batch.motif.buddhist-jataka-tales-babbitt-gutenberg-l1341-l1390
---
record_id: batch.motif.buddhist-jataka-tales-babbitt-gutenberg-l1341-l1390
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/jataka-tales-babbitt.md
passage_locator:
label: THE ELEPHANT GIRLY-FACE / THE BANYAN DEER / THE PRINCES AND THE WATER-SPRITE
/ THE KING'S WHITE ELEPHANT; lines 1341-1390
start: '1341'
end: '1390'
translation: Jataka tales
notes: Generated from OpenAI Batch run motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority;
human review required.
canonical_text:
quote: ''
summary: Carpenters living by a river near a forest heal an injured elephant. In
gratitude the elephant helps them with their work and later brings his white son
to continue helping. The young white elephant plays with the carpenters' children,
is seen by the king, purchased for a high price, and cared for by the king.
language: English
quote_policy: summarized
literal_observations:
- id: obs:1
text: A group of carpenters live on a river bank near a large forest and travel
by boat to cut trees for lumber.
category: setting
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:2
text: An elephant comes limping to the carpenters with a swollen, sore foot containing
a large splinter.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:3
text: The carpenters remove the splinter and wash the sore foot carefully.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:4
text: The healed elephant decides he must be useful to the carpenters because they
helped him.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:5
text: The elephant helps the carpenters by pulling up trees, rolling logs to the
river, and bringing tools; the carpenters feed him three times daily.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:6
text: The older elephant has a beautiful, strong son who is white all over and brings
him to learn to help the carpenters.
category: relationship
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:7
text: The young white elephant helps the carpenters and plays with their children
in the river and on the bank.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: obs:8
text: The king sees the white elephant working, wants him, pays the carpenters a
great price, and takes him away.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: obs:9
text: The king remains proud of the white elephant and takes the best care of him
as long as he lives.
category: relationship
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
figures:
- id: fig:1
name_or_label: older elephant
description: An elephant who is injured, healed by the carpenters, helps them in
gratitude, and later brings his white son to them.
role_refs:
- role:1
- role:2
- role:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- ev:4
- ev:5
- id: fig:2
name_or_label: young white elephant
description: The older elephant's beautiful, strong white son who helps the carpenters,
plays with their children, and is later taken by the king.
role_refs:
- role:4
- role:5
- role:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:6
- ev:7
- ev:8
- id: fig:3
name_or_label: carpenters
description: Men living by the river who cut trees, heal the injured elephant, feed
him and his son, and receive payment from the king for the white elephant.
role_refs:
- role:7
- role:8
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:4
- ev:7
- id: fig:4
name_or_label: carpenters' children
description: Children who play with the young white elephant in the water and on
the river bank.
role_refs:
- role:9
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: fig:5
name_or_label: king
description: A king who comes down the river, sees the white elephant, purchases
him from the carpenters, and cares for him.
role_refs:
- role:10
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- ev:8
roles:
- id: role:1
label: injured animal
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: The elephant arrives limping with a swollen sore foot and a splinter.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: role:2
label: grateful helper
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: After being healed, the elephant chooses to be useful and performs work for
the carpenters.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:4
- id: role:3
label: father and teacher
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: The older elephant brings his son to the work place so the son may learn
to help.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: role:4
label: successor helper
assigned_to:
- fig:2
basis: The son does as his father instructs and helps the carpenters.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:6
- id: role:5
label: play companion
assigned_to:
- fig:2
basis: The young elephant plays with the carpenters' children in the river and on
the bank.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: role:6
label: royal elephant
assigned_to:
- fig:2
basis: The king purchases the white elephant and keeps him with care.
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- ev:8
- id: role:7
label: healers and feeders
assigned_to:
- fig:3
basis: The carpenters remove the splinter, wash the foot, and feed the elephant
well.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:4
- id: role:8
label: workers and sellers
assigned_to:
- fig:3
basis: They work in the forest making lumber and are paid a great price for the
white elephant.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:7
- id: role:9
label: child playmates
assigned_to:
- fig:4
basis: The children play with the young elephant and are his playmates when he leaves.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:7
- id: role:10
label: royal acquirer
assigned_to:
- fig:5
basis: The king sees the elephant, wants him, pays for him, and takes him.
