batch.motif.celtic-irish-heroic-romances-of-ireland-leahy-gutenberg-l9989-l10093
---
record_id: batch.motif.celtic-irish-heroic-romances-of-ireland-leahy-gutenberg-l9989-l10093
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-irish/project-gutenberg/heroic-romances-of-ireland-leahy.md
passage_locator:
label: THE RAID FOR THE CATTLE OF FRAECH / TAIN BO FRAICH / Part I / LITERAL TRANSLATION;
lines 9989-10093
start: '9989'
end: '10093'
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: Fraech seeks private speech with Find-abair, who refuses elopement but
gives him a ring as a token. Ailill demands an extensive dowry and military aid
before granting his daughter. After discovering the ring, Ailill throws it into
the river and sends Fraech into the water for rowan berries. A serpent attacks
Fraech; Find-abair brings him a sword despite her father’s spear-cast, and Fraech
kills the monster. The passage ends with an explanation of the place-name Dub-lind
Fraech.
language: English
quote_policy: summarized
literal_observations:
- id: obs:1
text: Fraech goes to the stream at the end of night and finds the daughter and her
maid washing there.
category: setting
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:2
text: Fraech takes the daughter’s hand and says he has come for her.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:3
text: The daughter refuses to elope because she is the daughter of a king and queen,
but says she loves Fraech and chooses to go to him if obtained from her family.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:4
text: The daughter gives Fraech a ring as a token between them and says her mother
had given it to her to keep.
category: object
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:5
text: Ailill fears that the daughter may elope with Fraech and discusses the matter
with Medb.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:6
text: Ailill says the daughter may be given if Fraech provides a named dowry including
black-grey steeds with gold bits, milch cows with calves, and aid in bringing
the cows from Cualnge.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:7
text: Fraech swears by his shield, sword, and accoutrement that he would not give
such a dowry, even for Medb.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:8
text: Ailill and Medb plan a way to kill Fraech while avoiding a breach of hospitality.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:9
text: At the river, Ailill asks Fraech to enter the flood so they may see his swimming;
Fraech strips, enters the water, and leaves his girdle above.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: obs:10
text: Ailill opens Fraech’s purse, recognizes the ring with Medb, and throws it
into the river.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: obs:11
text: A salmon catches the ring in its mouth, and Fraech catches the salmon and
brings it to a hidden place by the riverbank.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: obs:12
text: Ailill commands Fraech to bring a branch of the rowan-tree with beautiful
berries from the brink of the river.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
- id: obs:13
text: Find-abair admires Fraech’s beauty as he crosses the black pool with the red-berried
branch near his white face.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
- id: obs:14
text: When Fraech returns for more berries, a serpent catches him out of the water.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:11
- id: obs:15
text: Fraech asks for a sword, but no man on land dares give it to him because of
fear of Ailill and Medb.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:11
- id: obs:16
text: Find-abair strips, leaps into the water with the sword, and leaves it in Fraech’s
hand.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:12
- ev:13
- id: obs:17
text: Ailill throws a five-pronged spear at Find-abair; Fraech catches it and casts
it back so that it passes through Ailill’s clothing.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:12
- id: obs:18
text: Fraech cuts off the monster’s head with the sword and brings the monster to
land.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:13
- id: obs:19
text: The passage states that Dub-lind Fraech in Brei is named from this event.
category: other
evidence_refs:
- ev:13
figures:
- id: fig:1
name_or_label: Fraech
description: Suitor of Find-abair; enters the river, retrieves the salmon, brings
rowan branches, is attacked by the serpent, and kills the monster.
role_refs:
- role:1
- role:2
- role:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:4
- ev:8
- ev:9
- ev:11
- ev:13
- id: fig:2
name_or_label: Find-abair / the daughter
description: Daughter of a king and queen; beloved of Fraech; gives him a ring-token
and later brings him a sword in the water.
role_refs:
- role:4
- role:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:10
- ev:12
- ev:13
- id: fig:3
name_or_label: Ailill
description: Father of Find-abair; negotiates the dowry, discovers and throws away
the ring, commands Fraech to swim and gather rowan, and casts a spear at Find-abair.
