A Bottle of Dew Unit 1 – Fables and Folk Tales Class 6 English Poorvi

Passage – Rama Natha was the son of a rich landlord. His father left him large tracts of land when he died. But Rama Natha did not spend even one day looking after his land. This was because he had a funny idea—he believed there was a magic potion that could turn any object into gold. He spent all his time learning more about this potion. People cheated him often, promising to tell him about it, but he did not give up. His wife, Madhumati, was tired of this and also worried because she saw how much money Rama Natha was spending. She was sure that soon they would be without money.

Word meanings
large tracts of land: large areas of land
potion: a liquid with magical properties
give up: stop trying 

Explanation of the above passage – Sudha Murty has beautifully portrayed the gullible nature of Rama Natha through his obsession with the magic potion even after being constantly deceived by many fraud sages. He is determined to find a magic potion that turns things into gold. Murthy has used a magic potion as a symbol of a shortcut to success, which doesn’t exist in reality. Unlike Rama, his wife, Madumati had a practical aspect towards life. She believes that success can be earned through hard work and perseverance. She was worried that they would be penniless in the future if Rama continued to spend his money on the fraud sages.

Passage – One day, a famous sage called Mahipati came to their town. Rama Natha became his follower and asked him about the potion. To his surprise, the sage answered, “Yes, in my travels in the Himalayas, I heard how you could make such a potion. But it is difficult.”
“Tell me!” requested Rama Natha, not believing his luck.
“You have to plant a banana plant and water it regularly with your hands. In winter, the morning dew is on the leaves. You have to collect the dew and store it in a bottle. When you have five litres of dew, bring it to me. I will chant some magic words, which will turn it into the magic potion. A drop of the potion will change any object into gold.”

Word meanings
dew: small drops of water on leaves that form during the night
chant: to repeat or sing a word or phrase

Explanation of the above passage – The sage who visited their town recognises Rama’s obsession with magic potion. Instead of denying it, he used his obsession to change his outlook towards success and hard work. The sage had completely transformed him; he was living the life of a hard-working man. He planted the seeds of perseverance and hard work in his mind, by giving him the idea to plant banana trees.

Passage – Rama Natha was worried. “But winter is only for a few months. It will take me years to collect five litres of dew.”
“You can plant as many banana plants as you want. But remember, you must look after them yourself and collect the dew with your own hands.”

Rama Natha went home and, after talking to his wife, started cleaning his large fields, which had been lying empty all these years. There he planted rows and rows of banana plants. He tended them carefully and, during the winter months, collected the dew that formed on them with great care. His wife helped him too. Madhumati gathered the banana crop, took it to the market and got a good price for it. Over the years, Rama Natha planted more and more plants and they had a huge banana plantation. At the end of six years, he finally had his five litres of dew.

Word meanings
tended: looked after

Explanation of the above passage – The land owned by Rama represents his barren mindset only devoted to a magic potion that could turn things into gold. It was only with the sage’s guidance that he was able to plant the seeds of success, which otherwise was left barren. He was determined to collect five litres of winter dew for which he persistently worked on the field, eventually helping him to own a huge banana plantation. Madhumati plays an important role as a supportive spouse. She stood by Rama, despite his obsession with magic potion. She helped him collect and sell the banana crops in the market. The banana tree, as widely known as the tree of wisdom, symbolises the growth and prosperity in Rama’s life.

Passage – Carefully, he took the bottle to the sage. The sage smiled and muttered something over the water. Then he returned the bottle and said, “Try it out.” Rama Natha sprinkled a few drops on a copper vessel and waited for it to turn to gold. To his surprise, nothing happened!
“This is cheating,” he told the sage. “I have wasted six precious years of my life.”

Word meanings
muttered: spoke in a low voice
precious: valuable

Explanation of the above passage – Rama’s obsession with magic potion has made him think that he has wasted his six years. Ironically, these six years of his life have been the most productive, otherwise, he would have wasted his time on magic potions, as he previously did. He was angry with the sage as he thought he was tricked. 

Passage – But sage Mahipati only smiled and called Madhumati to come forward. She came with a big box when she opened it, inside shined stacks of gold coins!
Now the sage turned to the very surprised Rama Natha and said, “There is no magic potion that can turn things into gold. You worked hard on your land and created this plantation. While you looked after the trees, your wife sold the fruits in the market. That’s how you got this money. It was your hard work that created this wealth, not magic. If I had told you about this earlier, you would have not listened to me, so I have played a trick on you.”
Rama Natha understood the wisdom behind these words and worked even harder on his plantation from that day on.

Word meanings
wisdom: a deep understanding.

Explanation of the above passage – The sage told him that his obsession with a magic potion had blinded him completely, otherwise, he would have told him there are no shortcuts or magic potions for success. The only way to success is through hard work and diligence. The sage has to trick him to teach him a lesson. He plays an important role in Rama’s growth, as he transformed him from a believer in shortcuts to a hard-working man. 

Let us do these activities before we read.

