batch.motif.celtic-irish-tain-bo-cualnge-dunn-gutenberg-l15215-l15340
---
record_id: batch.motif.celtic-irish-tain-bo-cualnge-dunn-gutenberg-l15215-l15340
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-irish/project-gutenberg/tain-bo-cualnge-dunn.md
passage_locator:
label: HERE NOW THE DEER-STALKING OF AMARGIN IN TALTIU / THE ADVENTURES OF CUROI
SON OF DARE FOLLOW NOW / THE REPEATED WARNING OF SUALTAIM / XXVII; lines 15215-15340
start: '15215'
end: '15340'
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: Conchobar confronts Fergus in battle, opposing Fergus with the shield Ochain.
Fergus strikes the shield, which cries aloud and is answered by named waves and
by the shields of the Ulstermen. Conchobar taunts Fergus about exile, dependence,
and past disgrace. Fergus prepares destructive blows with Calad Colg, but Cormac
Conlongas restrains him and urges him not to destroy the Ulstermen. Fergus is
persuaded to direct his anger slantwise over the hosts; after further counsel
by Conall Cernach, his sword from Faery becomes rainbow-sized and cuts the tops
from three hills, forming the three Maels of Meath. Cuchulain hears the striking
of Conchobar's shield and asks Laeg who dares do this while he lives.
language: English
quote_policy: summarized
literal_observations:
- id: obs:1
text: Conchobar moves to the place where he hears the battle has gone against him
from the north and rushes at Fergus.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:2
text: Conchobar raises Ochain, his shield with four ears of gold and four bracings
of red gold, against Fergus.
category: object
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:3
text: Fergus strikes Ochain three times with blows called blows of Badb; the shield
cries aloud, named waves answer, and the shields of all the Ulstermen cry out.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:4
text: Fergus publicly asks who opposes a shield to him in the battle of the Cattle-raid
of Cualnge.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:5
text: Conchobar answers by identifying himself through lineage and royal status
and by taunting Fergus about exile, dependence on a woman, and the deaths of the
sons of Usnech.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:6
text: Fergus places both hands on Calad Colg and intends to strike three fateful
blows of Badb on the men of Ulster so that their dead would outnumber their living.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:7
text: Cormac Conlongas rushes to Fergus, closes his hands over him outside his armour,
and urges him not to slay and destroy the Ulstermen.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:8
text: Cormac suggests that Fergus turn his hand slantwise and slice off the hill-tops
over the heads of the hosts as an appeasement of anger.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:9
text: Fergus agrees to stop belabouring the hosts if Conchobar withdraws to his
place in the battle, and Conchobar does so.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:10
text: Fergus later kills a hundred warriors of Ulster in the first onslaught with
the sword before Conall Cernach tells him his rage is too great and advises him
to smite hills and bushes.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:11
text: The sword of Fergus is described as the sword of Lete from Faery and as becoming
the size of a rainbow in the air when he wishes to strike with it.
category: attribute
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:12
text: Fergus turns his hand slantwise over the hosts and cuts the tops from three
hills, which are identified as the three Maels of Meath.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:13
text: Cuchulain hears Ochain being struck and asks Laeg who dares strike Conchobar's
shield while Cuchulain is alive; Laeg identifies Fergus as the striker.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
figures:
- id: fig:1
name_or_label: Conchobar son of Fachtna Fathach
description: High King of Ulster; he opposes Fergus with Ochain and later withdraws
to his place in battle.
role_refs:
- role:1
- role:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:3
- id: fig:2
name_or_label: Fergus mac Roig
description: Warrior who strikes Conchobar's shield, prepares destructive blows
against the Ulstermen, is restrained, and later cuts hilltops with his sword.
role_refs:
- role:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:3
- ev:4
- ev:5
- ev:6
- id: fig:3
name_or_label: Cormac Conlongas son of Conchobar
description: Foster-son of Fergus who physically restrains him and advises him to
divert his blows from the Ulstermen to the hill-tops.
role_refs:
- role:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: fig:4
name_or_label: Conall Cernach
description: He meets Fergus after Fergus has killed a hundred Ulster warriors and
advises him to strike hills and bushes instead of people and kindred.
role_refs:
- role:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: fig:5
name_or_label: Cuchulain
description: He hears Ochain struck and asks who dares strike Conchobar's shield
while he is alive.
role_refs:
- role:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: fig:6
name_or_label: Laeg
description: He answers Cuchulain by identifying Fergus mac Roig as the one striking
Ochain.
role_refs:
- role:7
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: fig:7
name_or_label: Ulstermen
description: Group whose shields cry out when Ochain cries and whom Fergus threatens
with destructive blows.
role_refs:
- role:8
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:3
- ev:4
- id: fig:8
name_or_label: hosts / men of Erin
description: The assembled forces over whose heads Fergus is advised to turn his
blows, and in whose sight the cut hilltops are said to remain.
