batch.motif.celtic-welsh-mabinogion-guest-gutenberg-l2862-l2928
---
record_id: batch.motif.celtic-welsh-mabinogion-guest-gutenberg-l2862-l2928
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-welsh/project-gutenberg/mabinogion-guest.md
passage_locator:
label: C. E. G. / THE LADY OF THE FOUNTAIN / PEREDUR THE SON OF EVRAWC / GERAINT
THE SON OF ERBIN; lines 2862-2928
start: '2862'
end: '2928'
translation: The Mabinogion
notes: Generated from OpenAI Batch run motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority;
human review required.
canonical_text:
quote: ''
summary: At dawn in a meadow, Geraint challenges the Knight of the Sparrow-Hawk
over the right of the knight's beloved to fetch the Sparrow-Hawk, claiming that
another maiden has the better claim. Geraint and the knight joust with many lances,
then fight on foot with swords. Encouraged to remember insults done by the dwarf
to himself and to Gwenhwyvar's maiden, Geraint wounds the knight severely. The
defeated knight begs mercy, names himself Edeyrn son of Nudd, and agrees to go
to Gwenhwyvar at Arthur's court to make atonement.
language: English
quote_policy: summarized
literal_observations:
- id: obs:1
text: The four companions rise before dawn and go to the meadow by daybreak.
category: setting
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:2
text: The Knight of the Sparrow-Hawk proclaims and asks his lady-love to fetch the
Sparrow-Hawk.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:3
text: Geraint forbids the fetching of the Sparrow-Hawk and says another maiden is
fairer, nobler, more comely, and has a better claim.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:4
text: Geraint wears heavy, rusty, worthless, uncouth armour on himself and his horse.
category: attribute
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:5
text: Geraint and the Knight of the Sparrow-Hawk break repeated sets of lances in
mounted combat.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:6
text: The Earl's company rejoices when the Knight of the Sparrow-Hawk gains advantage,
while the hoary-headed man, his wife, and daughter are sorrowful.
category: relationship
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:7
text: The hoary-headed man gives Geraint an old lance from the day he received knighthood,
and the dwarf gives a lance to his lord.
category: object
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:8
text: Geraint strikes the knight's shield and armour so hard that the knight and
saddle are thrown to the ground.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:9
text: The combat continues on foot with swords, producing sparks described as like
stars, until blood and sweat obscure their sight.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:10
text: The hoary-headed man urges Geraint to remember the dwarf's treatment and the
insult to Gwenhwyvar, wife of Arthur.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:11
text: Geraint wounds the knight on the crown of the head, cutting through armour,
flesh, skin, and to the bone.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:12
text: The knight falls to his knees, casts away his sword, asks mercy, and acknowledges
pride and need for spiritual preparation.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:13
text: Geraint grants mercy on condition that the knight go to Gwenhwyvar at Arthur's
court to make satisfaction for the insult done by his dwarf to her maiden.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:14
text: The defeated knight names himself Edeyrn son of Nudd and rides toward Arthur's
Court with his beloved lady before him and the dwarf lamenting.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
figures:
- id: fig:1
name_or_label: Geraint son of Erbin
description: Challenger who contests the Sparrow-Hawk claim, fights the Knight of
the Sparrow-Hawk, grants mercy, and sends him to Gwenhwyvar for atonement.
role_refs:
- role:1
- role:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:3
- ev:4
- ev:5
- ev:6
- id: fig:2
name_or_label: Knight of the Sparrow-Hawk / Edeyrn son of Nudd
description: Knight who supports his lady-love's claim to the Sparrow-Hawk, fights
Geraint, is wounded, begs mercy, and agrees to make satisfaction at Arthur's court.
role_refs:
- role:3
- role:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:5
- ev:6
- id: fig:3
name_or_label: Lady-love of the Knight of the Sparrow-Hawk
description: Woman whom the Knight of the Sparrow-Hawk asks to fetch the Sparrow-Hawk;
she later goes before him toward Arthur's Court with lamentation.
role_refs:
- role:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:6
- id: fig:4
name_or_label: Unnamed maiden with better claim
description: Maiden whom Geraint says is fairer, nobler, more comely, and has a
better claim to the Sparrow-Hawk.
role_refs:
- role:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: fig:5
name_or_label: Hoary-headed man
description: Older man who supports Geraint, supplies him with lances, gives him
a special old lance, and urges him to remember the insults.
role_refs:
- role:7
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- ev:4
- id: fig:6
name_or_label: Wife of the hoary-headed man
description: Woman who is sorrowful when the Knight of the Sparrow-Hawk gains advantage
and glad when Geraint prevails.
