batch.motif.celtic-irish-tain-bo-cualnge-dunn-gutenberg-l12453-l12516
---
record_id: batch.motif.celtic-irish-tain-bo-cualnge-dunn-gutenberg-l12453-l12516
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-irish/project-gutenberg/tain-bo-cualnge-dunn.md
passage_locator:
label: HERE NOW COMETH THE HEAD-PLACE OF FERCHU / XXIII / HERE FOLLOWETH THE TOOTH-FIGHT
OF FINTAN / THE RED-SHAME OF MENN FOLLOWETH HERE; lines 12453-12516
start: '12453'
end: '12516'
translation: The Ancient Irish Epic Tale Tain Bo Cualnge
notes: Generated from OpenAI Batch run motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority;
human review required.
canonical_text:
quote: ''
summary: Menn son of Salcholga comes from the Waterways of the Boyne with twelve
armed men. Their double-headed spears can wound with either end. They make three
attacks on the hosts and kill three times their own number, but Menn’s followers
are killed and Menn is left badly wounded and bloodied. The men of Erin call the
episode the Reddening Shame of Menn. They propose that Menn withdraw until Conchobar
rises from his Pains and the foretold great battle can occur; Menn agrees, the
hosts withdraw a day’s march, and Menn returns to his own land.
language: English
quote_policy: summarized
literal_observations:
- id: obs:1
text: Menn son of Salcholga comes from Renna, called the Waterways, of the Boyne
in the north.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:2
text: Menn is accompanied by twelve men.
category: relationship
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:3
text: The group’s weapons have spear-heads at both the top and the butt of each
shaft, so either end can wound the hosts.
category: object
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:4
text: Menn and his men make three attacks on the hosts and kill three times their
own number.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:5
text: Menn’s twelve followers are slain, leaving Menn alone alive.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:6
text: Menn is badly wounded in the strait and blood runs crimson on him.
category: attribute
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:7
text: The men of Erin call Menn’s condition a red shame and connect this with the
episode-name Reddening Shame of Menn.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:8
text: The men of Erin say Menn may leave the camp without dishonour, while the hosts
go a day’s journey north and wait until Conchobar rises from his Pains.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: obs:9
text: The men of Erin refer to a future great battle at Garech and Ilgarech that
druids, soothsayers, and knowers had foretold.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: obs:10
text: Menn agrees to leave; the hosts fall back a day’s march to rest and wait,
and Menn returns to his own land.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
figures:
- id: fig:1
name_or_label: Menn son of Salcholga
description: A warrior from Renna of the Boyne who comes with twelve men, attacks
the hosts, survives wounded, and returns to his own land.
role_refs:
- role:1
- role:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:3
- ev:4
- ev:7
- id: fig:2
name_or_label: Twelve men of Menn
description: Menn’s accompanying men, armed with many-pointed double-ended spears;
all are slain in the attack.
role_refs:
- role:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:3
- id: fig:3
name_or_label: Men of Erin / hosts
description: The opposing hosts who are attacked, name the shame, propose Menn’s
withdrawal, and fall back a day’s march.
role_refs:
- role:4
- role:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:5
- ev:6
- ev:7
- id: fig:4
name_or_label: Conchobar
description: A figure expected to rise from his Pains before battle is offered at
Garech and Ilgarech.
role_refs:
- role:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: fig:5
name_or_label: Druids, soothsayers, and knowers of the men of Erin
description: Seers credited with foretelling the future great battle.
role_refs:
- role:7
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
roles:
- id: role:1
label: surviving wounded leader
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: Menn’s followers are killed, while Menn remains alive but sorely wounded
and bloodied.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:4
- id: role:2
label: attacking warrior
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: Menn and his men make three attacks on the hosts.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: role:3
label: fallen warrior band
assigned_to:
- fig:2
basis: The twelve men accompanying Menn are slain during the attacks.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: role:4
label: opposing host
assigned_to:
- fig:3
basis: The hosts are the target of Menn’s attacks and then withdraw a day’s march.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:7
- id: role:5
label: episode-namers and negotiators
assigned_to:
- fig:3
basis: The men of Erin call the event a red shame and propose Menn’s withdrawal
without dishonour.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:6
- id: role:6
label: absent awaited ruler or leader
assigned_to:
- fig:4
basis: Battle is deferred until Conchobar rises from his Pains.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: role:7
label: foretellers
assigned_to:
- fig:5
basis: The future battle is said to have been foretold by druids, soothsayers, and
knowers.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
symbols:
- id: sym:1
label: double-ended spear
literal_form: A spear-shaft with a spear-head on the top and another at the butt.
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: sym:2
label: crimson blood / red shame
literal_form: Blood running crimson on Menn, used by the men of Erin to name the
episode as a red shame.
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:3
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:5
- id: sym:3
label: Waterways of the Boyne
literal_form: Renna, glossed as the Waterways, of the Boyne in the north.
associated_figures:
- fig:1
taxonomy_refs:
- water
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: sym:4
label: three attacks
literal_form: Three attacks made on the hosts.
