A POUND OF FLESH
Once upon a time, in Venice, Italy, there was a very rich merchant named Antonio. He had many ships that sailed on the sea. His ships carried different types of merchandise to other countries, which he sold there. He also bought spices and other valuables from foreign countries and sold them in Venice.
Antonio was a good and kind man. He always helped the poor. The people of Venice loved him very much for his honesty and kindness.
Antonio had a close friend named Bassanio. He was a handsome young man and was born in a noble family. Bassanio liked to live a very luxurious life. He loved grandeur and style. He spent more money than he earned. As a result, he was very often short of money. In such situations, Bassanio would go to his best friend, Antonio for help. Antonio would help him with cash.
It so happened that Bassanio fell in love with a wealthy lady named Portia. Portia was known not only for her beauty but also for her wisdom. She was soft towards Bassanio too. He wanted to visit Portia in a grand manner, but he did not have any money. So he went to Antonio.
Bassanio said, “Dear friend Antonio, I am in great need of some money. I would like to visit Portia at Belmont, grandly dressed and with many servants. But I don’t have any money right now. Please help me to fulfil my intention.”
Antonio said, “This is not a problem, my friend. How much do you need?”
“Three thousand ducats [Venetian currency] will do.”
“I don’t have that much money with me now, as all my ships have gone out to sea with merchandise. But don’t worry, my friend, I’ll arrange three thousand ducats for you.”
So he decided to borrow the sum from a moneylender named Shylock. Shylock was a very crooked man. Antonio and Shylock hated each other. Shylock used to lend money at high interest. He would even send the debtor to prison if the latter failed to pay his debt. On the contrary, Antonio used to lend money to help those who needed it and would not charge any interest.
Shylock agreed to lend him money, but on one condition. If he failed to repay the money in three months, he would pay a penalty. Shylock would cut a pound of flesh from any part of Antonio’s body.
Antonio willingly agreed, thinking that his ships would soon return with all the rich merchandise, and he could easily return the money to Shylock by selling them. Shylock made Antonio sign a bond before giving him the money. Antonio took the money and gave it to Bassanio.
এক পাউন্ড মাংস
অনেক দিন আগে ইতালির ভেনিস শহরে এন্টোনিও নামের এক ধনী বণিক বাস করতেন। তার বহু জাহাজ ছিল, যেগুলো সমুদ্রপথে নানা দেশে যেত। জাহাজগুলো বিভিন্ন ধরনের পণ্য বহন করত। এন্টোনিও বিদেশে পণ্য বিক্রি করতেন এবং সেখান থেকে মসলা ও মূল্যবান সামগ্রী কিনে ভেনিসে বিক্রি করতেন।
এন্টোনিও ছিলেন সৎ ও দয়ালু মানুষ। তিনি সর্বদা গরিবদের সাহায্য করতেন। সততা ও দয়ার কারণে ভেনিসের মানুষ তাকে গভীরভাবে ভালোবাসত।
এন্টোনিওর এক অন্তরঙ্গ বন্ধু ছিল, নাম বাসানিও। সে ছিল এক সুদর্শন যুবক এবং অভিজাত পরিবারে জন্মগ্রহণ করেছিল। বাসানিও বিলাসবহুল জীবনযাপন করতে ভালোবাসত। আড়ম্বর আর আভিজাত্যে ভরা জীবন ছিল তার পছন্দ। কিন্তু সে তার আয়ের চেয়ে অনেক বেশি ব্যয় করত। ফলে প্রায়ই টাকার টানাটানিতে পড়ত। তখন সে তার সবচেয়ে প্রিয় বন্ধু এন্টোনিওর কাছে সাহায্য চাইত, আর এন্টোনিও তাকে টাকা দিতেন।
একসময় বাসানিও এক ধনী তরুণীকে ভালোবেসে ফেলল। তার নাম ছিল পোরশিয়া। পোরশিয়া শুধু সৌন্দর্যের জন্যই বিখ্যাত ছিলেন না, জ্ঞানের জন্যও সুপরিচিত ছিলেন। তিনিও বাসানিওর প্রতি কোমল অনুভূতি পোষণ করতেন। বাসানিও চেয়েছিল আড়ম্বরপূর্ণ ভঙ্গিতে পোরশিয়ার কাছে যাওয়া, কিন্তু তার হাতে কোনো টাকা ছিল না। তাই সে গেল এন্টোনিওর কাছে।
বাসানিও বলল,
“প্রিয় বন্ধু এন্টোনিও, আমার এখন প্রচণ্ড অর্থের প্রয়োজন। আমি বেলমন্টে পোরশিয়ার কাছে যেতে চাই—চমৎকার পোশাকে আর অনেক ভৃত্যসহ। কিন্তু আমার কাছে এক পয়সাও নেই। অনুগ্রহ করে আমার এই ইচ্ছা পূরণে সাহায্য করো।”
এন্টোনিও বললেন,
“বন্ধু, এতে কোনো অসুবিধা নেই। কত টাকা প্রয়োজন তোমার?”
