batch.motif.celtic-irish-heroic-romances-of-ireland-leahy-gutenberg-l6516-l6568
---
record_id: batch.motif.celtic-irish-heroic-romances-of-ireland-leahy-gutenberg-l6516-l6568
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-irish/project-gutenberg/heroic-romances-of-ireland-leahy.md
passage_locator:
label: GENERAL NOTES / THE COURTSHIP OF ETAIN / PAGE 8 / PAGE 9; lines 6516-6568
start: '6516'
end: '6568'
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: 'The passage gives philological notes and a literal rendering of a poem
about Etain. Etain is located at an elf-mound west of Alba, among children near
the Bay of Cichmaine. She is said to have cured a king''s eye from the Well of
Loch da lig and to have been drunk in a draught by the wife of Etar. The poem
foretells war for her: a king will chase birds from Tethba, drown two horses in
a lake, and many wars and destruction of elf-mounds will follow. The notes mark
several words and lines as uncertain.'
language: English
quote_policy: summarized
literal_observations:
- id: obs:1
text: The editor states that some renderings on page 8 are guesses or doubtful,
including words translated as “curvetting and prancing,” “broad forehead,” and
the meaning of port as “bank, harbour,” or possibly only “place.”
category: other
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:2
text: Etain is placed at the elf-mound of the Fair-Haired Women west of Alba, among
little children, on the shore of the Bay of Cichmaine.
category: setting
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:3
text: Etain is said to have cured the eye of a king from the Well of Loch da lig.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:4
text: Etain is said to have been drunk in a heavy draught by the wife of Etar.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:5
text: The poem says that through war for Etain, the king will chase birds from Tethba
and drown his two horses in the lake da Airbrech.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:6
text: The poem predicts abundant wars, war upon many thousands, and destruction
on the elf-mounds in connection with war for Etain and Echaid of Meath.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:7
text: The poem says Etain was hurt in the land, strove to win the king, and became
the woman in comparison with whom men speak of fair women; the editor notes uncertainty
about the translation of the line concerning being hurt and the land.
category: attribute
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:7
- id: obs:8
text: The editor notes that “west of Alba” is literally “behind Alba,” and that
the phrase da Airbrech may mean “of two chariots.”
category: other
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
figures:
- id: fig:1
name_or_label: Etain
description: Named woman who is located at an elf-mound, cures a king's eye, is
drunk in a draught, is associated with war, and is described as a standard of
beauty.
role_refs:
- role:1
- role:2
- role:3
- role:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- ev:4
- ev:5
- ev:6
- id: fig:2
name_or_label: Fair-Haired Women
description: Group associated with the elf-mound west of Alba where Etain is located.
role_refs:
- role:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: fig:3
name_or_label: little children
description: Children described as being with or near Etain at the elf-mound and
shore location.
role_refs:
- role:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: fig:4
name_or_label: the king
description: Royal figure whose eye Etain cured; a king is also said to chase birds
and drown two horses in war for her. The passage does not further identify whether
all references are to the same king.
role_refs:
- role:7
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:4
- id: fig:5
name_or_label: wife of Etar
description: Woman who drank Etain in a heavy draught.
role_refs:
- role:8
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: fig:6
name_or_label: Echaid of Meath
description: Named figure connected with the statement that many wars will occur
through war for Etain on Echaid of Meath.
role_refs:
- role:7
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: fig:7
name_or_label: birds from Tethba
description: Birds that the king will chase in the war for Etain.
role_refs:
- role:9
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: fig:8
name_or_label: two horses
description: Two horses of the king that will be drowned in the lake da Airbrech.
