batch.motif.buddhist-more-jataka-tales-babbitt-gutenberg-l1000-l1096
---
record_id: batch.motif.buddhist-more-jataka-tales-babbitt-gutenberg-l1000-l1096
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/more-jataka-tales-babbitt.md
passage_locator:
label: THE OTTERS AND THE WOLF / HOW THE MONKEY SAVED HIS TROOP / THE HAWKS AND
THEIR FRIENDS / THE BRAVE LITTLE BOWMAN; lines 1000-1096
start: '1000'
end: '1096'
translation: More Jataka Tales
notes: Generated from OpenAI Batch run motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority;
human review required.
canonical_text:
quote: ''
summary: 'A small crooked-backed bowman, expecting rejection because of his size,
recruits a large man to present himself to the king while the bowman acts as his
page. The small bowman secretly performs the military tasks: killing a tiger and
a buffalo, while the large man receives praise and reward. After the large man
turns against him, an enemy king attacks. The large man panics and flees from
the war-elephant, but the little bowman leads the army to victory and is publicly
recognized as the brave little bowman and made chief of the army.'
language: English
quote_policy: summarized
literal_observations:
- id: obs:1
text: A little man with a crooked back is described as a wise little bowman because
he uses bow and arrow very well.
category: attribute
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:2
text: The little bowman believes the king would reject him from the army because
he is little, so he seeks a large man to present them to the king.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: obs:3
text: The little bowman proposes that the large man ask to join the army, while
the bowman does the assigned work and they divide the pay.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:4
text: The king accepts the large man and the little bowman, who is described to
the king as the large man's page.
category: relationship
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:5
text: When ordered to kill a tiger, the little bowman shoots the tiger, and the
large man receives gifts and praise.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:6
text: When ordered to kill a buffalo, the little bowman shoots the buffalo, and
the large man receives money and praise.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:7
text: After receiving praise, the large man says he can get on without the little
man and speaks harshly to him.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: obs:8
text: An enemy king sends a demand to surrender the country or do battle.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: obs:9
text: The large man is armed and mounted on a war-elephant, while the little bowman
sits behind him with his bow.
category: setting
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: obs:10
text: At the first beat of the drums, the large man becomes afraid, slips off the
war-elephant, and runs home.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
- id: obs:11
text: The little bowman drives the war-elephant into the fight, defeats the invading
army, and leads the army back to the city.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
- id: obs:12
text: The king and the people call him the brave little bowman, and the king makes
him chief of the army with rich gifts.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:11
figures:
- id: fig:1
name_or_label: the little bowman
description: A little man with a crooked back, skilled with bow and arrow, later
called the brave little bowman.
role_refs:
- role:1
- role:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:10
- ev:11
- id: fig:2
name_or_label: the big man
description: A big, strong man first seen digging a ditch; he presents himself as
a bowman, receives public credit, then panics and flees in battle.
role_refs:
- role:2
- role:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:4
- ev:5
- ev:9
- id: fig:3
name_or_label: the king
description: The ruler who accepts the pair into the army, orders dangerous tasks,
rewards the apparent victor, and finally promotes the little bowman.
role_refs:
- role:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:4
- ev:5
- ev:11
- id: fig:4
name_or_label: the tiger
description: A tiger in the forest that had carried off many people and is shot
by the little bowman.
role_refs:
- role:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: fig:5
name_or_label: the buffalo
description: A buffalo running up and down a road that is shot by the little bowman.
role_refs:
- role:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: fig:6
name_or_label: king from a far country
description: A foreign king who marches upon the city and demands surrender or battle.
role_refs:
- role:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- ev:10
- id: fig:7
name_or_label: the army
description: The king's army, led back into the city by the little bowman after
victory.
role_refs:
- role:7
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- ev:10
- id: fig:8
name_or_label: the people
description: The people who praise the big man at first and later call the little
bowman brave.
