The Parrot’s Tale Part 3: HSC English Passage Questions & Answers

The Parrot’s Tale Part 3: Bangla Translation, Vocabulary and Questions

Introduction

The Parrot’s Tale by Rabindranath Tagore is a satirical story that criticizes an education system focused on outward appearances rather than genuine learning. In Part 3, the story shows how critics are dismissed, royal rewards are given to flattering officials, and the King becomes more interested in the grand arrangements surrounding the bird’s education than in the bird itself.

In this guide, students will find the Bangla translation, sentence-by-sentence explanations, important vocabulary, comprehension questions and answers, and MCQs for HSC English 1st Paper.

Students who want to review the previous events can also read [The Parrot’s Tale Part 2-এর বাংলা অনুবাদ ও ব্যাখ্যা] before studying this section.

The Parrot’s Tale Part 3: Bangla Translation and Explanation

1. The world is short of many things but not detractors.

বাংলা অনুবাদ: বিশ্বে অনেক কিছুরই অভাব আছে, কিন্তু নিন্দুকের অভাব নেই।

Explanation: The sentence suggests that people who criticize others can be found everywhere. In the story, criticism of the King’s educational system is treated as an inconvenience rather than a chance to discover the truth.

Word meaning:

• Short of = অভাব আছে

• Detractors = নিন্দুক বা সমালোচনাকারী ব্যক্তি

2. They said, “The cage looks better no doubt, but has anyone taken notice of the bird?”

বাংলা অনুবাদ: তারা বলল, “খাঁচাটি নিঃসন্দেহে দেখতে ভালো হয়েছে, কিন্তু কেউ কি পাখিটির খবর নিয়েছে?”

Explanation: The cage has become attractive, but people are concerned that nobody is paying attention to the bird itself. The cage symbolizes the outward structure of education, while the bird represents the learner.

Word meaning:

• No doubt = নিঃসন্দেহে

• Take notice of = খেয়াল করা বা গুরুত্ব দেওয়া

3. This was reported to the King. He said to a nephew, “What’s this I hear?”

বাংলা অনুবাদ: কথাটি রাজাকে জানানো হলো। তিনি এক ভাইপোকে জিজ্ঞাসা করলেন, “আমি যা শুনছি, তা কী?”

Explanation: The King learns that people are criticizing the arrangements. Instead of investigating the bird’s actual learning, he asks his nephew about the criticism.

Word meaning:

• Reported = জানানো হয়েছিল

• Nephew = ভাইপো বা ভাতিজা

• What’s this I hear? = আমি এসব কী শুনছি?

4. “Your Majesty, if you wish to hear the truth, summon the goldsmiths, the scholars, the scribes, the maintenance crew and their supervisors.”

বাংলা অনুবাদ: “মহারাজ, আপনি যদি সত্য জানতে চান, তাহলে স্বর্ণকারদের, পণ্ডিতদের, লিপিকারদের, রক্ষণাবেক্ষণকারী কর্মীদের এবং তাদের তত্ত্বাবধায়কদের ডেকে পাঠান।”

Explanation: The nephew suggests summoning everyone involved in the elaborate educational arrangement. The statement highlights how many people and resources have become involved in maintaining the system.

Word meaning:

• Your Majesty = মহারাজ

• Summon = ডেকে পাঠানো

• Goldsmiths = স্বর্ণকার

• Scholars = পণ্ডিত

• Scribes = লিপিকার

• Maintenance crew = রক্ষণাবেক্ষণকারী কর্মীদল

• Supervisors = তত্ত্বাবধায়ক

5. Those who haven’t got a share of the royal bounty are resorting to slander.

বাংলা অনুবাদ: যারা রাজকীয় দান থেকে কোনো অংশ পায়নি, তারাই অপবাদ দিতে বসেছে।

Explanation: The nephew dismisses the critics by suggesting that they are jealous because they have not received royal benefits. This shows how people in power can discredit criticism instead of addressing legitimate concerns.

Word meaning:

• Royal bounty = রাজকীয় অনুদান বা দান

• Resort to = অবলম্বন করা

• Slander = অপবাদ বা মিথ্যা বদনাম

6. The King saw it as clear as daylight and rewarded his nephew with a gold chain.

বাংলা অনুবাদ: রাজার কাছে বিষয়টি দিনের আলোর মতো পরিষ্কার মনে হলো, আর তিনি তাঁর ভাইপোকে একটি সোনার শিকল পুরস্কার দিলেন।

Explanation: The King accepts his nephew’s explanation without questioning it and rewards him. This reflects the story’s satire of flattery, favoritism, and rewards for pleasing those in authority.

