1. A Bottle of Dew - Class 6 - Poorvi

BhashaLab
Jun 27
4 min read

Updated: Jun 30

Author: Sudha Murty

Textbook: Poorvi – Class 6

Genre: Folk Tale / Fiction

Summary

“A Bottle of Dew” is a meaningful folk tale about a man named Rama Natha who wastes his wealth searching for a magical potion that could turn anything into gold. Obsessed with this idea, he neglects his land and spends money foolishly. His worried wife, Madhumati, tries to stop him but fails. One day, a wise sage named Mahipati tricks Rama Natha by telling him that the magic potion can be made by collecting five litres of morning dew from banana leaves over several years.

Rama Natha begins tending to his neglected land and plants banana trees. Over time, he works hard and unknowingly develops a successful banana plantation. His wife sells the bananas, and they earn a good income. After six years, he collects five litres of dew and brings it to the sage, only to discover there is no real magic. The sage reveals the truth: Rama Natha has created wealth through his own hard work, not any potion.

This story teaches that real success comes from consistent effort, not shortcuts or magic. Rama Natha learns the value of work and continues his farming with new understanding.

👤 Character Sketch

Rama Natha: Initially foolish and lazy, he dreams of magic solutions for wealth. But through years of disciplined work, he becomes responsible and hard-working. His transformation is the heart of the story.

Madhumati: Rama Natha’s wise and practical wife. Though worried, she supports him and helps sell bananas, playing a key role in their success.

Sage Mahipati: A clever and wise man who guides Rama Natha through a trick, leading him to realize the value of labour over magical thinking.

📚 Themes

Theme	Description
Hard Work Pays Off	True success comes from persistent effort and labour.
Illusion vs. Reality	Rama Natha’s magical dreams are false, while reality brings real success.
Wisdom and Guidance	The sage uses wisdom to guide Rama Natha toward change.
Transformation	Rama Natha transforms from a dreamer into a successful farmer.
Family Support	Madhumati’s quiet help is essential in their journey to prosperity.

✨ Literary Devices

Device	Example / Explanation
Irony	Rama Natha looks for magic but ends up succeeding through hard work.
Symbolism	Dew symbolizes effort — slow to collect but valuable.
Imagery	Description of banana fields and dew adds realism.
Foreshadowing	The sage’s trick hints at a deeper lesson to be learned.
Metaphor	“Bottle of Dew” is a metaphor for the value of steady, patient labour.

📖 Title Justification

The title “A Bottle of Dew” is symbolic. While Rama Natha spends six years collecting actual dew, he unknowingly gathers something more valuable — discipline, wisdom, and prosperity. The dew is not magical in itself, but it becomes the path through which he learns to work hard and create wealth. The title reflects both the literal and metaphorical journey of the protagonist, making it highly appropriate for this lesson.

✅ One-Mark Questions

Who was Rama Natha? → Rama Natha was the son of a rich landlord who believed in finding a magic potion to turn things into gold.
What did the sage ask Rama Natha to collect? → The sage asked him to collect five litres of dew from banana leaves.
How long did it take Rama Natha to collect the dew? → It took Rama Natha six years to collect five litres of dew.
What did Rama Natha’s wife do with the bananas? → She sold them in the market and earned money.
What did the sage finally tell Rama Natha? → The sage told him that there was no magic potion and that his wealth came from his own hard work.

✅ Three-Mark Questions

Why did the sage ask Rama Natha to collect dew and plant banana trees? → The sage wanted to teach Rama Natha the value of hard work and patience. By making him focus on planting and maintaining banana trees, the sage gave him a task that would require long-term dedication. Though Rama Natha believed in the existence of a magic potion, he unknowingly started working on his land and created wealth through the banana plantation. The dew was just a way to keep him focused while he learned an important life lesson.
How did Rama Natha’s life change after meeting the sage? → Before meeting the sage, Rama Natha was lazy and obsessed with magical ideas. But after taking the sage’s advice, he began planting banana trees and working hard to collect dew. Over six years, his efforts transformed his barren land into a flourishing plantation. He and his wife earned money by selling bananas. This shows how guidance, when accepted sincerely, can bring about a complete transformation in one’s life.
Why was Rama Natha surprised at the end of the story? → Rama Natha expected the dew to become a magic potion and turn objects into gold. But when nothing happened, he felt cheated. However, he was surprised when the sage revealed that his banana plantation had already made him rich. He realized that his wealth came from the hard work he had done, not from magic. This surprise helped him understand the value of effort and motivated him to continue working hard in life.

🧠 Value-Based Question

Q. What life lesson do we learn from “A Bottle of Dew”? → The story teaches us that real success comes from effort, patience, and hard work — not shortcuts or magic. It also shows how wise guidance and family support can lead to positive transformation. Like Rama Natha, we should focus on our tasks with sincerity and trust the process, knowing that dedication always brings rewards.

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