Unit 1: Fables and Folk Tales
1-A Bottle of Dew
2-The Raven and the Fox
3-Rama to the Rescue
1. A Bottle of Dew (ओस की एक बोतल)
English Summary:
Rama Natha is a rich but lazy man who foolishly believes in a magic potion that can turn anything into gold. He spends all his time and money searching for it, worrying his wife, Madhumati. One day, a sage named Mahipati tells him the “secret”: he must plant banana trees, care for them himself, and collect morning dew from their leaves until he has five litres. The sage promises to then chant magic words to create the potion. Rama Natha, desperate for the potion, works hard with his wife for six years. He successfully creates a huge banana plantation, and his wife sells the fruit, making them wealthy. When he finally brings the dew, the sage “chants” over it, but the potion doesn’t work. Enraged, Rama Natha feels cheated. The sage then reveals the truth: there is no magic. The real wealth came from their hard work on the plantation. The sage had tricked him into becoming productive. Rama Natha learns the value of hard work.
हिंदी सारांश (Hindi Summary):
राम नाथ एक अमीर लेकिन आलसी आदमी है जो एक जादुई पोशन (द्रव्य) में विश्वास करता है जो किसी भी चीज़ को सोने में बदल सकता है। वह इसकी तलाश में अपना सारा समय और पैसा बर्बाद कर देता है, जिससे उसकी पत्नी, मधुमती, चिंतित हो जाती है। एक दिन, एक संत महीपति उसे एक “रहस्य” बताता है: उसे केले के पेड़ लगाने होंगे, उनकी खुद देखभाल करनी होगी और उनकी पत्तियों से सुबह की ओस इकट्ठा करनी होगी जब तक उसके पास पाँच लीटर न हो जाए। संत वादा करता है कि फिर वह कुछ जादू के शब्द बोलकर उसे पोशन बना देगा। पोशन की चाह में, राम नाथ छह साल तक अपनी पत्नी के साथ कड़ी मेहनत करता है। वह एक विशाल केले का बागान बना लेता है और उसकी पत्नी फल बेचकर अच्छा पैसा कमाती है। जब वह अंततः ओस लेकर संत के पास पहुँचता है, तो संत उस पर “मंत्र” पढ़ता है, लेकिन पोशन काम नहीं करता। गुस्से में, राम नाथ को लगता है कि उसे धोखा दिया गया है। तब संत सच्चाई बताता है: कोई जादू नहीं है। असली दौलत उनकी मेहनत से बने बागान से आई थी। संत ने उसे उत्पादक बनाने के लिए एक चाल चली थी। राम नाथ मेहनत का value समझ जाता है।
2. The Raven and the Fox (कौआ और लोमड़ी)
English Summary:
This is a famous fable in poem form. A raven is sitting on a tree branch holding a piece of food in its beak. A cunning fox named Reynard sees this and wants the food. He tricks the raven by using flattery. He praises the raven’s handsome appearance and beautiful feathers, and says that if the raven’s voice is as beautiful as its looks, it would be the king of all birds. The vain raven, filled with foolish pride, falls for the trick. To show off its voice, it opens its beak to sing. The moment it does, the food falls to the ground. The fox quickly grabs it, laughs at the raven, and tells him the moral: never believe flatterers who make you proud, as pride is unwise.