role_refs:
- role:8
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:4
- id: fig:7
name_or_label: Daughter of the hoary-headed man
description: Daughter who is sorrowful when the Knight of the Sparrow-Hawk gains
advantage and glad when Geraint prevails.
role_refs:
- role:8
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:4
- id: fig:8
name_or_label: Dwarf
description: Servant of the Knight of the Sparrow-Hawk who supplies him with a lance
and is associated with a prior insult to Geraint and to Gwenhwyvar's maiden.
role_refs:
- role:9
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- ev:4
- ev:5
- ev:6
- id: fig:9
name_or_label: Earl and his company
description: Spectators who shout and rejoice when the Knight of the Sparrow-Hawk
gains the mastery.
role_refs:
- role:10
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:4
- id: fig:10
name_or_label: Gwenhwyvar, wife of Arthur
description: Queen to whom Edeyrn must go to make satisfaction for the insult to
her maiden.
role_refs:
- role:11
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:5
- id: fig:11
name_or_label: Arthur
description: Named as Gwenhwyvar's husband and as the ruler whose court will adjudge
the atonement.
role_refs:
- role:12
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:6
roles:
- id: role:1
label: challenger in trial-like combat
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: Geraint disputes the Sparrow-Hawk claim and calls the knight to battle.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: role:2
label: victor granting conditional mercy
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: After wounding the knight, Geraint grants grace on condition of atonement
to Gwenhwyvar.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: role:3
label: defender of beloved's claim
assigned_to:
- fig:2
basis: The Knight of the Sparrow-Hawk proclaims and asks his lady-love to fetch
the Sparrow-Hawk, then fights Geraint.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: role:4
label: defeated penitent opponent
assigned_to:
- fig:2
basis: The knight kneels, casts away his sword, asks mercy, renounces pride, and
accepts the journey to Arthur's court.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:6
- id: role:5
label: contested beloved claimant
assigned_to:
- fig:3
basis: She is asked by the knight to fetch the Sparrow-Hawk, but Geraint challenges
her claim.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: role:6
label: rival maiden claimant
assigned_to:
- fig:4
basis: Geraint asserts that this maiden has the better claim to the Sparrow-Hawk.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: role:7
label: supporter and arms-provider
assigned_to:
- fig:5
basis: The hoary-headed man supplies Geraint with lances, including his old knighthood
lance, and encourages him.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- ev:4
- id: role:8
label: sympathetic spectators
assigned_to:
- fig:6
- fig:7
basis: They are sorrowful when the opposing knight prevails and glad when Geraint
prevails.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:4
- id: role:9
label: opponent's servant and source of prior insult
assigned_to:
- fig:8
basis: The dwarf serves the Knight of the Sparrow-Hawk with lances and is named
as having insulted Geraint and Gwenhwyvar's maiden.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- ev:4
- ev:5
- id: role:10
label: partisan spectators
assigned_to:
- fig:9
basis: The Earl and his party rejoice when the Knight of the Sparrow-Hawk gains
the mastery.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:4
- id: role:11
label: injured royal lady requiring satisfaction
assigned_to:
- fig:10
basis: Geraint sends Edeyrn to Gwenhwyvar to make satisfaction for the insult received
by her maiden.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: role:12
label: ruler associated with courtly adjudication
assigned_to:
- fig:11
basis: The atonement is to be made at Arthur's Court, where it will be adjudged.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:6
symbols:
- id: sym:1
label: Sparrow-Hawk as contested prize or token
literal_form: Sparrow-Hawk
associated_figures:
- fig:2
- fig:3
- fig:4
- fig:1
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: sym:2
label: old knighthood lance
literal_form: lance kept unbroken since the hoary-headed man's knighthood
associated_figures:
- fig:5
- fig:1
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: sym:3
label: cast-away sword in surrender
literal_form: sword cast from the knight's hand
associated_figures:
- fig:2
- fig:1
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: sym:4
label: fire-like sparks from sword combat
literal_form: sparks of fire like stars from clashing arms
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
taxonomy_refs:
- fire
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
scenes:
- id: scene:1
label: Dawn gathering and Sparrow-Hawk challenge
summary: The four go to the meadow at daybreak. The Knight of the Sparrow-Hawk asks
his beloved to fetch the Sparrow-Hawk, and Geraint challenges the claim on behalf
of another maiden.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
- fig:4
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: scene:2
label: Mounted joust with repeated lances
summary: Geraint and the Knight of the Sparrow-Hawk break many lances in mounted
combat while opposing spectator groups react to the shifting advantage.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:5
- fig:6
- fig:7
- fig:8
- fig:9
symbol_refs:
- sym:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- id: scene:3
label: Sword duel and remembered insult
summary: After Geraint unhorses the knight, the two fight on foot with swords. The
hoary-headed man urges Geraint to remember the insult by the dwarf, and Geraint
wounds the knight severely.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:5
- fig:8
- fig:10
symbol_refs:
- sym:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: scene:4
label: Mercy and compelled atonement
summary: The wounded knight kneels, discards his sword, asks for mercy, and accepts
Geraint's condition that he go without dismounting to Gwenhwyvar at Arthur's court
for adjudged atonement.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
- fig:8
- fig:10
- fig:11
symbol_refs:
- sym:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:6
candidate_motifs:
- id: motif:1
label: contest over a public prize assigned to the fairest or noblest woman
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: The Sparrow-Hawk is to be fetched by the knight's lady-love, but Geraint
contests this by asserting another maiden is fairer, nobler, and has the better
claim.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
confidence: high
cautions: The passage does not explain the full institution or origin of the Sparrow-Hawk
custom.
