The Parrot’s Tale Part 2: HSC English Passage Explained

The Parrot’s Tale Part 2: Bangla Translation, Vocabulary and Questions

Introduction

What happens when an education system focuses more on expensive facilities, piles of books and official activities than on actual learning? Rabindranath Tagore explores this question in The Parrot’s Tale, a satirical story about the problems of formal education.

In this part of the story, a goldsmith makes a beautiful gilded cage for the parrot. People admire it, a teacher arrives to teach the bird, and scribes prepare a huge collection of books. Meanwhile, the royal nephews spend their time looking after the expensive cage and managing its maintenance.

This passage reveals how impressive appearances can hide the absence of meaningful education. Below, you will find the English text with Bangla translation, important vocabulary, comprehension questions and answers, and MCQs for HSC English 1st Paper preparation.

The Parrot’s Tale: English Passage with Bangla Translation

1. A goldsmith set to work on a gilded cage.

বাংলা অর্থ: একজন স্বর্ণকার সোনার প্রলেপ দেওয়া একটি খাঁচা তৈরি করতে শুরু করল।

2. It turned out to be of such exquisite workmanship that people from far and near crowded round for a look.

বাংলা অর্থ: খাঁচাটি এত সুন্দর ও নিপুণ কারুকাজে তৈরি হয়েছিল যে দূর-দূরান্ত থেকে মানুষ সেটি দেখতে ভিড় জমাল।

3. Some said, “This is education par excellence.”

বাংলা অর্থ: কেউ কেউ বলল, “এটাই সর্বোৎকৃষ্ট শিক্ষা।”

4. Others said, “Even if it learns nothing, it has got the cage. What a lucky bird.”

বাংলা অর্থ: অন্যরা বলল, “পাখিটি কিছুই না শিখলেও অন্তত একটি খাঁচা তো পেয়েছে। কী ভাগ্যবান পাখি!”

5. The goldsmith was delighted to get a bagful of money as reward and went home at once.

বাংলা অর্থ: পুরস্কার হিসেবে এক ব্যাগ ভর্তি টাকা পেয়ে স্বর্ণকার খুব খুশি হলো এবং সঙ্গে সঙ্গে বাড়ি ফিরে গেল।

6. A teacher came to give lessons to the bird.

বাংলা অর্থ: পাখিটিকে পাঠদান করার জন্য একজন শিক্ষক এলেন।

7. He took a pinch of snuff and declared, “This isn’t a matter of just a few texts.”

বাংলা অর্থ: তিনি এক চিমটি নস্যি নিয়ে ঘোষণা করলেন, “এটি মাত্র কয়েকটি পাঠ্যবইয়ের বিষয় নয়।”

8. One of the royal nephews sent for scribes.

বাংলা অর্থ: রাজপরিবারের একজন ভাগ্নে লিপিকরদের ডেকে পাঠাল।

9. They made multiple copies of various texts until there was a veritable mountain.

বাংলা অর্থ: তারা বিভিন্ন পাঠ্যবইয়ের অসংখ্য অনুলিপি তৈরি করল, যতক্ষণ না সেগুলোর বিশাল স্তূপ প্রায় একটি পাহাড়ের মতো হয়ে উঠল।

10. “Bravo!” exclaimed those who saw it, “There is no room for any more knowledge.”

বাংলা অর্থ: যারা সেই স্তূপ দেখল, তারা উচ্ছ্বসিত হয়ে বলল, “বাহ! আর কোনো জ্ঞান রাখার জায়গা অবশিষ্ট নেই!”

11. The scribes loaded their wages onto bullocks and merrily headed home.

বাংলা অর্থ: লিপিকররা তাদের পারিশ্রমিক গরুর পিঠে বোঝাই করে আনন্দের সঙ্গে বাড়ির পথে রওনা হলো।

12. They would never again want for anything.

বাংলা অর্থ: এরপর থেকে তাদের আর কোনো কিছুর অভাব হওয়ার কথা ছিল না।

13. The nephews were constantly busy looking after the expensive cage.

বাংলা অর্থ: রাজপরিবারের ভাগ্নেরা দামি খাঁচাটির দেখাশোনা নিয়ে সব সময় ব্যস্ত থাকত।

14. Repairs were always under way.

বাংলা অর্থ: খাঁচাটির মেরামতের কাজ সব সময়ই চলতে থাকত।

15. Anyone who saw the endless dusting, wiping and polishing had to agree that there was “marked improvement”.

বাংলা অর্থ: খাঁচাটি অবিরাম ঝাড়পোঁছ, মোছামোছি ও পালিশ করতে দেখে যে কেউ স্বীকার করতে বাধ্য হতো যে “উল্লেখযোগ্য উন্নতি” হচ্ছে।

16. A large maintenance crew was needed, and more personnel to supervise them.

বাংলা অর্থ: খাঁচাটির রক্ষণাবেক্ষণের জন্য একটি বড় কর্মীদল প্রয়োজন হলো, আর সেই কর্মীদের তদারক করার জন্য আরও লোক নিয়োগ করতে হলো।

17. They all got handsome monthly salaries, which they saved in their wooden chests. Even their cousins came to live with them in cushioned comfort.

