batch.motif.japanese-fairy-tales-ozaki-gutenberg-l1834-l1943
---
record_id: batch.motif.japanese-fairy-tales-ozaki-gutenberg-l1834-l1943
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/japanese/project-gutenberg/japanese-fairy-tales-ozaki.md
passage_locator:
label: THE TONGUE-CUT SPARROW / THE STORY OF URASHIMA TARO, THE FISHER LAD / THE
FARMER AND THE BADGER / THE ADVENTURES OF KINTARO, THE GOLDEN BOY; lines 1834-1943
start: '1834'
end: '1943'
translation: Japanese Fairy Tales
notes: Generated from OpenAI Batch run motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority;
human review required.
canonical_text:
quote: ''
summary: A disguised general recognizes Kintaro’s extraordinary strength, reveals
his mission to recruit strong boys for Lord Minamoto-no-Raiko, and takes Kintaro
from his mountain home to the Capital. Kintaro becomes Raiko’s vassal, later leads
the Four Braves, kills a cannibal monster, becomes a celebrated hero, and provides
a home for his mother.
language: English
quote_policy: summarized
literal_observations:
- id: obs:1
text: The disguised woodcutter says he saw Kintaro pull up a large tree to make
a bridge across a torrent and predicts he will become the strongest man in Japan.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:2
text: Kintaro’s mother says she hid him in an unknown part of the country because
his great infant strength caused him to hurt people who came near him.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:3
text: The supposed woodcutter reveals that he is Sadamitsu, a general and vassal
of Lord Minamoto-no-Raiko, and says he has been searching for unusually strong
boys by using a disguise.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:4
text: Sadamitsu offers to take Kintaro and present him to Lord Raiko as a candidate
for service.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:5
text: Kintaro’s mother entrusts him to Sadamitsu, and Kintaro rejoices that he will
go with the general and one day become a samurai.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:6
text: Kintaro leaves for the Capital, while his mother hides her grief and Kintaro
promises to remember her and care for her when he becomes a knight.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:7
text: The bear, deer, monkey, and hare, described as animals Kintaro had tamed to
serve him, accompany him to the foot of the mountain and watch him depart from
a tree.
category: relationship
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: obs:8
text: Lord Minamoto-no-Raiko hears Sadamitsu’s account, is pleased, and makes Kintaro
one of his vassals.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: obs:9
text: After Kintaro grows up, Raiko makes him Chief of the Four Braves, and he is
described as the strongest of them all.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: obs:10
text: Kintaro is ordered to rescue people from a cannibal monster, kills it in its
den, and carries its head back to his master.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- ev:9
- id: obs:11
text: Kintaro becomes the greatest hero of his country and later builds a comfortable
home for his mother in the Capital.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
figures:
- id: fig:1
name_or_label: Kintaro
description: A very strong child from the wild mountains who is taken to the Capital,
becomes Lord Raiko’s vassal, later leads the Four Braves, kills a cannibal monster,
and becomes a great hero.
role_refs:
- role:1
- role:7
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:4
- ev:7
- ev:8
- ev:9
- ev:10
- id: fig:2
name_or_label: Kintaro’s mother / Yama-uba
description: Kintaro’s mother, who hid him because of his strength, entrusts him
to Sadamitsu, grieves at their parting, and later lives with him in the Capital.
role_refs:
- role:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:4
- ev:5
- ev:10
- id: fig:3
name_or_label: Sadamitsu
description: A great general of Japan, vassal of Lord Minamoto-no-Raiko, who disguises
himself as a woodcutter while searching for strong boys and takes Kintaro to his
lord.
role_refs:
- role:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:7
- id: fig:4
name_or_label: Lord Minamoto-no-Raiko
description: A powerful lord who sends Sadamitsu to find strong boys, receives Kintaro,
makes him a vassal, and later orders him to confront the monster.
role_refs:
- role:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:7
- ev:8
- id: fig:5
name_or_label: The animals
description: The bear, deer, monkey, and hare that Kintaro had tamed to serve him;
they come to see him off when he leaves the mountain.
role_refs:
- role:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: fig:6
name_or_label: Cannibal monster
description: A monster living not far from the city whose presence frightens people
and whom Kintaro kills in its den.
role_refs:
- role:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- ev:9
- id: fig:7
name_or_label: The Four Braves
description: A small band in Lord Raiko’s army, chosen from the bravest and strongest
soldiers; Kintaro becomes their chief.