Word meaning:

• Clear as daylight = দিনের আলোর মতো স্পষ্ট

• Rewarded = পুরস্কৃত করলেন

• Gold chain = সোনার শিকল

7. The King wanted to see how quickly the bird’s schooling was progressing.

বাংলা অনুবাদ: পাখিটির শিক্ষালাভ কত দ্রুত এগিয়ে চলেছে, তা রাজা দেখতে চাইলেন।

Explanation: The King now wants to inspect the bird’s progress. However, the story’s earlier events raise an important question: is the bird actually learning, or is everyone merely maintaining the appearance of education?

Word meaning:

• Schooling = শিক্ষালাভ বা প্রাতিষ্ঠানিক শিক্ষা

• Progressing = অগ্রসর হওয়া

8. One day he visited the schoolroom with his friends, counselors and courtiers.

বাংলা অনুবাদ: একদিন তিনি তাঁর বন্ধুদের, পরামর্শদাতাদের এবং সভাসদদের নিয়ে শিক্ষাকক্ষে গেলেন।

Explanation: The King visits the schoolroom accompanied by many important people. The large gathering creates an atmosphere of ceremony and display, reinforcing the contrast between appearance and genuine learning.

Word meaning:

• Schoolroom = শিক্ষাকক্ষ

• Counselors = পরামর্শদাতা

• Courtiers = রাজসভার সভাসদ

9. Musicians at the gate played wind and percussion instruments.

বাংলা অনুবাদ: ফটকে সংগীতশিল্পীরা বায়ুবাদ্য ও তালবাদ্য বাজাতে লাগলেন।

Explanation: Musicians welcome the King with a grand musical performance. This ceremonial welcome suggests that the visit is being treated as a royal spectacle rather than a simple inspection of the bird’s education.

Word meaning:

• Musicians = সংগীতশিল্পী

• Gate = ফটক

• Wind instruments = বায়ুবাদ্য

• Percussion instruments = তালবাদ্য

10. Teachers shook sacred tufts of hair and chanted mantras; workmen, labourers, goldsmiths, scribes and their numerous cousins raised slogans praising the King.

বাংলা অনুবাদ: শিক্ষকেরা পবিত্র চুলের গুচ্ছ দোলাতে দোলাতে মন্ত্র পাঠ করতে লাগলেন; আর কারিগর, শ্রমিক, স্বর্ণকার, লিপিকার এবং তাঁদের অসংখ্য আত্মীয়স্বজন রাজার প্রশংসা করে স্লোগান দিতে লাগলেন।

Explanation: The scene is full of ritual, ceremony and praise. Instead of demonstrating the bird’s knowledge, everyone appears busy impressing the King. Tagore uses this exaggerated scene to criticize institutions that value ceremony, bureaucracy and praise over meaningful education.

Word meaning:

• Sacred = পবিত্র

• Chanted = সুর করে পাঠ করল

• Mantras = মন্ত্র

• Workmen = কারিগর বা কর্মী

• Labourers = শ্রমিক

• Raised slogans = স্লোগান দিল

• Praising = প্রশংসা করা

Important Vocabulary from The Parrot’s Tale Part 3

Important Comprehension Questions and Answers

1. What does the phrase “The world is short of many things but not detractors” mean?

Answer: It means that although many things may be scarce in the world, people who criticize others are always available.

2. Why did people question the beauty of the cage?

Answer: They questioned it because the cage looked beautiful, but nobody seemed concerned about the bird’s condition or actual learning.

3. What did the King ask his nephew?

Answer: The King asked his nephew what the criticism he had heard was about.

4. Whom did the nephew suggest summoning?

Answer: He suggested summoning the goldsmiths, scholars, scribes, maintenance crew and their supervisors.

5. How did the nephew explain the criticism?

Answer: He claimed that those who had not received a share of the King’s benefits were spreading slander out of resentment.

6. How did the King reward his nephew?

Answer: The King rewarded his nephew with a gold chain.