বাংলা অর্থ: তারা সবাই মোটা অঙ্কের মাসিক বেতন পেত এবং সেই টাকা কাঠের সিন্দুকে জমিয়ে রাখত। এমনকি তাদের আত্মীয়রাও তাদের সঙ্গে এসে আরাম-আয়েশে বসবাস করতে লাগল।

Important Vocabulary with Bangla Meaning

Passage-Based Questions and Answers

1. What did the goldsmith make?

Answer: The goldsmith made a beautiful gilded cage for the parrot.

2. Why did people come from far and near?

Answer: People came from far and near to admire the exquisite workmanship of the gilded cage.

3. Why did some people praise the cage as excellent education?

Answer: They admired the beautiful cage and mistakenly treated its appearance as a sign of excellent education, even though the parrot might learn nothing.

4. Why did the teacher say that the task was not a matter of just a few texts?

Answer: The teacher suggested that educating the parrot required more than a few texts, leading to the preparation of numerous copies of different books.

5. Why were scribes called?

Answer: The royal nephews called the scribes to prepare multiple copies of various texts for the parrot’s education.

6. What did the scribes do after completing their work?

Answer: The scribes loaded their wages onto bullocks and happily headed home.

7. What kept the royal nephews busy?

Answer: The royal nephews remained busy looking after the expensive cage and arranging for its regular repairs and maintenance.

8. What does “marked improvement” mean in this passage?

Answer: Literally, it means noticeable improvement. However, in this satirical passage, it ironically refers to the apparent progress created by cleaning and polishing the cage rather than improving the parrot’s knowledge.

9. Why was a large maintenance crew needed?

Answer: A large maintenance crew was needed to maintain the expensive cage, while additional personnel were appointed to supervise the workers.

10. What is the main message of this passage?

Answer: The passage criticizes an education system that prioritizes expensive facilities, piles of books and unnecessary administration over genuine learning.

Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQs)

1. Who made the gilded cage?

A. A teacher
B. A goldsmith
C. A royal scholar
D. A scribe

Answer: B. A goldsmith

2. What does “gilded” mean?

A. Made of wood
B. Covered with a layer of gold
C. Painted black
D. Made of iron

Answer: B. Covered with a layer of gold

3. What attracted people to the cage?

A. Its exquisite workmanship
B. Its collection of books
C. Its large maintenance crew
D. Its wooden structure

Answer: A. Its exquisite workmanship

4. Who came to give lessons to the parrot?

A. A goldsmith
B. A teacher
C. A merchant
D. A royal guard

Answer: B. A teacher

5. Who prepared multiple copies of the texts?

A. The scribes
B. The goldsmiths
C. The merchants
D. The maintenance workers

Answer: A. The scribes

6. What did the texts form after many copies were made?

A. A small bundle
B. A huge pile
C. A wooden cage
D. A royal library building

Answer: B. A huge pile

7. What does “under way” mean?

A. Completed
B. In progress
C. Cancelled
D. Forgotten

Answer: B. In progress

8. What does “handsome salaries” mean?

A. Very low salaries
B. High or generous salaries
C. Unpaid work
D. Irregular working hours

Answer: B. High or generous salaries

9. Which literary technique is prominent in the passage?

A. Satire
B. Romance
C. Mystery
D. Epic description

Answer: A. Satire

10. What does the story criticize?

A. The beauty of birds
B. The goldsmith’s skill
C. Education focused on outward appearances rather than real learning
D. The use of wooden chests

Answer: C. Education focused on outward appearances rather than real learning

Summary of The Parrot’s Tale Part 2

In this part of The Parrot’s Tale, a goldsmith creates an expensive gilded cage for the parrot. People admire the cage and praise it as a symbol of excellent education, even though the bird may learn nothing. A teacher arrives and suggests that the task requires more than a few texts. The royal nephews then call scribes, who produce numerous copies of books and receive generous payment. Later, the nephews focus on maintaining the costly cage. A large workforce is hired, and the workers and supervisors receive good salaries. Through these events, Rabindranath Tagore satirizes an education system that values books, buildings, administration and outward appearances more than meaningful learning.

What Is the Central Theme of the Passage?

The central theme is the difference between genuine education and the outward appearance of educational progress.

The gilded cage represents expensive facilities, while the huge pile of books represents an excessive emphasis on educational materials. The maintenance workers and supervisors illustrate how administrative activities can expand without necessarily improving learning.

Tagore uses satire and irony to question a system that celebrates visible activity and financial expenditure without showing whether the learner has actually gained knowledge.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Who wrote The Parrot’s Tale?

Rabindranath Tagore wrote The Parrot’s Tale, a satirical story that questions the weaknesses of formal education.

2. What is the meaning of “gilded cage” in the story?

A gilded cage is a cage covered with a layer of gold. Symbolically, it represents expensive facilities and outward appearances that may conceal a lack of genuine learning.

3. Why is this passage satirical?

The passage is satirical because people celebrate the cage, books and maintenance activities as signs of educational success without establishing whether the parrot is learning anything.

4. What is the main lesson of The Parrot’s Tale?

The story suggests that genuine education depends on actual learning and understanding, not merely on textbooks, impressive facilities or administrative activities.

Conclusion

This part of The Parrot’s Tale shows how an education system can become preoccupied with appearances, books, money and maintenance while overlooking the learner’s actual progress. Understanding the vocabulary, translation and satirical message will help HSC students prepare for passage-based comprehension and related questions.

Read the previous part: [The Parrot’s Tale Part 1: Bangla Meaning and Vocabulary ]

For more HSC English 1st Paper passage explanations, vocabulary lessons and exam preparation resources, explore Syllabussolve Academy.