role_refs:
- role:9
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
roles:
- id: role:1
label: central named woman
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: The literal poem repeatedly identifies events with “It is she,” naming Etain
at the beginning and end.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:6
- id: role:2
label: healer
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: Etain is said to have cured the eye of the king from a named well.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: role:3
label: figure consumed in a draught
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: Etain is said to have been drunk in a heavy draught by the wife of Etar.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: role:4
label: cause or focus of war
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: The poem says war occurs for her and predicts many wars connected with her.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:5
- id: role:5
label: locative female group
assigned_to:
- fig:2
basis: The Fair-Haired Women are named as associated with the elf-mound where Etain
is present.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: role:6
label: children accompanying or near Etain
assigned_to:
- fig:3
basis: The poem places Etain among little children.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: role:7
label: royal figure in war context
assigned_to:
- fig:4
- fig:6
basis: A king is healed and later associated with martial actions; Echaid of Meath
is named in relation to abundant wars.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:4
- ev:5
- id: role:8
label: drinker of Etain
assigned_to:
- fig:5
basis: The wife of Etar is the person who drinks Etain in a heavy draught.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: role:9
label: animals affected by royal action
assigned_to:
- fig:7
- fig:8
basis: The birds are chased and the horses are drowned by the king in the predicted
war sequence.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
symbols:
- id: sym:1
label: elf-mound
literal_form: elf-mound of the Fair-Haired Women
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:5
- id: sym:2
label: Bay of Cichmaine
literal_form: shore of the Bay of Cichmaine
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:3
taxonomy_refs:
- water
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: sym:3
label: Well of Loch da lig
literal_form: well used in the cure of the king's eye
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:4
taxonomy_refs:
- water
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: sym:4
label: heavy draught
literal_form: draught in which Etain was drunk
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:5
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: sym:5
label: birds from Tethba
literal_form: birds chased by the king
associated_figures:
- fig:4
- fig:7
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: sym:6
label: lake da Airbrech
literal_form: lake in which the king's two horses will be drowned
associated_figures:
- fig:4
- fig:8
taxonomy_refs:
- water
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:7
- id: sym:7
label: two horses
literal_form: the king's two horses drowned in the lake
associated_figures:
- fig:4
- fig:8
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
scenes:
- id: scene:1
label: Etain at the elf-mound and shore
summary: Etain is described as being at the elf-mound of the Fair-Haired Women west
of Alba, among children, on the shore of the Bay of Cichmaine.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: scene:2
label: Cure from the well
summary: Etain cures the eye of the king from the Well of Loch da lig.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:4
symbol_refs:
- sym:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: scene:3
label: Etain drunk in a draught
summary: Etain is said to have been drunk in a heavy draught by the wife of Etar.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:5
symbol_refs:
- sym:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: scene:4
label: War for Etain and royal losses
summary: Through war for Etain, the king will chase birds from Tethba and drown
his two horses in the lake da Airbrech.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:4
- fig:7
- fig:8
symbol_refs:
- sym:5
- sym:6
- sym:7
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: scene:5
label: Widespread wars and destruction of elf-mounds
summary: The poem foretells many wars, war upon many thousands, and destruction
on the elf-mounds in connection with war for Etain and Echaid of Meath.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:6
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: scene:6
label: Etain as contested and exemplary woman
summary: Etain is described as hurt in the land, as striving to win the king, and
as the woman against whom fair women are compared, though one line is marked uncertain
by the editor.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:4
symbol_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:7
candidate_motifs:
- id: motif:1
label: woman located at an elf-mound
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: Etain is placed at the elf-mound of the Fair-Haired Women west of Alba.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
confidence: high
cautions: The passage does not elaborate the nature of the elf-mound beyond the
literal location.
- id: motif:2
label: healing from a well
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: Etain cures the king's eye from the Well of Loch da lig.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
confidence: high
cautions: The passage gives no ritual details beyond the cure and the well.
- id: motif:3
label: person drunk in a draught
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: Etain is said to have been drunk by the wife of Etar in a heavy draught.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
confidence: medium
cautions: The passage does not explain how Etain came to be in the draught; no transformation
is stated in this excerpt.