हिंदी सारांश (Hindi Summary):
यह एक प्रसिद्ध नीति कथा है जो कविता के रूप में है। एक कौवा एक पेड़ की डाल पर बैठा है और अपनी चोंच में भोजन का एक टुकड़ा पकड़े हुए है। एक चालाक लोमड़ी (रेनार्ड) इसे देखती है और वह भोजन चाहती है। वह चापलूसी करके कौवे को बेवकूफ बनाती है। वह कौवे की सुंदरता और खूबसूरत पंखों की तारीफ करती है, और कहती है कि अगर कौवे की आवाज़ उसके रूप जितनी ही खूबसूरत है, तो वह सभी पक्षियों का राजा होगा। घमंडी कौवा, मूर्खतापूर्ण गर्व से भरकर, इस चाल में आ जाता है। अपनी आवाज़ दिखाने के लिए, वह गाने के लिए अपनी चोंच खोलता है। जैसे ही वह ऐसा करता है, भोजन जमीन पर गिर जाता है। लोमड़ी तुरंत उसे उठा लेती है, कौवे पर हंसती है, और उसे सीख देती है: कभी भी चापलूसों पर विश्वास मत करो जो तुम्हें गर्वित करते हैं, क्योंकि घमंड बुद्धिमानी नहीं है।
3. Rama to the Rescue (रामा बचाव के लिए)
English Summary:
A tired couple is about to sleep when the wife hears a noise. She realizes a thief has broken into their house. The thief is hiding, waiting for them to sleep so he can steal their money. The clever couple quickly devises a plan. They start a loud conversation about what to name their future children. They decide that if it’s a boy, they will name him Rama (which is also the name of the village police officer, the kotwal). They talk about calling out to their son “Rama” at different volumes depending on where he is—softly if he’s inside, louder if he’s in the yard, and very loudly if he’s on the street. Finally, the wife shouts “RAMA! RAMA!” very loudly. The thief thinks it’s a silly game, but the real kotwal, Rama, hears his name being called out in distress and rushes to the house. He arrests the thief. The couple’s cleverness and presence of mind save them from being robbed.
हिंदी सारांश (Hindi Summary):
एक थका हुआ जोड़ा सोने ही वाला होता है कि पत्नी को एक आवाज़ सुनाई देती है। उसे एहसास होता है कि एक चोर उनके घर में घुस गया है। चोर छिपा हुआ है, उनके सोने का इंतजार कर रहा है ताकि वह他们的 पैसे चुरा सके। चतुर जोड़ा तुरंत एक योजना बनाता है। वे जोर से बातचीत शुरू करते हैं कि अपने भविष्य के बच्चों का नाम क्या रखें। वे तय करते हैं कि अगर लड़का हुआ तो उसका नाम रामा रखेंगे (जो गाँव के पुलिस अधिकारी, कोतवाल का भी नाम है)। वे इस बारे में बात करते हैं कि अगर उनका बेटा अलग-अलग जगहों पर है तो उसे “रामा” कहकर कैसे बुलाएंगे—अगर वह घर के अंदर है तो धीरे से, अगर आंगन में है तो जोर से, और अगर सड़क पर है तो बहुत जोर से। आखिरकार, पत्नी बहुत जोर से “रामा! रामा!” चिल्लाती है। चोर को लगता है कि यह एक मूर्खतापूर्ण खेल है, लेकिन असली कोतवाल, रामा, अपना नाम संकट में सुनकर घर की ओर दौड़ता है। वह चोर को गिरफ्तार कर लेता है। जोड़े की चतुराई और presence of mind उन्हें लूटे जाने से बचा लेती है।
1. A Bottle of Dew
Before Reading
After Reading
- Question: What did Rama Natha believe?
Answer: Rama Natha believed there was a magic potion that could turn any object into gold. - Question: How did the sage help Rama Natha?
Answer: The sage told Rama Natha to plant banana plants, water them, collect the dew, and bring it to him to make the potion. - Question: Do you think Rama Natha will be able to collect the dew? Give a reason.
Answer: (This is an opinion-based question. A possible answer is: Yes, because he is determined/No, because it will take too long) - Question: Why was Rama Natha angry?
Answer: Rama Natha was angry because the potion didn’t turn the vessel to gold, and he felt he had wasted his time. - Question: How did Rama Natha and Madhumati create wealth?
Answer: They created wealth by working hard on their land, growing bananas, and selling them in the market.
Think & Reflect
- Question: Complete the sentence with a suitable reason: Rama Natha did not ‘give up’ because…
Answer: (Answer will vary, example: he believed in the potion)
Table Questions
- Question: What Happened: People promised to tell Rama Natha about the magic potion. Outcome: ?
Answer: Outcome: They cheated him. - Question: What Happened: Rama Natha was spending a lot of money. Outcome: ?
Answer: Outcome: His wife was worried they would be without money.
True/False Questions
- Question: Madhumati was troubled about what her husband did.
Answer: True - Question: Rama Natha was very happy digging his fields.
Answer: False - Question: The sage wanted to show the right path to Rama Natha.
Answer: True
Question: Choose the option that lists the events given below in the correct order:
a. The sage smiled.
b. Rama Natha gave the bottle to the sage.
c. Rama Natha dropped a few drops of water on a copper vessel.
d. He said something in a low voice over the water.
e. Rama Natha waited to see if the magic worked.
