batch.motif.buddhist-jataka-tales-babbitt-gutenberg-l1075-l1086
---
record_id: batch.motif.buddhist-jataka-tales-babbitt-gutenberg-l1075-l1086
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/jataka-tales-babbitt.md
passage_locator:
label: THE QUARREL OF THE QUAILS / THE MEASURE OF RICE / THE FOOLISH, TIMID RABBIT
/ THE WISE AND THE FOOLISH MERCHANT; lines 1075-1086
start: '1075'
end: '1086'
translation: Jataka tales
notes: Generated from OpenAI Batch run motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority;
human review required.
canonical_text:
quote: ''
summary: The thrifty merchant arranges his wagons in a circle, shelters oxen and
some men inside, stands guard with head men and swords, is not attacked by demons,
then takes the best wagons left by the foolish merchant, safely reaches the city
across the desert, sells his goods at a profit, and returns home with his company.
language: English
quote_policy: summarized
literal_observations:
- id: obs:1
text: The thrifty merchant has the wagons drawn up in a circle.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:2
text: Oxen and some of the men lie down in the middle of the wagon circle.
category: setting
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:3
text: The thrifty merchant and the head men stand guard with swords in hand.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:4
text: The demons do not bother the guarded company.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:5
text: The next day the thrifty merchant takes the best wagons left by the foolish
merchant and goes safely to the city across the desert.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:6
text: At the city, the merchant sells all the goods at a profit and returns with
his company to his own city.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
figures:
- id: fig:1
name_or_label: thrifty merchant
description: A merchant who organizes the wagons defensively, stands guard, travels
safely across the desert, sells goods at a profit, and returns home.
role_refs:
- role:1
- role:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:3
- ev:4
- id: fig:2
name_or_label: head men
description: Men who stand on guard with the thrifty merchant, holding swords.
role_refs:
- role:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: fig:3
name_or_label: men of the company
description: Some men lie down in the middle of the wagon circle; the company later
returns with the merchant.
role_refs:
- role:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:4
- id: fig:4
name_or_label: oxen
description: Animals placed lying down in the middle of the wagon circle.
role_refs:
- role:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: fig:5
name_or_label: demons
description: Threatening beings expected by the merchant, but they do not bother
the guarded company.
role_refs:
- role:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: fig:6
name_or_label: foolish merchant
description: An absent merchant whose best remaining wagons are taken by the thrifty
merchant.
role_refs:
- role:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
roles:
- id: role:1
label: prudent leader
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: He arranges the wagons in a defensive circle, assigns beings to the middle,
and stands guard.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: role:2
label: successful trader
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: He reaches the city safely, sells the goods at a profit, and returns home
with his company.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:4
- id: role:3
label: armed guards
assigned_to:
- fig:2
basis: They stand on guard with swords in hand beside the merchant.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: role:4
label: protected dependents
assigned_to:
- fig:3
- fig:4
basis: They are placed in the middle of the wagon circle while others keep watch.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: role:5
label: external threat
assigned_to:
- fig:5
basis: The merchant waits for them while armed, but they do not bother the company.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: role:6
label: absent failed counterpart
assigned_to:
- fig:6
basis: The passage refers to wagons left by the foolish merchant, contrasting him
with the successful thrifty merchant.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
symbols:
- id: sym:1
label: wagon circle
literal_form: wagons drawn up in a circle
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:3
- fig:4
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: sym:2
label: swords
literal_form: swords in hand
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: sym:3
label: desert crossing
literal_form: the city across the desert
associated_figures:
- fig:1
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: sym:4
label: wagons left by the foolish merchant
literal_form: the best of the wagons left by the foolish merchant
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:6
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
scenes:
- id: scene:1
label: Defensive encampment against demons
summary: The thrifty merchant forms a wagon circle, places oxen and some men in
the middle, and keeps armed watch with the head men while waiting for demons.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
- fig:4
- fig:5
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: scene:2
label: Safe desert crossing and profitable return
summary: After the demons do not attack, the thrifty merchant takes the best wagons
left by the foolish merchant, reaches the city across the desert safely, sells
all goods at a profit, and returns to his own city with his company.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:3
- fig:6
symbol_refs:
- sym:3
- sym:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:4
candidate_motifs:
- id: motif:1
label: Prudent leadership averts danger
taxonomy_refs:
- wisdom
basis: The thrifty merchant takes practical protective measures against demons,
is not attacked, and safely completes the journey.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:3
confidence: high
cautions: The passage presents practical wisdom through action rather than explicit
doctrinal explanation.
- id: motif:2
label: Protective circle encampment
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: The wagons are drawn into a circle with animals and some men inside while
armed leaders stand guard.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
confidence: high
cautions: No supplied taxonomy reference directly matches this defensive formation.
- id: motif:3
label: Successful journey and return with profit
taxonomy_refs:
- return
basis: The merchant reaches the city across the desert, sells the goods at a profit,
and returns with his company to his own city.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:4
confidence: medium
cautions: The return is commercial and narrative rather than explicitly sacred or
initiatory.
comparison_claims: []
evidence:
- id: ev:1
type: summary
locator: lines 1075-1077
quote_or_summary: The thrifty merchant has his wagons drawn up in a circle and places
the oxen and some men in the middle.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/jataka-tales-babbitt.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:2
type: summary
locator: lines 1077-1080
quote_or_summary: The merchant and head men stand guard with swords, waiting for
demons, but the demons do not bother them.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/jataka-tales-babbitt.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:3
type: summary
locator: lines 1080-1082
quote_or_summary: Early the next day, the merchant takes the best wagons left by
the foolish merchant and goes safely to the city across the desert.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/jataka-tales-babbitt.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:4
type: summary
locator: lines 1084-1085
quote_or_summary: At the city he sells all the goods at a profit and returns with
his company to his own city.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/jataka-tales-babbitt.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
confidence:
extraction: high
motif_candidates: medium
comparison_claims: high
notes: Literal extraction is straightforward. Motif candidates are limited to patterns
directly visible in the passage. No comparison claims are 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: |-
Line range includes the end marker 'XI', which is not treated as motif-bearing content.
batch_run_id=motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority
custom_id=motif_extract:buddhist-jataka-tales-babbitt-gutenberg__l1075-l1086
passage_sha256=9bcc87b337ce8bded3f0e9c14515cffb288eb35492c94a48700685a5c0cc702d