role_refs:
- role:9
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- ev:5
roles:
- id: role:1
label: kingly shield-opponent
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: Conchobar raises Ochain against Fergus and is identified as High King of
Ulster.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: role:2
label: enraged wielder of destructive sword
assigned_to:
- fig:2
basis: Fergus strikes Ochain, plans fateful blows against Ulster, kills warriors,
and cuts hilltops with his sword.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:3
- ev:4
- ev:5
- id: role:3
label: restraining foster-son and mediator
assigned_to:
- fig:3
basis: Cormac rushes to Fergus, restrains him with his hands, warns him not to destroy
the Ulstermen, and relays terms to Conchobar.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: role:4
label: counselor redirecting rage
assigned_to:
- fig:4
basis: Conall tells Fergus that his rage is too great and advises him to strike
hills and bushes.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: role:5
label: speaker of taunt and lineage claim
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: Conchobar answers Fergus with a speech invoking Fergus's losses and Conchobar's
own ancestry and royal status.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: role:6
label: distant hearer and defender-questioner
assigned_to:
- fig:5
basis: Cuchulain hears Ochain being struck and asks who dares do this while he is
alive.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: role:7
label: identifier of the attacker
assigned_to:
- fig:6
basis: Laeg answers Cuchulain and names Fergus as the one striking Ochain.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: role:8
label: threatened kin-group and responsive shields
assigned_to:
- fig:7
basis: The shields of the Ulstermen cry out with Ochain, and Fergus threatens the
men of Ulster with deadly blows.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:3
- id: role:9
label: assembled witnesses and battlefield hosts
assigned_to:
- fig:8
basis: The battle is before the men of Erin, and Fergus's diverted blows pass over
the heads of the hosts.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- ev:5
symbols:
- id: sym:1
label: Ochain, Conchobar's crying shield
literal_form: Shield with four ears of gold and four bracings of red gold that cries
aloud when struck.
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:5
- fig:6
- fig:7
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:6
- id: sym:2
label: Three named waves answering the shield
literal_form: The Wave of Clidna, the Wave of Rudraige, and the Wave of Tuag answer
Ochain's cry.
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
taxonomy_refs:
- water
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: sym:3
label: Calad Colg / sword of Fergus
literal_form: Sword of Fergus, called Calad Colg and also the sword of Lete from
Faery.
associated_figures:
- fig:2
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:5
- id: sym:4
label: Rainbow-sized sword in the air
literal_form: When Fergus desires to strike with the sword, it becomes the size
of a rainbow in the air.
associated_figures:
- fig:2
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: sym:5
label: Three fateful blows of Badb
literal_form: Three destructive blows associated with Fergus's intended attack on
the men of Ulster.
associated_figures:
- fig:2
- fig:7
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: sym:6
label: Three cut hilltops / three Maels of Meath
literal_form: The three tops of three hills cut off by Fergus and said to remain
on the moor as the three Maels of Meath.
associated_figures:
- fig:2
- fig:8
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
scenes:
- id: scene:1
label: Conchobar and Fergus clash shield to sword
summary: Conchobar confronts Fergus and raises Ochain. Fergus strikes the shield
three times; Ochain cries out, named waves answer, and the Ulster shields cry
out.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:7
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:2
- sym:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: scene:2
label: Public taunt between Fergus and Conchobar
summary: Fergus challenges the identity of his shield-opponent, and Conchobar answers
with a lineage assertion and a speech reproaching Fergus's exile, dependence,
and former failure of protection.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:8
symbol_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: scene:3
label: Cormac restrains Fergus and negotiates withdrawal
summary: Fergus prepares to unleash deadly blows on the Ulstermen, but Cormac restrains
him, urges mercy toward Ulster, suggests cutting hilltops instead, and relays
Fergus's condition that Conchobar withdraw.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
- fig:7
- fig:8
symbol_refs:
- sym:3
- sym:5
- sym:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: scene:4
label: Conall redirects Fergus after further slaughter
summary: After Fergus kills a hundred Ulster warriors, Conall Cernach condemns his
rage and tells him to strike the hills and bushes.
figure_refs:
- fig:2
- fig:4
- fig:7
symbol_refs:
- sym:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: scene:5
label: Fergus cuts the hilltops with the sword from Faery
summary: The sword of Fergus is described as a Faery sword that becomes rainbow-sized;
Fergus turns it over the hosts and cuts the tops from three hills, identified
as the three Maels of Meath.
figure_refs:
- fig:2
- fig:8
symbol_refs:
- sym:3
- sym:4
- sym:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: scene:6
label: Cuchulain hears Ochain struck
summary: Cuchulain hears the blows on Conchobar's shield and asks Laeg who dares
strike it while he lives; Laeg names Fergus.
figure_refs:
- fig:2
- fig:5
- fig:6
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
candidate_motifs:
- id: motif:1
label: Crying or sounding shield that summons wider response
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: Ochain cries aloud when struck; named waves and the shields of all Ulstermen
answer it.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
confidence: high
cautions: The passage states the shield and responses literally within the epic
action; broader symbolic meaning is not specified here.