role_refs:
- role:8
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:11
roles:
- id: role:1
label: skilled but underestimated actor
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: The bowman is little and believes the king would reject him despite his exceptional
archery skill.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: role:2
label: public proxy
assigned_to:
- fig:2
basis: The large man asks to join the army and is presented as the bowman while
the little bowman is called his page.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- id: role:3
label: royal patron and evaluator
assigned_to:
- fig:3
basis: The king accepts the pair, assigns tasks, gives rewards, and finally promotes
the little bowman.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:4
- ev:5
- ev:11
- id: role:4
label: external threat
assigned_to:
- fig:4
- fig:5
- fig:6
basis: The tiger has carried off people, the buffalo blocks a road, and the foreign
king attacks the city.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:5
- ev:7
- id: role:5
label: revealed defender
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: In battle, after the large man flees, the little bowman leads the attack
and wins recognition.
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
- ev:10
- ev:11
- id: role:6
label: fearful false champion
assigned_to:
- fig:2
basis: The large man receives praise for the bowman's earlier acts but becomes afraid
and flees from battle.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:5
- ev:6
- ev:9
- id: role:7
label: military collective
assigned_to:
- fig:7
basis: The army goes out under the war-elephant and later breaks into the enemy
camp.
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- ev:10
- id: role:8
label: public witnesses
assigned_to:
- fig:8
basis: The people first praise the big man and later call the little bowman brave.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:11
symbols:
- id: sym:1
label: bow and arrow
literal_form: bow and arrow
associated_figures:
- fig:1
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:8
- id: sym:2
label: war-elephant
literal_form: war-elephant
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- ev:9
- ev:10
- id: sym:3
label: one thousand pieces a month
literal_form: a thousand pieces a month
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
scenes:
- id: scene:1
label: The little bowman recruits a large proxy
summary: The little bowman seeks a large man to present them to the king, proposing
that the large man receive the appointment while the bowman performs the work
and shares the pay.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: scene:2
label: Acceptance into the king's army
summary: The large man and little bowman appear before the king; the large man names
the little bowman as his page, asks for pay, and both are accepted into the army.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
symbol_refs:
- sym:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: scene:3
label: The little bowman kills the tiger and buffalo
summary: The king orders the large man to kill a tiger and later a buffalo, but
the little bowman performs both shootings, while the large man receives rewards
and praise.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
- fig:4
- fig:5
- fig:8
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:5
- ev:6
- id: scene:4
label: The praised proxy rejects the helper
summary: After public praise, the large man tells the little bowman that he can
get on without him and speaks harshly.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:8
symbol_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: scene:5
label: Battle reveals the true champion
summary: An enemy king attacks; the large man is placed on a war-elephant but panics
and flees, while the little bowman drives the elephant into battle and defeats
the enemy.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:6
- fig:7
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- ev:8
- ev:9
- ev:10
- id: scene:6
label: Public recognition and promotion
summary: After victory, the little bowman returns with the army, is called brave
by the king and people, and is made chief of the army.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:3
- fig:7
- fig:8
symbol_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
- ev:11
candidate_motifs:
- id: motif:1
label: underestimated small hero proves superior skill
taxonomy_refs:
- wisdom
basis: The little bowman is physically small and expects rejection, but his skill
kills dangerous animals and wins a battle.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:4
- ev:5
- ev:10
- ev:11
confidence: medium
cautions: The available taxonomy has no exact small-hero or hidden-skill category;
'wisdom' is used broadly because the passage calls him wise and emphasizes practical
judgment.
- id: motif:2
label: hidden helper performs deeds credited to another
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: The large man is publicly accepted and rewarded, while the little bowman
performs the actual killings of the tiger and buffalo.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- ev:4
- ev:5
confidence: high
cautions: The passage presents this as an arranged deception rather than magical
concealment.
- id: motif:3
label: false champion exposed by real danger
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: The large man receives praise for earlier feats but panics at battle, flees,
and is replaced by the little bowman as the effective fighter.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:8
- ev:9
- ev:10
- ev:11
confidence: high
cautions: The passage does not explicitly say the king learns all prior deception;
exposure is inferred from the battle outcome and later recognition.
