batch.motif.japanese-fairy-tales-ozaki-gutenberg-l262-l377
---
record_id: batch.motif.japanese-fairy-tales-ozaki-gutenberg-l262-l377
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/japanese/project-gutenberg/japanese-fairy-tales-ozaki.md
passage_locator:
label: COMPILED BY / PREFACE / JAPANESE FAIRY TALES / MY LORD BAG OF RICE; lines
262-377
start: '262'
end: '377'
translation: Japanese Fairy Tales
notes: Generated from OpenAI Batch run motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority;
human review required.
canonical_text:
quote: ''
summary: Hidesato sees an enormous fire-lit centipede approaching the Dragon King's
palace around the mountain. His first two arrows fail, but he remembers that human
saliva is deadly to centipedes, wets his last arrow in his mouth, and kills the
monster. A violent darkness and storm follow, then dawn reveals the dead centipede
in the blood-red lake. The Dragon King's household honors Hidesato as preserver,
feasts him, and gives him gifts. Fish servants transform into men to carry the
gifts. Hidesato returns home with the presents, whose powers are later found to
be magical except for one ordinary bell, which he gives to a nearby temple.
language: English
quote_policy: summarized
literal_observations:
- id: obs:1
text: Hidesato sees an enormous centipede with fiery lights winding around the mountains
toward the shore.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:2
text: Hidesato tells the Dragon King not to be afraid and says he will kill the
centipede.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:3
text: The Dragon King brings Hidesato his bow and arrows, and Hidesato has only
three arrows left.
category: object
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:4
text: Hidesato's first two arrows hit the centipede's head but glance off without
harming it.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:5
text: The passage states that the centipede is invulnerable to weapons.
category: attribute
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:6
text: The centipede winds its body seven times around the mountain and approaches
the lake.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:7
text: Hidesato remembers that human saliva is deadly to centipedes and places the
end of his last arrow in his mouth before shooting.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:8
text: The last arrow strikes the centipede's brain, stopping its movement and darkening
its fiery lights.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: obs:9
text: After the centipede is struck, darkness, thunder, lightning, wind, and shaking
of the palace occur.
category: setting
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: obs:10
text: At dawn the centipede is gone from the mountain, and its dead body is later
seen floating in the lake, whose water is red with blood.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:7
- id: obs:11
text: The Dragon King's family bows before Hidesato and calls him their preserver
and the bravest warrior in Japan.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: obs:12
text: The Dragon King offers Hidesato gifts in gratitude for delivering them from
the centipede.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
- id: obs:13
text: A train of fish is transformed into a retinue of men wearing ceremonial robes
and dragon crowns.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
- id: obs:14
text: The listed gifts are a large bronze bell, a bag of rice, a roll of silk, a
cooking pot, and a bell.
category: object
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
- id: obs:15
text: The Dragon King's retainers accompany Hidesato home, put down the presents,
and vanish.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:11
- id: obs:16
text: The gifts are found to have magic power, except for one ordinary bell that
Hidesato gives to a nearby temple.
category: attribute
evidence_refs:
- ev:11
figures:
- id: fig:1
name_or_label: Hidesato
description: A warrior who faces and kills the centipede, receives gifts from the
Dragon King, and returns home.
role_refs:
- role:1
- role:5
- role:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:5
- ev:6
- ev:8
- ev:11
- id: fig:2
name_or_label: Dragon King
description: Hidesato's host, who fears the centipede, supplies the bow and arrows,
honors Hidesato, gives him presents, and accompanies him to the bridge.
role_refs:
- role:2
- role:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- ev:8
- ev:9
- ev:11
- id: fig:3
name_or_label: Enormous centipede
description: A monstrous centipede with fiery eyes and many glowing feet, winding
around the mountain and threatening the lake and palace.
role_refs:
- role:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:3
- ev:4
- ev:6
- ev:7
- id: fig:4
name_or_label: Dragon King's children, family, retainers, and palace inhabitants
description: Members of the Dragon King's household who fear the storm, rejoice
after the centipede is dead, and bow before Hidesato.
role_refs:
- role:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:8
- id: fig:5
name_or_label: Fish servants transformed into men
description: A train of fish transformed into a retinue of men in ceremonial robes
and dragon crowns, carrying the Dragon King's gifts.
role_refs:
- role:7
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
- ev:11
- id: fig:6
name_or_label: Hidesato's household and servants
description: People at Hidesato's home who are concerned by his absence and come
out to meet him when he returns.
role_refs:
- role:8
evidence_refs:
- ev:11
roles:
- id: role:1
label: monster-slaying warrior
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: Hidesato declares that he will kill the centipede and succeeds with the last
arrow.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:5
- ev:6
- id: role:2
label: fearful host and grateful ruler
assigned_to:
- fig:2
basis: The Dragon King fears the centipede, then honors and rewards Hidesato after
the monster is killed.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:8
- ev:9
- id: role:3
label: monstrous enemy
assigned_to:
- fig:3
basis: The centipede approaches as a huge hostile being and is called the Dragon
King's horrible enemy.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:9
- id: role:4
label: rescued household
assigned_to:
- fig:4
basis: The Dragon King's household hides during the storm and later rejoices and
honors Hidesato.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:8
- id: role:5
label: preserver
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: The Dragon King's family calls Hidesato their preserver.