role_refs:
- role:6
- role:7
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:4
- ev:6
- ev:7
- ev:9
- ev:12
- id: fig:4
name_or_label: Medb
description: Queen associated with Ailill; recognizes the ring and discusses the
plan against Fraech while noting the danger to hospitality.
role_refs:
- role:8
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:7
- id: fig:5
name_or_label: maid
description: The daughter’s maid accompanies her to the stream for washing.
role_refs:
- role:9
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: fig:6
name_or_label: salmon
description: A salmon leaps to the ring thrown into the river and catches it in
its mouth.
role_refs:
- role:10
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: fig:7
name_or_label: serpent / monster
description: Aquatic being that catches Fraech in the water and is later beheaded
by him.
role_refs:
- role:11
evidence_refs:
- ev:11
- ev:13
- id: fig:8
name_or_label: youths about Ailill
description: Youths near Ailill rise to him after Fraech casts the spear back toward
land.
role_refs:
- role:12
evidence_refs:
- ev:13
roles:
- id: role:1
label: suitor
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: Fraech says he has come for the daughter and asks whether she would elope
with him.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: role:2
label: swimmer
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: Ailill calls Fraech good in water and asks him to enter the flood to show
his swimming.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: role:3
label: monster-slayer
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: Fraech cuts off the monster’s head and brings the monster to land.
evidence_refs:
- ev:13
- id: role:4
label: beloved daughter
assigned_to:
- fig:2
basis: Find-abair says Fraech is the one she has loved, while also identifying herself
as a king’s and queen’s daughter.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: role:5
label: weapon-bringer
assigned_to:
- fig:2
basis: Find-abair leaps into the water with a sword and leaves it in Fraech’s hand.
evidence_refs:
- ev:12
- ev:13
- id: role:6
label: father and marriage negotiator
assigned_to:
- fig:3
basis: Ailill answers Fraech’s request for the daughter by naming the required dowry
and conditions.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: role:7
label: hostile plotter
assigned_to:
- fig:3
basis: Ailill plans to slay Fraech and later engineers the river episode.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:6
- ev:9
- id: role:8
label: queen and co-plotter
assigned_to:
- fig:4
basis: Medb joins Ailill’s conversations, recognizes the ring, and comments on hospitality
in the plan against Fraech.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:7
- id: role:9
label: attendant
assigned_to:
- fig:5
basis: The maid accompanies the daughter to the stream for washing.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: role:10
label: ring-catching animal
assigned_to:
- fig:6
basis: The salmon catches the thrown ring in its mouth.
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: role:11
label: aquatic attacker
assigned_to:
- fig:7
basis: The serpent catches Fraech out of the water.
evidence_refs:
- ev:11
- id: role:12
label: retainers
assigned_to:
- fig:8
basis: The youths are described as being about Ailill and rising to him.
