Gist of the Lesson – A Bottle of Dew
Rama Natha, the son of a wealthy landlord, inherited vast land and property. Instead of managing it wisely, he became obsessed with finding a magic potion that could turn things into gold. He wasted his wealth on false promises and ignored his wife Madhumati’s worries.
One day, he met a sage named Mahipati, who told him that he could make such a potion by collecting five liters of morning dew from banana leaves in winter. To do that, Rama Natha had to plant banana trees himself, care for them daily, and gather dew every morning.
At first, Rama Natha thought this task was impossible, but he decided to try. As he worked hard caring for the plants, his empty fields turned green and fruitful. After six years, he had a huge banana plantation and earned good money by selling bananas.
When he finally brought the dew to the sage, the sage smiled, chanted a few words, and asked him to test it. Nothing happened. Then, the sage opened a box filled with gold coins — earned through Rama Natha’s own labor — and said:
Moral of A Bottle of Dew
The story teaches that hard work, persistence, and practical effort are worth more than any illusion of instant success.
True magic lies not in shortcuts, but in steady and sincere effort.
न कि किसी चमत्कार या जादुई उपाय में।
This folk tale encourages children to think, act, and choose wisely in life.
Let Us Discuss – A Bottle of Dew
1. What did Rama Natha believe?
ANS. Rama Natha believed in a magic potion that could turn things into gold.
2. How did the sage help Rama Natha?
ANS. The sage helped him by telling him to collect dew from banana leaves for a “magic potion,” making him work hard.
3. Do you think Rama Natha will be able to collect the dew? Give the reason.
ANS. Yes, he should. The sage said he could plant many banana plants, so with effort, he’ll manage to collect it.
4. Why was Rama Natha angry?
ANS. Rama Natha was angry because the collected dew could not turn anything into gold, so he thought he was cheated by the sage.
5. How did Rama Natha and Madhumati create wealth?
ANS. Rama Natha and Madhumati created wealth by selling bananas in the market.
Let Us Think and Reflect
Read the following lines and answer the questions:
He spent all his time to learn 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 worried because she saw how much money Rama Natha was spending.
(i) Complete the sentence:
Rama Natha did not ‘give up’ because - he was determined to learn about the magic potion.
| What Happened | Outcome |
|---|---|
| A. People promised to tell Rama Natha about the magic potion. | He was often cheated by them. |
| B. Rama Natha was spending a lot of money. | His wife, Madhumati, was worried they would soon be without money. |
| Statement | Answer |
|---|---|
| A. Madhumati was troubled about what her husband did. | ✔️ |
| B. Rama Natha was very happy digging his fields. | ❌ |
| C. The sage wanted to show the right path to Rama Natha. | ✔️ |
2. Carefully read and answer:
The sage smiled, muttered something over the water, and asked Rama Natha to try it. He sprinkled drops on a copper vessel, but nothing happened.
(i) Correct order:
A. The sage smiled
B. Rama Natha gave the bottle
C. Dropped water on vessel
D. Said something softly
E. Waited for result
Answer: (b) B, A, D, C, E
(ii) Fill in the blank:
Seeing that the plant had dried up, the gardener dropped some water on it.
(iii) How might Rama Natha have felt?
Rama Natha might have felt surprised, disappointed, confused and angry because he was expecting the magic to work.
Answer the Following Questions
1. 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, water it regularly with his own hands, and in winter collect the morning dew from its leaves. He had to collect five litres of dew and bring it to the sage.
2. Why did the sage ask Rama Natha to do everything himself?
ANSWER: The sage wanted Rama Natha to work hard and take responsibility. He knew that only by working on his own land and looking after the plants himself, Rama Natha would understand the value of labour and earn real wealth.
3. How could Rama Natha have a big banana plantation after six years?
ANSWER: Rama Natha started by cleaning his empty fields and planting rows of banana plants. Every year he planted more plants and tended them carefully. Over the years, the plantation grew larger and larger, giving them a big banana farm after six years.
4. How did the sage make Rama Natha believe that there is no magic potion?
ANSWER: When Rama Natha brought the dew after six years, the sage pretended to chant magic words over it and asked him to try it on a copper vessel. When nothing happened, the sage revealed the box of gold coins earned from selling bananas, proving that hard work, not magic, had created the wealth.
| Before Meeting the Sage | After Meeting the Sage |
|---|---|
| Spent time and money searching for a magic potion | Cleaned his fields and planted banana plants |
| Ignored his land and wasted money on false promises | Worked hard, tended plants, and earned money from selling bananas |
PART II OF A BOTTLE OF DEW
FOR – LET US LEARN, LET US LISTEN, LET US SPEAK, LET US WRITE AND LET US EXPLORE ACTIVITY, PLEASE CLICK THE LINK GIVEN IN THE BELOW