- id: motif:2
label: Destructive rage diverted into landscape transformation
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: Fergus intends deadly blows against the Ulstermen, but Cormac and Conall
redirect him toward hills and bushes; he cuts off three hilltops, leaving named
landmarks.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:4
- ev:5
confidence: high
cautions: The passage gives an etiological explanation for the hilltops, but does
not frame it as a general mythic category.
- id: motif:3
label: Supernatural weapon expanding to immense size
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: Fergus's sword from Faery becomes the size of a rainbow in the air when he
wishes to strike with it.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
confidence: high
cautions: Only the weapon changes size; no figure is described as shapeshifting.
- id: motif:4
label: Kinship and fosterage restraining battlefield violence
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: Cormac, described as Conchobar's son and Fergus's foster-son, restrains Fergus
and persuades him not to destroy the Ulstermen.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
confidence: medium
cautions: The social function of fosterage is inferred from the stated relationship
and action, but the passage does not explicitly discuss fosterage as an institution.
- id: motif:5
label: Warrior taunt invoking exile, dependence, and failed protection
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: Conchobar taunts Fergus with loss of land, dependence on a woman, and the
deaths of the sons of Usnech under his protection.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
confidence: medium
cautions: This is a rhetorical pattern in the passage rather than a clearly marked
supernatural motif.
comparison_claims: []
evidence:
- id: ev:1
type: summary
locator: lines 15215-15231
quote_or_summary: Conchobar rushes at Fergus and raises Ochain, his gold-adorned
shield; Fergus gives it three blows of Badb, making it cry aloud, with the three
chief waves of Erin and the shields of all Ulstermen answering.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-irish/project-gutenberg/tain-bo-cualnge-dunn.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized rather than quoted.
- id: ev:2
type: summary
locator: lines 15232-15261
quote_or_summary: Fergus asks who opposes a shield to him in the battle, and Conchobar
answers with a speech naming his lineage and royal status while reproaching Fergus
for exile, dependence, and the death of the sons of Usnech under his safeguard.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-irish/project-gutenberg/tain-bo-cualnge-dunn.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized rather than quoted.
- id: ev:3
type: summary
locator: lines 15262-15302
quote_or_summary: Fergus takes Calad Colg and plans three fateful blows against
Ulster; Cormac Conlongas restrains him, asks him not to destroy the Ulstermen,
suggests cutting hilltops over the hosts, and relays Fergus's condition that Conchobar
return to his place in the battle.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-irish/project-gutenberg/tain-bo-cualnge-dunn.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized rather than quoted.
- id: ev:4
type: summary
locator: lines 15303-15311
quote_or_summary: Fergus turns away, kills a hundred warriors of Ulster with the
sword, and is told by Conall Cernach that his rage against people and kindred
is too great; Conall advises him to smite hills and bushes.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-irish/project-gutenberg/tain-bo-cualnge-dunn.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized rather than quoted.
- id: ev:5
type: summary
locator: lines 15312-15327
quote_or_summary: Fergus's sword is described as the sword of Lete from Faery, becoming
the size of a rainbow in the air when he desires to strike; Fergus turns it slantwise
over the hosts and cuts the tops from three hills, identified as the three Maels
of Meath.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-irish/project-gutenberg/tain-bo-cualnge-dunn.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized rather than quoted.
- id: ev:6
type: summary
locator: lines 15328-15340
quote_or_summary: Cuchulain hears Fergus striking Ochain and asks Laeg who dares
strike Conchobar's shield while Cuchulain lives; Laeg answers that Fergus mac
Roig is striking it.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/celtic-irish/project-gutenberg/tain-bo-cualnge-dunn.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized rather than quoted.
confidence:
extraction: high
motif_candidates: medium
comparison_claims: high
notes: Extraction is based only on the supplied passage. Candidate motifs are descriptive
and not linked to external comparisons. No comparison claims were added because
the passage itself does not support a cross-textual or historical 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: |-
All entries cite passage evidence. Taxonomy references are limited to the available symbol reference 'water' for the named waves; no motif-family taxonomy reference was assigned.
batch_run_id=motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority
custom_id=motif_extract:celtic-irish-tain-bo-cualnge-dunn-gutenberg__l15215-l15340
passage_sha256=8dc59b0c9bd4d38132bff08ef91ac255276b4c861674dc509cc0e6b7b3500025