goblins met by Cuchulain and should not be regarded as belonging to the third
form.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-irish/project-gutenberg/heroic-romances-of-ireland-leahy.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:7
type: summary
locator: lines 12729-12734
quote_or_summary: The editor states that the regular verse in the extract gives
a fair idea of the form, and that description is common and prominent in it.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-irish/project-gutenberg/heroic-romances-of-ireland-leahy.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
confidence:
extraction: medium
motif_candidates: low
comparison_claims: medium
notes: The passage is primarily an editorial and stylistic introduction, so motif
extraction is limited and many items are referenced rather than narrated.
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 unsupported taxonomy IDs were added beyond the supplied list. Symbol and motif assignments are cautious because the passage summarizes or references narrative material rather than presenting it directly.
batch_run_id=motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority
custom_id=motif_extract:celtic-irish-heroic-romances-of-ireland-leahy-gutenberg__l12631-l12734
passage_sha256=93a86fe5962810ad64b53c94f8bcc032609076410f3ac5a7629d1130e1b0f62e