“তিন হাজার ডুকাট হলেই চলবে।”
এন্টোনিও বললেন,
“আমার হাতে এখন এত টাকা নেই, কারণ সব জাহাজ পণ্য নিয়ে সমুদ্রে আছে। তবে চিন্তা করো না, আমি তোমার জন্য তিন হাজার ডুকাট জোগাড় করব।”
অতঃপর এন্টোনিও সিদ্ধান্ত নিলেন টাকা ধার করবেন শাইলক নামের এক মহাজনের কাছ থেকে। শাইলক ছিল খুবই ধূর্ত মানুষ। এন্টোনিও আর শাইলক একে অপরকে ঘৃণা করত। শাইলক উচ্চ সুদে টাকা ধার দিত এবং কেউ ঋণ শোধ করতে না পারলে তাকে কারাগারে পাঠাত। অথচ এন্টোনিও অভাবীদের বিনা সুদে সাহায্য করতেন।
শাইলক টাকা ধার দিতে রাজি হল কিন্তু একটি শর্তে। শর্ত হলো—এন্টোনিও যদি তিন মাসের মধ্যে ঋণ শোধ করতে না পারে, তবে তাকে শাস্তি হিসেবে শরীরের যেকোনো অংশ থেকে এক পাউন্ড মাংস কেটে নিতে হবে।
এন্টোনিও দ্বিধা ছাড়াই রাজি হলেন। তিনি ভেবেছিলেন, তার জাহাজগুলো শিগগিরই ফিরবে মূল্যবান পণ্যে বোঝাই হয়ে, আর সেই পণ্য বিক্রি করে সহজেই ঋণ শোধ করতে পারবেন। শাইলক টাকা দেওয়ার আগে একটি চুক্তিপত্রে এন্টোনিওকে স্বাক্ষর করিয়ে নিল। এরপর এন্টোনিও টাকা নিয়ে তা বাসানিওকে দিলেন।
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
- Where did the story take place?
Answer: The story took place in Venice, Italy. - Who was Antonio?
Answer: Antonio was a very rich merchant. - What did Antonio own?
Answer: Antonio owned many ships. - What did Antonio’s ships carry?
Answer: Antonio’s ships carried different types of merchandise. - Where did Antonio sell his goods?
Answer: Antonio sold his goods in other countries. - What did Antonio buy from foreign countries?
Answer: Antonio bought spices and other valuables from foreign countries. - Where did Antonio sell the imported goods?
Answer: Antonio sold the imported goods in Venice. - What kind of man was Antonio?
Answer: Antonio was a good, kind, and honest man. - Whom did Antonio always help?
Answer: Antonio always helped the poor. - Why did the people of Venice love Antonio?
Answer: The people of Venice loved Antonio for his honesty and kindness. - Who was Antonio’s close friend?
Answer: Antonio’s close friend was Bassanio. - What kind of family was Bassanio born in?
Answer: Bassanio was born in a noble family. - What kind of life did Bassanio like to live?
Answer: Bassanio liked to live a luxurious life. - What did Bassanio love?
Answer: Bassanio loved grandeur and style. - Did Bassanio spend more or less than he earned?
Answer: Bassanio spent more than he earned. - What problem did Bassanio face often?
Answer: Bassanio was often short of money. - Whom did Bassanio go to for help?
Answer: Bassanio went to Antonio for help. - How did Antonio help Bassanio?
Answer: Antonio helped Bassanio by giving him cash. - Whom did Bassanio fall in love with?
Answer: Bassanio fell in love with a wealthy lady named Portia. - Who was Portia?
Answer: Portia was a wealthy lady known for her beauty and wisdom. - What was Portia known for?
Answer: Portia was known for her beauty and wisdom. - How did Portia feel about Bassanio?
Answer: Portia was soft towards Bassanio. - Where did Portia live?
Answer: Portia lived at Belmont. - How did Bassanio want to visit Portia?
Answer: Bassanio wanted to visit Portia grandly dressed and with many servants. - What problem did Bassanio have?
Answer: Bassanio had no money. - What did Bassanio request Antonio for?
Answer: Bassanio requested Antonio for some money. - How much money did Bassanio want?
Answer: Bassanio wanted three thousand ducats. - Did Antonio have that money with him?
Answer: No, Antonio did not have that money with him. - Why didn’t Antonio have cash with him?
Answer: Antonio did not have cash with him because all his ships had gone to sea with merchandise. - What did Antonio promise Bassanio?
Answer: Antonio promised Bassanio that he would arrange three thousand ducats. - Whom did Antonio decide to borrow money from?
Answer: Antonio decided to borrow money from Shylock. - Who was Shylock?
Answer: Shylock was a moneylender. - What kind of man was Shylock?
Answer: Shylock was a very crooked man. - How did Antonio and Shylock feel about each other?
Answer: Antonio and Shylock hated each other. - What did Shylock do for a living?
Answer: Shylock lent money at high interest. - What did Shylock do if someone failed to pay debt?
Answer: Shylock sent the debtor to prison if someone failed to pay debt. - What was the difference between Antonio and Shylock?
Answer: Antonio lent money without interest, but Shylock lent money with high interest. - Did Shylock agree to lend money?
Answer: Yes, Shylock agreed to lend money. - What was Shylock’s condition?
Answer: Shylock’s condition was that if Antonio failed to repay, he must give a pound of flesh. - From where could Shylock cut flesh?
Answer: Shylock could cut flesh from any part of Antonio’s body. - Did Antonio agree to the condition?
Answer: Yes, Antonio agreed to the condition willingly. - Why did Antonio agree?
Answer: Antonio agreed because he thought his ships would return soon with goods. - How would Antonio repay the money?
Answer: Antonio would repay the money by selling his merchandise. - What did Shylock make Antonio sign?
Answer: Shylock made Antonio sign a bond. - Why did Shylock want a bond?
Answer: Shylock wanted a bond to make the agreement legal. - What did Antonio do after signing the bond?
Answer: Antonio took the money after signing the bond. - To whom did Antonio give the money?
Answer: Antonio gave the money to Bassanio. - How much money did Antonio borrow from Shylock?
Answer: Antonio borrowed three thousand ducats from Shylock. - Who helped Bassanio visit Portia?
Answer: Antonio helped Bassanio visit Portia. - What is the title of this story?
Answer: The title of this story is A Pound of Flesh.