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
symbols:
- id: sym:1
label: river
literal_form: river and water where carpenters travel and children play with the
elephant
associated_figures:
- fig:2
- fig:3
- fig:4
- fig:5
taxonomy_refs:
- water
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:6
- ev:7
- id: sym:2
label: forest trees
literal_form: large forest, trees cut for lumber, trees pulled up and logs rolled
to the river
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
taxonomy_refs:
- tree
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:4
- id: sym:3
label: white elephant
literal_form: beautiful, strong young elephant who is white all over
associated_figures:
- fig:2
- fig:5
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:7
- ev:8
- id: sym:4
label: splinter in the foot
literal_form: large splinter lodged in the sore foot of the older elephant
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:3
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
scenes:
- id: scene:1
label: Carpenters at the river forest
summary: Carpenters live by a river and go by boat into a nearby forest to cut trees
and make lumber.
figure_refs:
- fig:3
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: scene:2
label: Healing the injured elephant
summary: An elephant comes to the carpenters with a splinter in his swollen foot;
they remove it and wash the wound.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:3
symbol_refs:
- sym:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: scene:3
label: Reciprocal work after healing
summary: The healed elephant resolves to help the carpenters and assists with trees,
logs, and tools while receiving food from them.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:3
symbol_refs:
- sym:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:4
- id: scene:4
label: The son takes up the work
summary: The old elephant brings his white son to the carpenters so he can learn
to help them; the son follows the instruction and is fed.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
symbol_refs:
- sym:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:6
- id: scene:5
label: Play at the river
summary: The young elephant plays with the carpenters' children in the river and
on the bank, lifting them into branches and letting them climb down his back.
figure_refs:
- fig:2
- fig:4
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:2
- sym:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: scene:6
label: The king acquires the white elephant
summary: The king sees the white elephant working, pays the carpenters a high price,
and takes him away; he later cares for him well.
figure_refs:
- fig:2
- fig:3
- fig:4
- fig:5
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- ev:8
candidate_motifs:
- id: motif:1
label: wounded animal healed by humans repays aid
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: The carpenters heal the elephant's injured foot, and the elephant responds
by deciding to be useful and by helping with labor.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- ev:4
confidence: high
cautions: The passage presents gratitude and repayment plainly; no broader taxonomy
ID is assigned.
- id: motif:2
label: inherited obligation to benefactors
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: The old elephant brings his son to the carpenters so the son can learn to
help them because the father is no longer young and strong.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:6
confidence: high
cautions: This is a local narrative pattern in the passage, not a claim about a
named cross-cultural motif.
- id: motif:3
label: remarkable white animal becomes royal possession
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: The king sees the beautiful white elephant, wants him, pays a great price,
and keeps him with pride and care.
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- ev:8
confidence: medium
cautions: The passage does not state that the white elephant legitimizes the king
or has sacred status; it only states royal desire, purchase, and care.
- id: motif:4
label: reciprocal exchange between humans and animal helper
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: The carpenters provide healing and food, while the elephant and later his
son provide labor and companionship.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:4
- ev:5
- ev:6
confidence: high
cautions: Although reciprocal exchange is clear, the passage does not mark the exchange
as sacred.
comparison_claims: []
evidence:
- id: ev:1
type: summary
locator: lines 1341-1346
quote_or_summary: A number of carpenters live on a river bank near a large forest
and go by boat each day to cut trees into lumber.
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 1347-1353
quote_or_summary: An elephant limps to the carpenters with a swollen sore foot;
the men find a great splinter, pull it out, and wash the sore carefully.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/jataka-tales-babbitt.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:3
type: quote
locator: lines 1354-1356
quote_or_summary: "“These carpenters have done so much for me, I must be useful
to them.”"
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/jataka-tales-babbitt.md
rights_note: Public domain source; short quote.
- id: ev:4
type: summary
locator: lines 1357-1361
quote_or_summary: The elephant pulls up trees, rolls logs to the river, brings tools,
and is fed well morning, noon, and night by the carpenters.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/jataka-tales-babbitt.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:5
type: summary
locator: lines 1362-1370
quote_or_summary: The older elephant has a beautiful, strong son who is white all
over and decides to bring him to the forest work place to learn to help the carpenters.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/jataka-tales-babbitt.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:6
type: summary
locator: lines 1371-1378
quote_or_summary: The white elephant helps the carpenters, is fed well, and plays
with the carpenters' children in the water and on the bank, lifting them with
his trunk into tree branches.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/jataka-tales-babbitt.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:7
type: summary
locator: lines 1379-1385
quote_or_summary: The king comes down the river, sees the beautiful white elephant
working, pays the carpenters a great price, and the elephant leaves with a last
look at the children.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/jataka-tales-babbitt.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:8
type: summary
locator: lines 1386-1388
quote_or_summary: The king is proud of the white elephant and takes the best care
of him as long as he lives.
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 narrative elements are clear. Motif labels are descriptive and passage-level;
no external 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: |-
Only the supplied passage and metadata were used. Taxonomy references were limited to literal available symbols for water and tree; no comparative claims were added.
batch_run_id=motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority
custom_id=motif_extract:buddhist-jataka-tales-babbitt-gutenberg__l1341-l1390
passage_sha256=7a623ff93282ef6f1ae240997c7fbc1db4f1268eff9a96b566430d980b106070