batch.motif.japanese-fairy-tales-ozaki-gutenberg-l4747-l4816
---
record_id: batch.motif.japanese-fairy-tales-ozaki-gutenberg-l4747-l4816
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/japanese/project-gutenberg/japanese-fairy-tales-ozaki.md
passage_locator:
label: THE GOBLIN OF ADACHIGAHARA / THE SAGACIOUS MONKEY AND THE BOAR / THE HAPPY
HUNTER AND THE SKILLFUL FISHER / THE STORY OF THE OLD MAN WHO MADE WITHERED TREES
TO FLOWER; lines 4747-4816
start: '4747'
end: '4816'
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 good old man makes a withered tree bloom with ashes and is rewarded and
renamed Hana-Saka-Jijii by the Daimio. His envious neighbor imitates him, falsely
claims the name, fails to make a dead tree blossom, gets ashes in the Daimio's
eyes, and is imprisoned. The good old man becomes prosperous and respected.
language: English
quote_policy: summarized
literal_observations:
- id: obs:1
text: A withered tree immediately bursts into full bloom after the old man uses
ashes on it.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:2
text: The Daimio rewards the old man with sake, silver, gold, other precious things,
honor, and the name Hana-Saka-Jijii.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: obs:3
text: The neighbor is described as wicked, envious, and jealous, and recalls earlier
failed attempts involving gold coins and magic cakes.
category: attribute
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:4
text: The neighbor gathers ashes remaining in the fireplace from the burning of
the wonderful mortar and announces that he can make withered or dead trees blossom.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:5
text: The neighbor falsely tells the Daimio that he is the true Hana-Saka-Jijii
and that the earlier old man was his disciple.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:6
text: The neighbor scatters ashes on a dead tree several times, but no flower or
bud appears.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: obs:7
text: Ashes blow into the Daimio's eyes, after which he orders the false Hana-Saka-Jijii
arrested and imprisoned as an impostor.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: obs:8
text: The good old man becomes rich and prosperous in old age and lives a long,
happy life, beloved and respected by all.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
figures:
- id: fig:1
name_or_label: Good old man / Hana-Saka-Jijii
description: The old man who makes a withered tree blossom and is officially given
the name Hana-Saka-Jijii by the Daimio.
role_refs:
- role:1
- role:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:8
- id: fig:2
name_or_label: Daimio
description: A lord who witnesses the flowering, rewards and names the old man,
later tests the neighbor, and orders the impostor imprisoned.
role_refs:
- role:3
- role:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:5
- ev:7
- id: fig:3
name_or_label: Wicked neighbor / false Hana-Saka-Jijii
description: An envious neighbor who imitates the old man, lies about his identity,
fails to make a dead tree blossom, and is imprisoned.
role_refs:
- role:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:4
- ev:5
- ev:6
- ev:7
- id: fig:4
name_or_label: Retainers and Court
description: The Daimio's attendants who bring the neighbor before their lord and
arrest him after the failed performance.
role_refs:
- role:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:7
- id: fig:5
name_or_label: Shiro
description: Mentioned as the one who had found the treasure of gold coins for the
good old man.
role_refs:
- role:7
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
roles:
- id: role:1
label: Miraculous tree-blossomer
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: The old man makes a withered tree burst into full bloom and receives the
name meaning the old man who makes trees blossom.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: role:2
label: Rewarded virtuous elder
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: He receives gifts, honor, prosperity, and social respect.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:8
- id: role:3
label: Patron and reward-giver
assigned_to:
- fig:2
basis: The Daimio gives sake, wealth, a name, and public recognition to the old
man.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: role:4
label: Judge of imposture
assigned_to:
- fig:2
basis: The Daimio questions the neighbor's identity and orders his arrest after
the failed act.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:7
- id: role:5
label: Envious imitator and impostor
assigned_to:
- fig:3
basis: The neighbor imitates the old man, falsely claims to be Hana-Saka-Jijii,
and is punished as an impostor.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:4
- ev:5
- ev:7
- id: role:6
label: Lord's attendants
assigned_to:
- fig:4
basis: They bring the neighbor before the Daimio and carry out the arrest order.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:7
- id: role:7
label: Finder of treasure
assigned_to:
- fig:5
basis: Shiro is credited with having found the treasure of gold coins for the good
old man.
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
symbols:
- id: sym:1
label: Withered or dead tree
literal_form: A withered tree that blooms for the good old man, and a dead tree
that fails to bloom for the neighbor.
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:3
taxonomy_refs:
- tree
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:6
- id: sym:2
label: Ashes
literal_form: Ashes sprinkled on trees; in the neighbor's case they are ashes from
the fireplace after the burning of the wonderful mortar.
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:3
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:4
- ev:6
- ev:7
- id: sym:3
label: Sake cup
literal_form: A wine cup filled with the best sake given by the Daimio to the old
man.
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: sym:4
label: Silver, gold, and precious things
literal_form: Material rewards given by the Daimio to the old man.