evidence_refs:
- ev:13
symbols:
- id: sym:1
label: ring-token
literal_form: ring given by Find-abair to Fraech as a token between them
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
- fig:4
- fig:6
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:7
- ev:8
- id: sym:2
label: river / flood / black pool
literal_form: river or flood in which Fraech swims and is attacked
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
- fig:7
taxonomy_refs:
- water
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:10
- ev:11
- ev:12
- id: sym:3
label: rowan-tree branch with red berries
literal_form: branch from a rowan-tree on the brink of the river, bearing red berries
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
taxonomy_refs:
- tree
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
- ev:10
- id: sym:4
label: serpent / monster
literal_form: serpent or monster in the water that attacks Fraech
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:7
taxonomy_refs:
- serpent
evidence_refs:
- ev:11
- ev:13
- id: sym:5
label: sword
literal_form: sword brought by Find-abair into the water and used by Fraech to behead
the monster
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:7
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:11
- ev:12
- ev:13
- id: sym:6
label: five-pronged spear
literal_form: five-pronged spear cast by Ailill at Find-abair and caught by Fraech
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:12
- id: sym:7
label: dowry cattle and milk
literal_form: twelve milch cows, milked liquor of milk, and calves demanded as part
of the dowry
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:3
taxonomy_refs:
- milk
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: sym:8
label: salmon
literal_form: salmon that catches the ring in its mouth
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:6
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
scenes:
- id: scene:1
label: Secret meeting at the stream
summary: Fraech meets the daughter at the stream, asks for conversation and elopement,
and receives a ring-token instead of immediate flight.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:5
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: scene:2
label: Dowry negotiation and hostile counsel
summary: Ailill fears elopement, names a large dowry and military obligation, and
then discusses killing Fraech while avoiding a breach of hospitality.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:3
- fig:4
symbol_refs:
- sym:7
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:4
- ev:5
- id: scene:3
label: Ring discovered and cast into the river
summary: At the river, Ailill induces Fraech to swim, searches his purse, recognizes
Find-abair’s ring with Medb, and throws it into the river; a salmon catches it
and Fraech retrieves the salmon.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:3
- fig:4
- fig:6
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:2
- sym:8
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:7
- ev:8
- id: scene:4
label: Rowan branch display
summary: Ailill orders Fraech to bring a rowan branch from the riverbank; Find-abair
admires Fraech’s appearance as he crosses the black pool with the red berries.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
symbol_refs:
- sym:2
- sym:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
- ev:10
- id: scene:5
label: Serpent attack and rescue with sword
summary: A serpent seizes Fraech in the water; Find-abair brings him a sword despite
Ailill’s spear-cast, and Fraech beheads the monster and brings it to land.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
- fig:7
- fig:8
symbol_refs:
- sym:2
- sym:4
- sym:5
- sym:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:11
- ev:12
- ev:13
- id: scene:6
label: Place-name explanation
summary: The event is connected with the name Dub-lind Fraech in Brei in Connaught.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:7
symbol_refs:
- sym:2
- sym:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:13
candidate_motifs:
- id: motif:1
label: Beloved gives token to suitor
taxonomy_refs:
- sacred_exchange
basis: Find-abair gives Fraech a ring to serve as a token between them after refusing
elopement.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
confidence: medium
cautions: The passage presents the ring as a personal token; any wider sacred-exchange
reading requires comparison beyond the passage.
- id: motif:2
label: Bride obtained through demanded wealth and aid
taxonomy_refs:
- sacred_marriage
basis: Ailill conditions the giving of his daughter on a large dowry and Fraech’s
armed support in the cattle raid.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
confidence: low
cautions: The scene is a political marriage negotiation, but the passage does not
explicitly mark the marriage as sacred.
- id: motif:3
label: Hostile test in dangerous water
taxonomy_refs:
- initiation
basis: Ailill lures Fraech into the river under the pretext of seeing his swimming
and repeatedly sends him for rowan berries before the serpent attack.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:9
- ev:11
confidence: medium
cautions: The trial is framed as hostile plotting rather than a formal initiation.
- id: motif:4
label: Hero attacked by aquatic serpent or monster
taxonomy_refs:
- serpent
basis: A serpent catches Fraech in the water; after receiving a sword, Fraech cuts
off the monster’s head.
evidence_refs:
- ev:11
- ev:13
confidence: high
cautions: The passage alternates between the terms serpent and monster; no further
cosmological meaning is stated.
- id: motif:5
label: Beloved supplies weapon for hero’s rescue
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: Find-abair enters the water with the sword when men on land will not help
Fraech, enabling him to kill the monster.
evidence_refs:
- ev:11
- ev:12
- ev:13
confidence: high
cautions: No supplied taxonomy family directly matches this action.
- id: motif:6
label: Place-name derived from heroic monster episode
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: After Fraech kills and lands the monster, the passage states that Dub-lind
Fraech in Brei is named from it.
evidence_refs:
- ev:13
confidence: high
cautions: No available taxonomy reference for etiological place-name motifs was
supplied.
comparison_claims: []
evidence:
- id: ev:1
type: summary
locator: '9989-10093: stream meeting opening'
quote_or_summary: Fraech goes to the stream at the end of night for washing; the
daughter and her maid are there; he takes the daughter’s hand and says he has
come for her.
