batch.motif.japanese-fairy-tales-ozaki-gutenberg-l509-l612
---
record_id: batch.motif.japanese-fairy-tales-ozaki-gutenberg-l509-l612
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/japanese/project-gutenberg/japanese-fairy-tales-ozaki.md
passage_locator:
label: PREFACE / JAPANESE FAIRY TALES / MY LORD BAG OF RICE / THE TONGUE-CUT SPARROW;
lines 509-612
start: '509'
end: '612'
translation: Japanese Fairy Tales
notes: Generated from OpenAI Batch run motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority;
human review required.
canonical_text:
quote: ''
summary: An old man finds his lost sparrow at a bamboo grove, learns that her tongue
has grown back, and recognizes her as a fairy. She leads him to her beautiful
home, where her family feasts and entertains him. When he insists on returning
home, she offers him a choice between a large and a small box as a present. He
chooses the smaller box because he is old and weak, returns home, tells his cross
wife what happened, and they begin to open the box.
language: English
quote_policy: summarized
literal_observations:
- id: obs:1
text: The old man reaches a large bamboo wood in the afternoon and sees his sparrow
waiting at the edge of the wood.
category: setting
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:2
text: The sparrow bows, performs tricks, and speaks to the old man.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:3
text: The sparrow shows that a new tongue has grown in place of the old one.
category: attribute
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:4
text: The old man concludes that the sparrow is a fairy rather than a common bird.
category: attribute
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:5
text: The sparrow leads the old man to a beautiful house in the heart of the bamboo
grove.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:6
text: The house contains fine mats, cushions, vases, lacquer boxes, and alcoves
for precious objects.
category: object
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:7
text: The Lady Sparrow thanks the old man for his kindness over many years.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:8
text: The sparrow’s daughters bring a feast, and some daughters perform the Sparrow’s
dance for the guest.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:9
text: The old man declines the Lady Sparrow’s invitation to stay several days and
says he must return home.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:10
text: The Lady Sparrow has servants bring in two boxes, one large and one small,
and asks the old man to choose one as a present.
category: object
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:11
text: The old man chooses the smaller box because he says he is too old and feeble
to carry the large heavy one.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:12
text: The sparrows help the old man put the small box on his back and bid him farewell
with bows.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:13
text: The old man returns home late at night and finds his wife angry about his
absence.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:14
text: The old man tells his wife what happened and they sit down to open the box.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
figures:
- id: fig:1
name_or_label: old man
description: An old man who searches for his lost sparrow, visits her home, receives
a gift, and returns home.
role_refs:
- role:1
- role:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:4
- ev:5
- id: fig:2
name_or_label: Lady Sparrow
description: The old man’s sparrow, revealed as a fairy, with a newly grown tongue
and a beautiful house in the bamboo grove.
role_refs:
- role:2
- role:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:3
- ev:4
- id: fig:3
name_or_label: sparrow daughters
description: Daughters of the Lady Sparrow who serve food and perform the Sparrow’s
dance.
role_refs:
- role:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: fig:4
name_or_label: sparrow servants
description: Servants who bring in two boxes at the Lady Sparrow’s order.
role_refs:
- role:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: fig:5
name_or_label: old wife
description: The old man’s wife, described as cross and angry when he returns late.
role_refs:
- role:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
roles:
- id: role:1
label: seeker and guest
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: He searches for the sparrow, follows her to her house, is seated in the place
of honor, and receives hospitality.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:3
- id: role:2
label: fairy animal hostess
assigned_to:
- fig:2
basis: She is identified as a fairy sparrow, leads the old man to her house, thanks
him, entertains him, and offers him a gift.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:3
- ev:4
- id: role:3
label: grateful recipient of past kindness
assigned_to:
- fig:2
basis: She thanks the old man for kindness shown over many years and shows no ill
will despite prior mistreatment by his wife.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:4
- id: role:4
label: humble gift chooser
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: He chooses the smaller box because it is easier for him to carry in old age.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: role:5
label: attendants and entertainers
assigned_to:
- fig:3
- fig:4
basis: The daughters bring food and dance, while servants bring in the two boxes.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:4
- id: role:6
label: angry spouse at home
assigned_to:
- fig:5
basis: She waits up late and questions the old man angrily about his absence.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
symbols:
- id: sym:1
label: bamboo grove
literal_form: large bamboo wood / bamboo grove
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: sym:2
label: new tongue
literal_form: new tongue grown in place of the old one
associated_figures:
- fig:2
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: sym:3
label: fairy sparrow house
literal_form: beautiful house in the heart of the bamboo grove
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: sym:4
label: feast and dance
literal_form: delicious foods and the suzume-odori or Sparrow’s dance
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: sym:5
label: choice of two boxes
literal_form: two boxes, one large and one small
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:4
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
scenes:
- id: scene:1
label: Reunion at the bamboo wood
summary: The old man finds his lost sparrow at the edge of a bamboo wood, sees that
she can speak, and learns that her tongue has grown back.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: scene:2
label: Hospitality in the fairy sparrow house
summary: The sparrow leads the old man to her beautiful house, seats him honorably,
thanks him, introduces her family, and has him feasted and entertained.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:3
- sym:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- id: scene:3
label: Gift choice and farewell
summary: When the old man declines to stay longer, the Lady Sparrow offers him a
large or small box as a present, and he chooses the smaller one before departing.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:4
symbol_refs:
- sym:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: scene:4
label: Return home with the box
summary: The old man returns home late, is questioned angrily by his wife, tells
her what happened, and begins opening the box with her.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:5
symbol_refs:
- sym:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
candidate_motifs:
- id: motif:1
label: supernatural animal revealed as fairy benefactor
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: The sparrow can speak, has regrown her tongue, is identified by the old man
as a fairy, and hosts him in a hidden beautiful home.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
confidence: high
cautions: The passage states fairy identity directly, but does not describe transformation
between forms.