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:8
- id: sym:5
label: Name Hana-Saka-Jijii
literal_form: The formal name meaning “The Old Man who makes the Trees to Blossom.”
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:3
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:5
scenes:
- id: scene:1
label: Withered tree blooms and old man is rewarded
summary: The tree bursts into bloom; the Daimio rejoices, gives the old man sake
and wealth, names him Hana-Saka-Jijii, and sends him home with honor.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:2
- sym:3
- sym:4
- sym:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: scene:2
label: Neighbor plans imitation
summary: The envious neighbor hears of the old man's fortune, remembers his earlier
failures, gathers ashes from the fireplace, and publicly claims he can make dead
trees blossom.
figure_refs:
- fig:3
symbol_refs:
- sym:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:4
- id: scene:3
label: False Hana-Saka-Jijii before the Daimio
summary: The Daimio summons the caller, questions his identity, and the neighbor
lies that he is the true Hana-Saka-Jijii.
figure_refs:
- fig:2
- fig:3
- fig:4
symbol_refs:
- sym:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: scene:4
label: Failed flowering and punishment
summary: The neighbor repeatedly sprinkles ashes on a dead tree, but it does not
blossom; ashes blow into the Daimio's eyes, and the neighbor is imprisoned as
an impostor.
figure_refs:
- fig:2
- fig:3
- fig:4
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:7
- id: scene:5
label: Good old man's prosperous end
summary: The good old man lives richly and happily in old age, aided by the earlier
treasure found by Shiro and the Daimio's rewards.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:5
- fig:2
symbol_refs:
- sym:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
candidate_motifs:
- id: motif:1
label: Withered or dead tree made to blossom
taxonomy_refs:
- death_rebirth
- seasonal_cycle
basis: A withered tree immediately bursts into bloom through the old man's act with
ashes, while a later dead tree is presented as the test object for the same claimed
power.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:6
confidence: medium
cautions: The passage concerns botanical renewal rather than a human death-and-return
episode; the seasonal-cycle connection is implicit rather than explicitly stated.
- id: motif:2
label: Virtuous elder rewarded after miraculous act
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: The old man performs the flowering act and receives a new name, sake, precious
gifts, public honor, prosperity, and respect.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:8
confidence: high
cautions: The passage does not explicitly state the old man's virtue in this excerpt,
though he is contrasted with the wicked neighbor.
- id: motif:3
label: Envious imitation of a beneficent marvel fails
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: The neighbor imitates the old man's use of ashes, falsely claims the identity
attached to the marvel, and fails to make a tree blossom.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:4
- ev:5
- ev:6
confidence: high
cautions: Earlier failed imitations are only summarized within the passage and not
narrated here.
- id: motif:4
label: Impostor punished by authority
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: After the failed performance and the ash blown into the Daimio's eyes, the
neighbor is arrested and imprisoned as a false Hana-Saka-Jijii.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:7
confidence: high
cautions: The punishment is administered by a lord, not by an explicitly supernatural
or divine agent.
comparison_claims: []
evidence:
- id: ev:1
type: summary
locator: lines 4747-4753
quote_or_summary: The withered tree bursts into bloom; the Daimio rejoices, calls
the old man down, gives him sake, and rewards him with silver, gold, and precious
things.
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 4753-4757
quote_or_summary: The Daimio orders that the old man be called Hana-Saka-Jijii,
meaning the old man who makes trees blossom, and sends him home with honor.
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 4758-4766
quote_or_summary: The wicked neighbor hears of the old man's fortune, is filled
with envy and jealousy, recalls earlier failures, and decides to imitate the ash-sprinkling
act.
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 4767-4774
quote_or_summary: The neighbor gathers ashes from the fireplace after the wonderful
mortar was burned and loudly advertises himself as able to make withered or dead
trees blossom.
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 4775-4797
quote_or_summary: The Daimio has the caller brought in, questions whether he is
Hana-Saka-Jijii, and the neighbor falsely claims to be the true one and says the
earlier old man was his disciple.
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 4798-4806
quote_or_summary: In the garden the neighbor scatters ashes on a dead tree several
times, but the tree produces neither flower nor bud.
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 4806-4812
quote_or_summary: Ashes are blown into the Daimio's eyes; angered, he orders his
retainers to arrest and imprison the false Hana-Saka-Jijii, who is never freed.
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 4813-4816
quote_or_summary: The good old man, with treasure found by Shiro and rewards from
the Daimio, becomes rich and prosperous and lives long, happy, beloved, and respected.
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: high
notes: Passage details are explicit. Motif taxonomy links for botanical renewal
are plausible but should be reviewed because the available taxonomy does not include
a more specific folktale category for miraculous flowering or failed imitation.
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 external comparison claims were added; extraction is limited to the supplied passage and metadata.
batch_run_id=motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority
custom_id=motif_extract:japanese-fairy-tales-ozaki-gutenberg__l4747-l4816
passage_sha256=e117825251b03687f5a329e0362e1b8b8c19da0ced599ef8c5889f07ad0cafe2