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: '9989-10093: ring-token exchange'
quote_or_summary: The daughter refuses elopement, says she loves Fraech, and gives
him a ring as a token, saying her mother had given it to her to keep.
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: '9989-10093: Ailill fears elopement'
quote_or_summary: Ailill says he fears the daughter’s elopement with Fraech, though
she would be given to him if Fraech pledged to aid them with his cattle.
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: '9989-10093: dowry demand'
quote_or_summary: 'Ailill says the daughter will be given if Fraech provides the
named dowry: sixty black-grey steeds with gold bits, twelve milch cows with calves,
and military and musical support in bringing the cows from Cualgne; Fraech refuses
by oath.'
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: '9989-10093: plan against Fraech'
quote_or_summary: Ailill and Medb discuss the danger if Fraech carries off the daughter;
Ailill proposes to pursue and slay him, while Medb calls it a pity and a decay
of hospitality.
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: '9989-10093: swimming invitation'
quote_or_summary: Ailill suggests they go to the river to bathe and asks Fraech
to enter the flood to show his swimming; Fraech strips and leaves his girdle above.
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: '9989-10093: ring found and thrown'
quote_or_summary: Ailill opens Fraech’s purse, finds the ring, has Medb recognize
it, and throws it into the river.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-irish/project-gutenberg/heroic-romances-of-ireland-leahy.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:8
type: summary
locator: '9989-10093: salmon catches ring'
quote_or_summary: Fraech sees a salmon leap to the thrown object and catch it in
its mouth; he catches the salmon and brings it to a hidden spot on the riverbank.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-irish/project-gutenberg/heroic-romances-of-ireland-leahy.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:9
type: summary
locator: '9989-10093: first rowan branch'
quote_or_summary: Ailill tells Fraech not to come out until he brings a branch of
the rowan-tree on the riverbank; Fraech breaks a branch and carries it over the
water.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-irish/project-gutenberg/heroic-romances-of-ireland-leahy.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:10
type: summary
locator: '9989-10093: Find-abair admires Fraech'
quote_or_summary: Find-abair remarks on Fraech’s beauty as he crosses the black
pool with the red-berried branch by his white face, and says she has not seen
his equal for beauty.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-irish/project-gutenberg/heroic-romances-of-ireland-leahy.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:11
type: summary
locator: '9989-10093: serpent attack'
quote_or_summary: After Ailill asks for more berries, Fraech goes into the middle
of the water and a serpent catches him; he asks for a sword, but no man dares
give it because of fear of Ailill and Medb.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-irish/project-gutenberg/heroic-romances-of-ireland-leahy.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:12
type: summary
locator: '9989-10093: Find-abair brings sword and spear is cast'
quote_or_summary: Find-abair strips and leaps into the water with the sword; Ailill
casts a five-pronged spear at her, it passes through her tresses, and Fraech catches
it and casts it back toward 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:13
type: summary
locator: '9989-10093: monster slain and place-name'
quote_or_summary: Find-abair leaves the sword in Fraech’s hand; he cuts off the
monster’s head, brings it to land, and the passage derives the name Dub-lind Fraech
in Brei from the event.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-irish/project-gutenberg/heroic-romances-of-ireland-leahy.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
confidence:
extraction: high
motif_candidates: medium
comparison_claims: uncertain
notes: Literal extraction is strongly supported by the supplied passage. Motif labels
involving supplied taxonomy are cautious because the passage does not explicitly
interpret the events beyond courtship, plotting, monster combat, and place-name
etiology. No comparison claims were made.
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. Footnote material was not treated as narrative evidence except where it clarified wording already present in the passage.
batch_run_id=motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority
custom_id=motif_extract:celtic-irish-heroic-romances-of-ireland-leahy-gutenberg__l9989-l10093
passage_sha256=e6e2fb9be1f3a4ca3a06a41cf5934efd14360c2ff36e0d4162198f7afe6468ad