- id: motif:2
label: armed champion combat to settle a claim of honor
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: Geraint directly links the disputed claim to battle with the Knight of the
Sparrow-Hawk, and the dispute is pursued through jousting and sword combat.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:4
confidence: high
cautions: The passage presents the combat narratively but does not explicitly name
it as a formal legal trial.
- id: motif:3
label: humiliated hero roused by memory of insult
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: The hoary-headed man reminds Geraint of the dwarf's treatment and the insult
to Gwenhwyvar, after which Geraint summons his strength and strikes the decisive
blow.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
confidence: high
cautions: The prior insult itself is only referenced in this passage, not narrated
here.
- id: motif:4
label: defeated opponent spared on condition of public atonement
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: The knight surrenders and begs mercy; Geraint grants grace only if he goes
to Gwenhwyvar at Arthur's Court to make satisfaction for the insult.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:6
confidence: high
cautions: The later fulfillment of the atonement is outside this passage.
comparison_claims: []
evidence:
- id: ev:1
type: summary
locator: lines 2862-2872
quote_or_summary: Before dawn the party rises and goes to the meadow. The Knight
of the Sparrow-Hawk asks his lady-love to fetch the Sparrow-Hawk; Geraint stops
her and says another maiden has the better claim, challenging the knight to battle.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-welsh/project-gutenberg/mabinogion-guest.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:2
type: summary
locator: lines 2872-2884
quote_or_summary: Geraint advances in heavy, rusty, worthless armour. He and the
knight break repeated lances; the Earl's company rejoices when the knight gains
mastery, while the hoary-headed man, his wife, and daughter are sorrowful.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-welsh/project-gutenberg/mabinogion-guest.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:3
type: summary
locator: lines 2884-2901
quote_or_summary: The hoary-headed man gives Geraint the lance he held on the day
of his knighthood; the dwarf gives the knight another lance. Geraint then charges
and unhorses the knight with a powerful blow.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-welsh/project-gutenberg/mabinogion-guest.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:4
type: summary
locator: lines 2901-2916
quote_or_summary: Geraint and the knight fight on foot with swords, striking sparks
like stars. The hoary-headed man urges Geraint to remember the dwarf's treatment
and the insult to Gwenhwyvar; Geraint then wounds the knight's head to the bone.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-welsh/project-gutenberg/mabinogion-guest.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:5
type: summary
locator: lines 2917-2925
quote_or_summary: The knight kneels, casts away his sword, asks mercy, and renounces
pride. Geraint grants grace on condition that he go to Gwenhwyvar to make satisfaction
for the insult done by his dwarf to her maiden, with atonement adjudged at Arthur's
Court.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-welsh/project-gutenberg/mabinogion-guest.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:6
type: summary
locator: lines 2925-2928
quote_or_summary: Geraint identifies himself as son of Erbin; the defeated knight
identifies himself as Edeyrn son of Nudd and rides toward Arthur's Court with
his beloved lady before him and the dwarf lamenting.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-welsh/project-gutenberg/mabinogion-guest.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
confidence:
extraction: high
motif_candidates: medium
comparison_claims: uncertain
notes: Extraction is based on the supplied passage only. Motif labels are descriptive
passage-level candidates without external taxonomy mapping. No comparison claims
were added because the passage itself does not make comparative links.
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 observations and interpretations are limited to the provided line range and metadata.
batch_run_id=motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority
custom_id=motif_extract:celtic-welsh-mabinogion-guest-gutenberg__l2862-l2928
passage_sha256=cd25552bcf2dce229710117a8fd68886cbe536d24bdf7d95be4f021261d5341a