- id: motif:4
label: royal recognition after martial victory
taxonomy_refs:
- royal_legitimacy
basis: After the little bowman defeats the invading army, the king and people name
him brave and the king makes him chief of the army.
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
- ev:11
confidence: medium
cautions: The motif concerns appointment to office, not kingship; the taxonomy reference
is approximate.
comparison_claims: []
evidence:
- id: ev:1
type: summary
locator: lines 1000-1006
quote_or_summary: The passage introduces a little crooked-backed man called the
wise little bowman because he uses bow and arrow very well and thinks the king
would dismiss him because of his size.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/more-jataka-tales-babbitt.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary provided.
- id: ev:2
type: summary
locator: lines 1007-1025
quote_or_summary: The little bowman finds a big strong ditch-digger and proposes
that the big man seek army service while the bowman secretly does the assigned
work and they divide the pay.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/more-jataka-tales-babbitt.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary provided.
- id: ev:3
type: summary
locator: lines 1026-1044
quote_or_summary: The two men go before the king; the big man says the little man
is his page, asks for a thousand pieces a month for both, and the king accepts
them into the army.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/more-jataka-tales-babbitt.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary provided.
- id: ev:4
type: summary
locator: lines 1045-1053
quote_or_summary: A tiger in the forest has carried off many people; the king orders
the big man to kill it, but the little bowman shoots it, and the big man receives
gifts and praise.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/more-jataka-tales-babbitt.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary provided.
- id: ev:5
type: summary
locator: lines 1054-1061
quote_or_summary: The king orders the big man to kill a buffalo running on a road;
the little man shoots it, and the king gives the big man a bag of money.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/more-jataka-tales-babbitt.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary provided.
- id: ev:6
type: summary
locator: lines 1062-1067
quote_or_summary: The king and people praise the big man; he then tells the little
man he can get on without him and speaks harshly and unkindly.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/more-jataka-tales-babbitt.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary provided.
- id: ev:7
type: summary
locator: lines 1068-1072
quote_or_summary: 'A king from a far country marches on the city and sends the demand:
give up the country or do battle.'
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/more-jataka-tales-babbitt.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary provided.
- id: ev:8
type: summary
locator: lines 1073-1078
quote_or_summary: The king sends his army; the big man is armed and placed on a
war-elephant, and the little bowman sits behind him with his bow because he knows
the big man cannot shoot.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/more-jataka-tales-babbitt.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary provided.
- id: ev:9
type: summary
locator: lines 1079-1087
quote_or_summary: At the first drumbeat the big man shakes with fear; the little
bowman reassures him, but the big man slips off the war-elephant and runs home.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/more-jataka-tales-babbitt.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary provided.
- id: ev:10
type: summary
locator: lines 1088-1093
quote_or_summary: The little bowman says 'And now to win,' drives the war-elephant
into battle, breaks into the enemy camp, drives the foreign king back, and leads
the army into the city.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/more-jataka-tales-babbitt.md
rights_note: Public domain source; public-domain short phrase included.
- id: ev:11
type: summary
locator: lines 1093-1096
quote_or_summary: The king and people call the victor the brave little bowman, and
the king makes him chief of the army and gives him rich gifts.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/more-jataka-tales-babbitt.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary provided.
confidence:
extraction: high
motif_candidates: medium
comparison_claims: high
notes: The narrative events are explicit. Motif labels are descriptive and passage-based;
taxonomy matches are approximate where used. No comparison claims were added because
the passage itself does not make an explicit cross-text or 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: |-
Only the supplied passage text and metadata were used. The passage label mentions multiple tale titles, but the supplied passage text contains only 'THE BRAVE LITTLE BOWMAN.'
batch_run_id=motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority
custom_id=motif_extract:buddhist-more-jataka-tales-babbitt-gutenberg__l1000-l1096
passage_sha256=92f75067c5a0d04c2a220ee4b7f4abc432b33477750c0b9378189295f750f3d1