- id: motif:2
label: kindness repaid by supernatural hospitality
taxonomy_refs:
- sacred_exchange
basis: The Lady Sparrow thanks the old man for years of kindness and repays him
with an honored seat, a feast, entertainment, and a present.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:4
confidence: high
cautions: The taxonomy label is broad; the exchange is between an old man and a
fairy sparrow rather than explicitly ritual or divine.
- id: motif:3
label: choice between large and small gift containers
taxonomy_refs:
- sacred_exchange
basis: The Lady Sparrow offers two boxes as a present, and the old man chooses the
smaller box because it is easier for him to carry.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
confidence: high
cautions: The contents of the box are not revealed within this passage.
- id: motif:4
label: journey out and return home with a gift
taxonomy_refs:
- departure
- return
basis: The old man travels to find the sparrow, enters her hidden home in the bamboo
grove, receives a gift, and returns home.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:4
- ev:5
confidence: medium
cautions: The passage is a short folktale episode rather than a full quest cycle.
- id: motif:5
label: bodily restoration after injury
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: The sparrow shows that a new tongue has grown in place of the old one and
that she is well again.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
confidence: medium
cautions: The passage does not explain the mechanism of restoration beyond the old
man’s recognition that she is a fairy.
comparison_claims: []
evidence:
- id: ev:1
type: summary
locator: lines 509-532
quote_or_summary: The old man reaches a bamboo wood, finds his sparrow waiting,
hears her speak, sees that a new tongue has grown, and realizes she is a fairy
rather than a common bird.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/japanese/project-gutenberg/japanese-fairy-tales-ozaki.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized for extraction.
- id: ev:2
type: summary
locator: lines 533-544
quote_or_summary: The sparrow leads the old man to a beautiful house in the bamboo
grove, furnished with fine mats, silk and crape cushions, vases, lacquer boxes,
and tokonoma alcoves.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/japanese/project-gutenberg/japanese-fairy-tales-ozaki.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized for extraction.
- id: ev:3
type: summary
locator: lines 545-561
quote_or_summary: The Lady Sparrow seats the old man honorably, thanks him for many
years of kindness, introduces her family, and has her daughters serve a feast
and perform the Sparrow’s dance.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/japanese/project-gutenberg/japanese-fairy-tales-ozaki.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized for extraction.
- id: ev:4
type: summary
locator: lines 562-597
quote_or_summary: The old man says he must return home; the Lady Sparrow offers
him one of two boxes, large or small, and he chooses the smaller because he is
too old and feeble to carry the larger one. The sparrows help him leave with it.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/japanese/project-gutenberg/japanese-fairy-tales-ozaki.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized for extraction.
- id: ev:5
type: summary
locator: lines 598-612
quote_or_summary: The old man comes home late, finds his wife angry, tells her of
his visit to the sparrow’s house, and they sit down to open the box.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/japanese/project-gutenberg/japanese-fairy-tales-ozaki.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized for extraction.
confidence:
extraction: high
motif_candidates: medium
comparison_claims: uncertain
notes: Literal extraction is well supported by the supplied passage. Motif candidates
use broad descriptive labels and only two available taxonomy refs where directly
supportable. No comparison claims are made because the passage itself does not
support a specific cross-text or cross-tradition 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: |-
Taxonomy refs were limited to those supplied in the request; no external motif index identifiers were added.
batch_run_id=motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority
custom_id=motif_extract:japanese-fairy-tales-ozaki-gutenberg__l509-l612
passage_sha256=635a0bc3261f64151771158f2ea4d9f524bed5c05104b8d1a10d57519d008fdf