role_refs:
- role:8
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
roles:
- id: role:1
label: prodigious strong child
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: Kintaro is described as a child of exceptional strength who uproots a tree
and is called a prodigy.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:3
- id: role:2
label: mother and guardian
assigned_to:
- fig:2
basis: She explains her decision to hide Kintaro, entrusts him to Sadamitsu, and
is later cared for by him.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:4
- ev:10
- id: role:3
label: disguised recruiter and military mediator
assigned_to:
- fig:3
basis: Sadamitsu reveals he only pretended to be a woodcutter in order to find strong
boys for Lord Raiko’s army.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: role:4
label: lord and patron
assigned_to:
- fig:4
basis: Raiko commissions the search, accepts Kintaro as a vassal, and commands him
to rescue people from the monster.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:7
- ev:8
- id: role:5
label: animal attendants
assigned_to:
- fig:5
basis: The animals are said to have been tamed to serve Kintaro and attend him to
the foot of the mountain.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: role:6
label: monstrous adversary
assigned_to:
- fig:6
basis: The monster frightens people and is slain by Kintaro.
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- ev:9
- id: role:7
label: hero and rescuer
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: Kintaro is sent to rescue people from the monster, kills it, and is later
called the greatest hero of his country.
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- ev:9
- ev:10
- id: role:8
label: elite warrior band
assigned_to:
- fig:7
basis: The Four Braves are described as selected from the bravest and strongest
soldiers in Raiko’s army.
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
symbols:
- id: sym:1
label: wild mountains
literal_form: mountains / foot of the mountain
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:5
taxonomy_refs:
- mountain
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:6
- id: sym:2
label: tree
literal_form: large tree used as a bridge; tree climbed by animals to watch Kintaro
leave
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:5
taxonomy_refs:
- tree
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:6
- id: sym:3
label: river and torrent
literal_form: banks of the river and torrent crossed by a tree bridge
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:3
taxonomy_refs:
- water
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: sym:4
label: samurai swords
literal_form: sword / two swords worn by a knight
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- ev:5
- ev:8
- id: sym:5
label: monster’s severed head
literal_form: great head cut off and carried back in triumph
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:6
- fig:4
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
scenes:
- id: scene:1
label: Recognition of Kintaro’s strength
summary: The disguised woodcutter explains that he saw Kintaro uproot a tree to
bridge a torrent and has verified his strength.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:3
symbol_refs:
- sym:2
- sym:3
- sym:1
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: scene:2
label: Revelation of Sadamitsu’s identity and mission
summary: Sadamitsu tells Kintaro’s mother that he is not a woodcutter but a general
seeking strong boys for Lord Raiko’s service, and offers to take Kintaro to the
Capital.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
- fig:4
symbol_refs:
- sym:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- ev:4
- id: scene:3
label: Departure from the mountain
summary: Kintaro leaves with Sadamitsu; his mother hides her grief, he promises
to care for her, and the animals see him off from the foot of the mountain.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
- fig:5
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:2
- sym:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:6
- id: scene:4
label: Admission into Lord Raiko’s service
summary: Sadamitsu brings Kintaro to Lord Raiko, who hears his story and makes him
a vassal.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:3
- fig:4
symbol_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: scene:5
label: Elevation among the Four Braves
summary: Kintaro grows up, is made Chief of the Four Braves, and is described as
the strongest of them.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:4
- fig:7
symbol_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: scene:6
label: Slaying of the cannibal monster
summary: Raiko orders Kintaro to rescue people from a cannibal monster; Kintaro
goes to the monster’s den, kills it, and brings back its head.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:4
- fig:6
symbol_refs:
- sym:4
- sym:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- ev:9
- id: scene:7
label: Heroic honor and care for the mother
summary: Kintaro becomes a renowned hero, gains power, honor, and wealth, and builds
a comfortable home for his mother in the Capital.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
symbol_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
candidate_motifs:
- id: motif:1
label: extraordinarily strong child discovered in the wilderness
taxonomy_refs:
- miraculous_child
basis: Kintaro is repeatedly described as a child of unusual strength; his strength
as an infant caused his mother to hide him, and Sadamitsu calls him a prodigy
after seeing him uproot a tree.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:3
confidence: high
cautions: The passage emphasizes extraordinary strength rather than birth circumstances.
- id: motif:2
label: departure from mountain home to enter heroic service
taxonomy_refs:
- departure
basis: Kintaro leaves his mother and animal companions in the mountains to travel
with Sadamitsu to the Capital and enter Lord Raiko’s service.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:5
- ev:6
- ev:7
confidence: high
cautions: The passage gives the departure and arrival but not an extended journey
sequence.
- id: motif:3
label: initiation into warrior status through patronage
taxonomy_refs:
- initiation
basis: Kintaro is presented to a powerful lord, made a vassal, later becomes Chief
of the Four Braves, and tests his sword against a monster.