1. Circle the picture that matches with each word. Check your answers by sharing them with your classmates and teacher.

Ans:

Let us discuss

Q 1. What did Rama Natha believe?
Ans. Rama Natha had a blind belief that there was a magic potion that could turn things into gold.

Q 2. How did the sage help Rama Natha?
Ans. The sage who visited the town told Rama Natha that he knew how to make a magic potion. He told him to plant banana plants and collect the morning dew from its leaves. Once he collects five litres of dew, the sage will chant some magical words that will turn the dew into a magic potion.

Q 3. Do you think Rama Natha will be able to collect the dew? Give a reason.
Ans. I think he will be able to collect the dew as he is determined to make a magic potion. His persistence towards a magic potion verdicts his stubbornness towards achieving his goals.

Q 4. Why was Rama Natha angry?
Ans. Rama Natha was angry with the sage as he waited and collected the dew for six years. Yet, after the sage’s chants the sprinkled dew on the copper vessel didn’t turn gold. He felt cheated.

Q 5. How did Rama Natha and Madhumati create wealth?
Ans. Rama Natha and Madhumati had inherited land from Rama Natha’s father. He used this land to grow banana crops, which eventually became a huge banana plantation. Their hard work and dedication have led them to make wealth.

Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow.

(a) He spent all his time learning about the magic potion. People cheated him often, promising to tell him about it, but he did not give up. His wife, Madhumati, was tired of this and also worried because she saw how much money Rama Natha was spending. She was sure that soon they would be without money.

(i) Complete the sentence with a suitable reason.
Rama Natha did not ‘give up’ because _____________________.
Ans. He strongly believed that there was a magic potion that could turn things into gold. 

(ii) Read the column which shows ‘what happened’ and write the correct outcome in the next column.

Ans. 

(iii) Write whether the following statements are True or False.
1. Madhumati was troubled about what her husband did.
2. Rama Natha was very happy digging his fields.
3. The sage wanted to show the right path to Rama Natha.
Ans.
1.  True
2. False
3. True

(b) Carefully, he took the bottle to the sage. The sage smiled and muttered something over the water. Then he returned the bottle and said, “Try it out.” Rama Natha sprinkled a few drops on a copper vessel and waited for it to turn to gold. To his surprise, nothing happened!

(i) 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.
1. a, e, d, b, c
2. b, a, d, c, e
3. c, d, a, b, e
4. a, d, b, e, c
Ans. 2. b, a, d, c, e

(ii) Fill in the blank with the correct word from the lines given above.
Seeing that the plant had dried up, the gardener ____________ some water on it.
Ans. Sprinkled 

(iii) How might Rama Natha have felt when nothing happened to the copper vessel?
Ans. Rama Natha was angry with the sage as he felt the sage had cheated him. He regretted that he had wasted six years of his life.

Answer the following questions.

1. What did the sage ask Rama Natha to do to make the magic potion?
Ans. The sage asked Rama Natha to plant a banana plant and collect the morning dew from its leaves. After he collects five litres of dew, the sage chants some magical words that turn the bottle of dew into a magic potion.

2. Why did the sage ask Rama Natha to do everything himself?
Ans. The sage told Rama Natha that the banana plantation should be under his care as he was spending his time and money on a magic potion which would eventually leave him penniless. Mahipati wanted to turn his productivity towards banana plantations. 

3. How could Rama Natha have a big banana plantation after six years?
Ans. Rama Natha’s father left him a large tract of land, which he cleaned and used to plant banana plants. His hard work and determination eventually helped him earn a banana plantation.

4. How did the sage make Rama Natha believe that there is no magic potion?
Ans. When the collected dew didn’t turn into a magic potion. Rama’s wife came with a box of gold coins. The sage told Rama that no magic potion could turn things into gold. It’s only his hard work that helped him earn his wealth. He could have told him before but he wouldn’t have listened. So, he tricked him into teaching him this lesson.

5. Fill in the ‘before’ and ‘after’ table about Rama Natha.

Ans. 

Answer the following questions.

Q 1. Why did Sudha Murty call Rama’s belief in magic potion ‘funny’?
Ans. Sudha Murty, like Madhumati, doesn’t believe in shortcuts to success like a magic potion. She believes that the only key to success is hard work and willpower.

Q 2. Why Madhumati didn’t confront Rama’s belief?
Ans. Madhumati didn’t confront Rama and his belief in the magic potion because she knew he strongly believed in its existence and wouldn’t listen to her advice.

Q 3. Why did Rama start to work on his inherited land?
Ans. Rama began working on his inherited land in the desire to get a magic potion. The sage Mahipati told him to plant the banana plants and collect the morning dew from its leaves. After collecting five litres of morning dew in a bottle, the sage will chant magic words over it.

Q 4. Why didn’t Mahipati tell Rama the truth about the magic potion?
Ans. Mahipati saw Rama’s strong belief in magic potions. He knew Rama wouldn’t believe his advice, so he tricked him about the magic potion to make him work on his inherited land.

Q 5. Why was Rama angry with the sage Mahipati?
Ans.  After sprinkling the morning dew, the copper bottle didn’t turn gold, and Rama became angry. He felt cheated and was disappointed to have wasted five years of his life.