7. Why did the King want to visit the schoolroom?

Answer: He wanted to see how quickly the bird’s education was progressing.

8. Who accompanied the King to the schoolroom?

Answer: His friends, counselors and courtiers accompanied him.

9. How was the King welcomed at the schoolroom?

Answer: Musicians played wind and percussion instruments, teachers chanted mantras, and various workers and their relatives raised slogans praising the King.

10. What is the main satirical message of this passage?

Answer: The passage criticizes an education system that values outward appearances, ceremonies, bureaucracy and flattery more than genuine learning and the learner’s well-being.

Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQs)

1. What does “detractors” mean?

A. Supporters
B. Critics
C. Teachers
D. Musicians

Correct answer: B. Critics

2. What did the critics question?

A. The King’s clothes
B. The bird’s food
C. Whether anyone cared about the bird
D. The musicians’ performance

Correct answer: C. Whether anyone cared about the bird

3. Who explained the criticism to the King?

A. A scholar
B. A goldsmith
C. A nephew
D. A scribe

Correct answer: C. A nephew

4. What did the nephew say the critics were doing?

A. Praising the King
B. Spreading slander
C. Teaching the bird
D. Repairing the cage

Correct answer: B. Spreading slander

5. What reward did the nephew receive?

A. A gold chain
B. A book
C. A new house
D. A silver cage

Correct answer: A. A gold chain

6. What did the King want to inspect?

A. The royal treasury
B. The bird’s educational progress
C. The musicians’ instruments
D. The scribes’ handwriting

Correct answer: B. The bird’s educational progress

7. Who accompanied the King?

A. Only the teachers
B. Only the labourers
C. Friends, counselors and courtiers
D. Only the goldsmiths

Correct answer: C. Friends, counselors and courtiers

8. What did the musicians play?

A. Only string instruments
B. Wind and percussion instruments
C. Only drums
D. No instruments

Correct answer: B. Wind and percussion instruments

9. What did the teachers chant?

A. Songs
B. Royal announcements
C. Mantras
D. Poems

Correct answer: C. Mantras

10. What does the passage mainly criticize?

A. Music education
B. The use of books
C. Education focused on show and bureaucracy rather than genuine learning
D. All forms of royal ceremony

Correct answer: C. Education focused on show and bureaucracy rather than genuine learning

Summary of The Parrot’s Tale Part 3

In this part, people criticize the King’s educational system because the beautiful cage receives more attention than the bird. The King’s nephew dismisses the critics as jealous people who have not benefited from royal generosity. The King accepts this explanation and rewards the nephew with a gold chain. Later, the King visits the schoolroom with his companions. Musicians, teachers and workers organize an elaborate welcome, while the bird’s actual learning remains the central unanswered concern.

Main Theme of the Passage

The main theme is the difference between appearance and reality in education. The attractive cage, royal rewards, elaborate ceremonies and public praise symbolize a system more concerned with pleasing authority than helping a learner gain knowledge. The passage also exposes flattery, favoritism and the dismissal of criticism.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the main idea of The Parrot’s Tale Part 3?

The passage shows how the King and his officials focus on ceremony, praise and outward appearances instead of examining whether the bird is truly learning.

What does the cage symbolize in The Parrot’s Tale?

The cage symbolizes the external structure and formal arrangements of education, which can become more important than the learner’s actual development.

Why did the King reward his nephew?

The King accepted his nephew’s claim that the critics were jealous and spreading slander, so he rewarded him with a gold chain.

How does Rabindranath Tagore use satire in this passage?

Tagore exaggerates the ceremonies, praise and bureaucratic activity surrounding the bird to expose the absurdity of valuing appearances over genuine education.

Conclusion

The Parrot’s Tale Part 3 reminds readers that genuine education cannot be measured by impressive buildings, elaborate ceremonies or the number of people involved in an institution. The true purpose of education is to help learners develop understanding and knowledge. By using satire, Rabindranath Tagore encourages readers to question systems that prioritize appearance and authority over meaningful learning.

For a clearer understanding of how the cage and educational arrangements developed earlier in the story, revisit [The Parrot’s Tale Part 2-এর বাংলা অনুবাদ ও ব্যাখ্যা].

This guide is designed to help HSC students understand the passage, learn essential vocabulary and prepare for passage-based questions and MCQs in English 1st Paper.