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- ev:8
- ev:9
confidence: medium
cautions: The passage does not describe a formal rite; the initiation reading is
based on progressive admission and elevation into warrior service.
- id: motif:4
label: hero defeats a man-eating monster
taxonomy_refs:
- culture_hero
basis: Kintaro is ordered to rescue frightened people from a cannibal monster, kills
it in its den, and is afterward described as the greatest hero of his country.
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- ev:9
- ev:10
confidence: high
cautions: The passage presents a heroic rescue but does not frame Kintaro as founding
an institution or creating a cultural practice.
- id: motif:5
label: filial promise fulfilled after heroic success
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: Before leaving, Kintaro promises to build his mother a home and care for
her; after becoming honored and wealthy, he keeps the promise.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:10
confidence: high
cautions: No available taxonomy reference closely matches this filial-reward pattern.
comparison_claims: []
evidence:
- id: ev:1
type: summary
locator: lines 1834-1842
quote_or_summary: The disguised woodcutter praises Kintaro’s strength, says he saw
him pull up a large tree to bridge a torrent, and predicts he will become the
strongest man in Japan.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/japanese/project-gutenberg/japanese-fairy-tales-ozaki.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:2
type: summary
locator: lines 1844-1855
quote_or_summary: Kintaro’s mother says she hid him because his great strength as
an infant caused him to hurt those nearby; she wishes he could become a knight
wearing two swords but lacks an influential friend at the Capital.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/japanese/project-gutenberg/japanese-fairy-tales-ozaki.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:3
type: summary
locator: lines 1857-1870
quote_or_summary: The woodcutter reveals that he is Sadamitsu, a general and vassal
of Lord Minamoto-no-Raiko, and that he disguised himself while searching for boys
of remarkable strength to train as soldiers.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/japanese/project-gutenberg/japanese-fairy-tales-ozaki.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:4
type: summary
locator: lines 1872-1883
quote_or_summary: Kintaro’s mother rejoices at the chance for him to become a samurai,
entrusts him to Sadamitsu, and Kintaro exclaims with joy that he will go with
the general.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/japanese/project-gutenberg/japanese-fairy-tales-ozaki.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:5
type: summary
locator: lines 1885-1894
quote_or_summary: Sadamitsu decides to leave for the Capital with Kintaro; Yama-uba
is sad but hides her grief, and Kintaro promises to remember and care for her
when he becomes a knight.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/japanese/project-gutenberg/japanese-fairy-tales-ozaki.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:6
type: summary
locator: lines 1896-1906
quote_or_summary: Kintaro’s tamed animals—the bear, deer, monkey, and hare—come
to see him off, follow him to the foot of the mountain, and climb a tree to watch
him disappear from sight.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/japanese/project-gutenberg/japanese-fairy-tales-ozaki.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:7
type: summary
locator: lines 1908-1915
quote_or_summary: Sadamitsu brings Kintaro to Lord Minamoto-no-Raiko, tells his
story, and Raiko makes Kintaro one of his vassals.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/japanese/project-gutenberg/japanese-fairy-tales-ozaki.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:8
type: summary
locator: lines 1917-1924
quote_or_summary: Raiko’s army includes the elite Four Braves; after Kintaro grows
up, Raiko makes him their chief. News then arrives of a cannibal monster, and
Raiko orders Kintaro to rescue the people.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/japanese/project-gutenberg/japanese-fairy-tales-ozaki.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:9
type: summary
locator: lines 1926-1928
quote_or_summary: Kintaro surprises the monster in its den, cuts off its great head,
and carries it back in triumph to his master.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/japanese/project-gutenberg/japanese-fairy-tales-ozaki.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:10
type: summary
locator: lines 1930-1933
quote_or_summary: Kintaro becomes the greatest hero of his country, gains power,
honor, and wealth, and builds a comfortable home for his mother in the Capital.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/japanese/project-gutenberg/japanese-fairy-tales-ozaki.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
confidence:
extraction: high
motif_candidates: medium
comparison_claims: uncertain
notes: Extraction is based only on the supplied passage. Motif labels use available
taxonomy where directly supported; no comparison claims are made because the passage
itself does not explicitly support external 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: |-
The supplied line-range label lists several story titles, but the passage text provided here contains the closing portion of the Kintaro narrative and the next heading only.
batch_run_id=motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority
custom_id=motif_extract:japanese-fairy-tales-ozaki-gutenberg__l1834-l1943
passage_sha256=3b0a5223a60854a9f641c703ae690c18e7a7dfb524629911a81da4214e1103d3