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: role:6
label: gift recipient and gift giver
assigned_to:
- fig:1
- fig:2
basis: The Dragon King gives Hidesato presents, and Hidesato later donates the ordinary
bell to a temple.
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
- ev:11
- id: role:7
label: supernatural gift bearers
assigned_to:
- fig:5
basis: The transformed fish-men carry the Dragon King's presents and accompany Hidesato
home.
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
- ev:11
- id: role:8
label: return witnesses
assigned_to:
- fig:6
basis: Hidesato's household observes his return with the retinue and presents.
evidence_refs:
- ev:11
symbols:
- id: sym:1
label: monstrous centipede
literal_form: Enormous centipede winding around the mountain, with fiery eyes and
many glowing feet.
associated_figures:
- fig:3
taxonomy_refs:
- serpent
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:4
- ev:6
- id: sym:2
label: fire-like eyes and feet
literal_form: Two balls of fire and the glowing light of the centipede's hundred
feet.
associated_figures:
- fig:3
taxonomy_refs:
- fire
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:4
- ev:6
- id: sym:3
label: three arrows and last arrow
literal_form: Three remaining arrows, of which the first two fail and the last succeeds
after being put in Hidesato's mouth.
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:3
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- ev:5
- ev:6
- id: sym:4
label: human saliva
literal_form: Human saliva placed on the end of the final arrow before it is shot.
associated_figures:
- fig:1
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: sym:5
label: lake water reddened by blood
literal_form: The dead centipede floats on the lake, whose water is dyed red with
its blood.
associated_figures:
- fig:3
taxonomy_refs:
- water
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: sym:6
label: world-shaking storm and darkness
literal_form: Darkness, thunder, lightning, wind, and palace-shaking after the centipede
is killed.
associated_figures:
- fig:2
- fig:3
- fig:4
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: sym:7
label: gratitude gifts
literal_form: A large bronze bell, a bag of rice, a roll of silk, a cooking pot,
and a bell.
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:5
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
- ev:11
- id: sym:8
label: transformed fish retinue
literal_form: Fish transformed into men in ceremonial robes and dragon crowns.
associated_figures:
- fig:5
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
- id: sym:9
label: temple bell
literal_form: An ordinary bell given by Hidesato to a nearby temple to mark the
hour of day.
associated_figures:
- fig:1
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:11
scenes:
- id: scene:1
label: Centipede approaches the Dragon King's palace
summary: Hidesato sees the giant fiery centipede winding around the mountain and
approaching the shore while the Dragon King is afraid.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: scene:2
label: First two arrows fail
summary: Hidesato shoots twice at the centipede's head, but both arrows glance off,
showing the creature's resistance to weapons.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
symbol_refs:
- sym:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: scene:3
label: Saliva-treated last arrow kills the centipede
summary: With only one arrow left, Hidesato remembers the effect of human saliva
on centipedes, puts the arrow in his mouth, shoots, and kills the monster.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:3
symbol_refs:
- sym:3
- sym:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:5
- ev:6
- id: scene:4
label: Storm and dawn after the monster's death
summary: The centipede's death is followed by darkness, thunder, lightning, wind,
and palace-shaking; by morning the mountain is clear and the dead body floats
in the red lake.
figure_refs:
- fig:2
- fig:3
- fig:4
symbol_refs:
- sym:5
- sym:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:7
- id: scene:5
label: Recognition and feast
summary: The Dragon King's household honors Hidesato as preserver and a new feast
is prepared before he decides to return home.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:4
symbol_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- ev:9
- id: scene:6
label: Gift procession and return home
summary: The Dragon King gives Hidesato presents, fish transform into formal gift
bearers, and the retinue accompanies Hidesato home before vanishing.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:5
- fig:6
symbol_refs:
- sym:7
- sym:8
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
- ev:11
- id: scene:7
label: Magic gifts and temple bell
summary: Hidesato tells what happened; the gifts are found to have magical power,
while the ordinary bell is donated to a nearby temple.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
symbol_refs:
- sym:7
- sym:9
evidence_refs:
- ev:11
candidate_motifs:
- id: motif:1
label: Hero kills a monstrous serpentine enemy
taxonomy_refs:
- culture_hero
- serpent
basis: Hidesato, called a brave warrior and preserver, kills a huge centipede whose
body is described as serpentine.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:6
- ev:8
confidence: medium
cautions: The enemy is literally a centipede, not a serpent, though the passage
calls its body serpentine.
