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# States of trouble and relief

**Gist.** Some character states are trouble (captive, frightened, wounded, hungry), others are relief (free, safe, fed, grateful). Whoever caused trouble to another harmed them; whoever removed trouble helped.

**Conditions and exceptions.** Trouble from nature or accident carries no guilt. Punishment for wrongdoing by a fair court is not evil (outside fables).

**Examples.** The lion caught the mouse — the mouse is captive and frightened (trouble caused by the lion). The lion let it go — the mouse is free (relief from the lion). The mouse gnawed through the net — the lion is free (relief from the mouse).

**Sources.** Aesop's fables; ARIS (world state as quantities in containers) carried over to character states.

```
harm_state: captive afraid hurt injured wounded dead pain hungry trapped sad ashamed tired gnawed
relief_state: free safe fed grateful relieved happy saved amused winner
```

```
harm_state -> harm : a character's trouble is harm to them
relief_state -> help : removing trouble is helping
```

```
help: help aid
```

```
theft: steal rob snatch pilfer
```

```
theft -> harm : theft — taking another's property without the owner's consent (FrameNet: Theft)
```

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