- id: motif:4
label: war for a woman or beloved
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: The poem repeatedly links war, the king's actions, and widespread destruction
to war for Etain.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:5
- ev:6
confidence: high
cautions: The passage does not state that Etain is stolen or abducted, only that
there is war for her and that she strove to win the king.
- id: motif:5
label: destruction of supernatural or mound dwellings in war
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: The poem states that destruction shall be on the elf-mounds during the predicted
wars.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
confidence: medium
cautions: The passage does not specify who inhabits the elf-mounds at the time of
destruction, except for the earlier association with the Fair-Haired Women.
comparison_claims: []
evidence:
- id: ev:1
type: summary
locator: lines 6516-6527
quote_or_summary: Philological notes describe several English renderings as guesses
or doubtful, including terms translated as “curvetting,” “prancing,” “broad forehead,”
and the meaning of port.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-irish/project-gutenberg/heroic-romances-of-ireland-leahy.md
rights_note: Public domain source; concise summary used.
- id: ev:2
type: quote
locator: lines 6531-6535
quote_or_summary: "“Etain is here thus / at the elf-mound of the Fair-Haired Women
west of Alba / among little children to her / on the shore of the Bay of Cichmaine.”"
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-irish/project-gutenberg/heroic-romances-of-ireland-leahy.md
rights_note: Public domain source; short excerpt quoted.
- id: ev:3
type: quote
locator: lines 6537-6540
quote_or_summary: "“It is she who cured the eye of the king / from the Well of Loch
da lig, / it is she who was drunk in a draught / by the wife of Etar in a heavy
draught.”"
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-irish/project-gutenberg/heroic-romances-of-ireland-leahy.md
rights_note: Public domain source; short excerpt quoted.
- id: ev:4
type: quote
locator: lines 6542-6545
quote_or_summary: "“Through war for her the king will chase / the birds from Tethba,
/ and will drown his two horses / in the lake da Airbrech.”"
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-irish/project-gutenberg/heroic-romances-of-ireland-leahy.md
rights_note: Public domain source; short excerpt quoted.
- id: ev:5
type: quote
locator: lines 6547-6550
quote_or_summary: "“There shall be abundant and many wars / through the war for
thee on Echaid of Meath, / destruction shall be on the elf-mounds, / and war upon
many thousands.”"
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-irish/project-gutenberg/heroic-romances-of-ireland-leahy.md
rights_note: Public domain source; short excerpt quoted.
- id: ev:6
type: quote
locator: lines 6552-6556
quote_or_summary: "“It is she who was hurt in the land (?), / it is she who strove
to win the king, / it is she as compared to whom men men speak of fair women,
/ it is she, our Etain afterwards.”"
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-irish/project-gutenberg/heroic-romances-of-ireland-leahy.md
rights_note: Public domain source; short excerpt quoted.
- id: ev:7
type: summary
locator: lines 6558-6568
quote_or_summary: Notes state that “West of Alba” is literally “behind Alba,” reject
one alternative rendering of line 14, mark the translation of line 17 as not quite
certain, and note that da Airbrech may mean “of two chariots.”
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-irish/project-gutenberg/heroic-romances-of-ireland-leahy.md
rights_note: Public domain source; concise summary used.
confidence:
extraction: high
motif_candidates: medium
comparison_claims: uncertain
notes: The literal figures, settings, and actions are clearly extractable, but several
terms are explicitly marked uncertain by the editor. No external comparative claims
are made because the passage itself does not establish a specific cross-text comparison.
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 supplied passage and metadata. Taxonomy symbol ref “water” was applied only to explicitly watery forms: bay, well, and lake.
batch_run_id=motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority
custom_id=motif_extract:celtic-irish-heroic-romances-of-ireland-leahy-gutenberg__l6516-l6568
passage_sha256=90d723495e437db864c47521574b682df0de92da38e68e11491e2a8a8acf5f91