- id: motif:2
label: Final remaining weapon succeeds after special preparation
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: Two arrows fail; Hidesato has one arrow left, treats it with saliva, and
the final shot kills the centipede.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:5
- ev:6
confidence: high
cautions: No external taxonomy reference is assigned from the available list.
- id: motif:3
label: Deliverance rewarded by gifts
taxonomy_refs:
- sacred_exchange
basis: The Dragon King gives Hidesato presents in gratitude for delivering his household
from the centipede.
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- ev:9
- ev:10
confidence: high
cautions: The passage frames the gifts as gratitude; the sacred or supernatural
status of the exchange comes from the Dragon King and magical gifts within the
tale.
- id: motif:4
label: Animal servants transform into human retainers
taxonomy_refs:
- shapeshifter
basis: A train of fish is suddenly transformed into men wearing ceremonial robes
and dragon crowns.
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
confidence: high
cautions: The transformation applies to attendants rather than a central protagonist.
- id: motif:5
label: Hero returns home with supernatural gifts
taxonomy_refs:
- return
basis: Hidesato insists on returning home and is accompanied by the Dragon King's
retainers bearing gifts, which are later found to have magic power.
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
- ev:11
confidence: high
cautions: The passage does not yet describe the specific magical effects of most
gifts.
- id: motif:6
label: Cosmic disturbance after monster death
taxonomy_refs:
- chaos
basis: After the centipede is killed, the passage describes darkness, thunder, lightning,
furious wind, and the sense that the world is ending.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
confidence: medium
cautions: The storm may be a dramatic consequence of the monster's death rather
than a full cosmological chaos motif.
comparison_claims: []
evidence:
- id: ev:1
type: summary
locator: lines 262-267
quote_or_summary: Hidesato sees an enormous centipede winding around the mountains
in starlight, with fire-like eyes and glowing feet moving toward the shore.
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 268-277
quote_or_summary: Hidesato calms the Dragon King, says he will kill the centipede,
asks for his bow and arrows, and sees that only three arrows remain.
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 278-290
quote_or_summary: The first and second arrows both hit the centipede's head but
glance off; the passage states that the centipede is invulnerable to weapons,
and the Dragon King trembles with fear.
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 291-298
quote_or_summary: Hidesato has one arrow left; the centipede has wound its body
seven times around the mountain and is nearing the lake, with fiery eyes and glowing
feet reflected in the water.
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 299-306
quote_or_summary: Hidesato remembers that human saliva is deadly to centipedes and,
as a last chance, puts the end of his final arrow in his mouth before shooting.
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 307-320
quote_or_summary: The saliva-treated arrow strikes the centipede's brain; its body
stops, its fiery lights darken and go out, and a violent darkness, thunder, lightning,
and wind shake the palace before clear dawn.
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 321-328
quote_or_summary: Hidesato calls the Dragon King out, says the centipede is dead,
and points to the dead body floating in the lake, which is red with blood.
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 329-332
quote_or_summary: The Dragon King's whole family bows before Hidesato and calls
him their preserver and the bravest warrior in Japan.
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 333-348
quote_or_summary: A more sumptuous feast is prepared; Hidesato insists on returning
home, and the Dragon King asks him to accept gifts in gratitude for deliverance
from the centipede.
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 349-363
quote_or_summary: A train of fish transforms into men wearing ceremonial robes and
dragon crowns; they carry a large bronze bell, a bag of rice, a roll of silk,
a cooking pot, and a bell.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/japanese/project-gutenberg/japanese-fairy-tales-ozaki.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:11
type: summary
locator: lines 364-377
quote_or_summary: The Dragon King accompanies Hidesato to the bridge; gift-bearing
servants go with him home, vanish after putting down the presents, and the gifts
are found to be magical except for one ordinary bell given to a nearby temple.
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: Literal extraction is well supported by the passage. Motif labels are candidate-level
and use only available taxonomy references when directly or cautiously supported.
No comparison claims were added because the passage itself does not explicitly
compare this episode to another tradition or corpus.
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: |-
All evidence is summarized from the supplied public-domain passage.
batch_run_id=motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority
custom_id=motif_extract:japanese-fairy-tales-ozaki-gutenberg__l262-l377
passage_sha256=1d0e15b7e25d05c2cb959a77a3dc235aea3ed3eab3a4baee0eaba9a2031c903d