Answer: 2. b, a, d, c, e
- Question: How might Rama Natha have felt when nothing happened to the copper vessel?
Answer: (Answer will vary, examples: disappointed, frustrated, angry) - Question: What did the sage ask Rama Natha to do to make the magic potion?
Answer: The sage asked Rama Natha to plant a banana plant and water it regularly, collect the dew, and bring five liters of it to him. - Question: Why did the sage ask Rama Natha to do everything himself?
Answer: (This is inferential, but the answer is to make him work hard) - Question: How could Rama Natha have a big banana plantation after six years?
Answer: Rama Natha planted rows of banana plants and tended them carefully over the years. - Question: How did the sage make Rama Natha believe that there is no magic potion?
Answer: The sage showed Rama Natha the gold coins that they earned through hard work.
Fill in the ‘before’ and ‘after’ table about Rama Natha
- What he did before meeting the sage: (Answers will vary, examples: Spent time looking for magic potion, did not look after his land)
- What he did after meeting the sage: (Answers will vary, examples: Cleaned his fields, planted banana plants, worked hard)
Let us learn
- (Vocabulary exercise)
- (Homophones exercise)
- (Sentence matching exercise)
- (Listening exercise)
- (Speaking exercise)
- (Writing exercise)
2. The Raven and the Fox
Before Reading
- Question: Which animal is shown to be cunning in stories?
Answer: (b) fox
Let us discuss
Fill in the blanks by choosing the correct option:
(a) Stanza 1
- Question: Mr Raven is a ________. (bird/frog)
Answer: bird - Question: The name of the fox is ________. (Raven/Reynard)
Answer: Reynard - Question: Mr Raven had ________ in his beak. (a piece of food/ a bunch of leaves)
Answer: a piece of food
(b) Stanza 2
- Question: The Fox calls the Raven a ________ bird. (foolish/good-looking)
Answer: good-looking - Question: The Fox asks the Raven to ________. (dance/sing)
Answer: sing - Question: The Raven and the Fox live in the ________. (trees/woods)
Answer: woods
(c) Stanza 3
- Question: The Raven ________ that he croaked. (remembered/forgot)
Answer: forgot - Question: The Raven opened its beak to ________. (eat/sing)
Answer: sing - Question: The ________ fell down. (food/Raven)
Answer: food
(d) Stanza 4
- Question: The Fox ________ at the Raven. (laughed/looked)
Answer: laughed - Question: It is not ________ to be too proud of oneself. (wise/unwise)
Answer: wise - Question: The Raven learnt a ________. (lesson/teaching)
Answer: teaching - Question: Read the poem again and match the words in Column A with their meanings in Column B.Answer:
perched = sat on a branch
morsel = a small piece of food
seek = to look for something
pride = feeling that you are better than others
eyed = looked with interest at something
limb = branch of a tree
woods = a smaller area of forest with similar kinds of trees
Let us think and reflect
- Question: Look at the pictures and number them in the order that they happen in the poem.
Answer: (Picture sequencing activity)
Read the following lines and answer the questions that follow:
(a) “Sir Raven, you are a handsome bird. Such feathers! If you would only sing, The birds of these woods would call you King.”
- Question: ‘Such feathers’ refer to __________________ feathers.
Answer: a. shiny and beautiful - Question: Why would the birds of the woods call the Raven ‘King’?
Answer: (Because of his supposed beautiful singing voice) - Question: Why does the Fox address the Raven as ‘Sir’?
Answer: (To flatter him)
(b) “The Raven, who did not see the joke, Forgot that his voice was just a croak. He opened his beak, in his foolish pride–”
- Question: Why did the Raven open his beak?
Answer: To sing - Question: Complete the following with one word from the given lines. Fox : clever : : Raven : ______________
Answer: foolish - Question: Why does the Raven forget that his voice is just a croak?
Answer: Because the fox flattered him. - Question: How does Reynard make the Raven sing?
Answer: By praising his appearance and voice. - Question: Why does Reynard say that pride is not wise?
Answer: Because it can lead to foolish actions and losing what you have. - Question: Give one reason why the teaching is quite a surprise.
Answer: (Answer will vary, example: The Raven thought he was smart) - Question: Imagine someone praises you too much. How would you react?
Answer: (Personal response question)
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