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: sym:5
label: foretold great battle
literal_form: A future battle at Garech and Ilgarech foretold by druids, soothsayers,
and knowers.
associated_figures:
- fig:3
- fig:4
- fig:5
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
scenes:
- id: scene:1
label: Arrival of Menn’s armed band
summary: Menn son of Salcholga arrives from the Waterways of the Boyne with twelve
men carrying double-ended spears.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: scene:2
label: Three attacks and destruction of the band
summary: Menn’s band attacks the hosts three times and kills three times its number,
but the twelve followers are slain and Menn is left alone and wounded.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:2
- sym:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:4
- id: scene:3
label: Naming of the Reddening Shame of Menn
summary: The men of Erin describe the loss of Menn’s followers and his crimson blood
as a red shame, explaining the episode-name.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
symbol_refs:
- sym:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: scene:4
label: Withdrawal until the foretold battle
summary: The men of Erin propose that Menn withdraw without dishonour while the
hosts fall back and wait for Conchobar’s recovery and the foretold great battle;
Menn agrees and returns home.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:3
- fig:4
- fig:5
symbol_refs:
- sym:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:7
candidate_motifs:
- id: motif:1
label: warrior band destroyed while its leader survives wounded
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: The passage centers on Menn’s small company making a successful but costly
attack in which all twelve followers die and Menn alone survives badly wounded.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:4
confidence: high
cautions: This is a passage-level battle pattern, not a named taxonomy motif in
the supplied list.
- id: motif:2
label: etiological naming of an episode from blood and shame
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: The men of Erin explicitly explain the name Reddening Shame of Menn from
the slain followers and Menn’s crimson blood.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
confidence: high
cautions: The passage explains a tale-name rather than a place-name or cultic symbol.
- id: motif:3
label: double-ended weapon as tactical advantage
taxonomy_refs:
- duality
basis: The spears have points at both ends so the warriors can wound with either
the points or the butts.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
confidence: medium
cautions: The taxonomy reference to duality is based only on the weapon’s paired
ends; the passage does not present an explicit abstract doctrine of duality.
- id: motif:4
label: battle deferred until prophecy and leader’s recovery
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: The hosts agree to wait until Conchobar rises from his Pains and the foretold
battle at Garech and Ilgarech can be fought.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:7
confidence: medium
cautions: The passage reports the deferral and prophecy briefly and does not narrate
the future battle itself.
comparison_claims: []
evidence:
- id: ev:1
type: quote
locator: lines 12453-12457
quote_or_summary: Menn son of Salcholga came from Renna, the Waterways of the Boyne,
with twelve men.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-irish/project-gutenberg/tain-bo-cualnge-dunn.md
rights_note: Public domain source; short excerpt summarized.
- id: ev:2
type: summary
locator: lines 12457-12461
quote_or_summary: Each spear-shaft had a spear-head at the top and at the butt,
making either end capable of wounding the hosts.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-irish/project-gutenberg/tain-bo-cualnge-dunn.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:3
type: summary
locator: lines 12461-12465
quote_or_summary: They make three attacks, kill three times their own number, and
Menn’s twelve men fall so only Menn remains alive.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-irish/project-gutenberg/tain-bo-cualnge-dunn.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:4
type: quote
locator: lines 12465-12467
quote_or_summary: Menn was sorely wounded, with blood running crimson on him and
his followers crimsoned.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-irish/project-gutenberg/tain-bo-cualnge-dunn.md
rights_note: Public domain source; short excerpt summarized.
- id: ev:5
type: summary
locator: lines 12467-12473
quote_or_summary: The men of Erin call it a red shame that Menn’s twelve men are
destroyed and he is wounded and crimsoned; this gives the tale its name, the Reddening
Shame of Menn.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-irish/project-gutenberg/tain-bo-cualnge-dunn.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:6
type: summary
locator: lines 12491-12503
quote_or_summary: The men of Erin say Menn may leave without dishonour; the hosts
will go a day’s journey north and wait until Conchobar rises from his Pains and
the foretold great battle at Garech and Ilgarech occurs.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-irish/project-gutenberg/tain-bo-cualnge-dunn.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:7
type: summary
locator: lines 12512-12516
quote_or_summary: Menn agrees to leave the camp; the hosts fall back a day’s march
to rest and wait, and Menn goes to his own land.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-irish/project-gutenberg/tain-bo-cualnge-dunn.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
confidence:
extraction: high
motif_candidates: medium
comparison_claims: high
notes: Literal extraction is straightforward from the supplied passage. Motif labels
are passage-level candidate patterns; only one supplied taxonomy reference is
used cautiously for the double-ended weapon, and 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: |-
Used only the supplied passage text and metadata. Variant manuscript notes in brackets were not treated as separate narrative events.
batch_run_id=motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority
custom_id=motif_extract:celtic-irish-tain-bo-cualnge-dunn-gutenberg__l12453-l12516
passage_sha256=6f066f208b3dff3f4afc193709e19db5e0e173ed9c55d3cbc3822a848cf537f8