THE PURPLE JAR
Rosamond, a little girl about seven years old, was walking with her mother in the streets of London. As she passed along she looked in at the windows of several shops, and saw a great variety of things. She wanted to stop to look at them and buy them all, without knowing their uses or even without knowing their names.
At first they stopped at a milliner’s shop. The windows of the shop were decorated with ribbons, lace and festoons of artificial flowers.
“Oh, Mamma, what beautiful roses! Won’t you buy some of them?”
“No, my dear.”
“Why?”
“Because I don’t want them. They are not real flowers.”
They went a little further and came to a jeweller’s shop. In it were a great many pretty, bright ornaments of little value, set beautifully behind the glass.
“Mamma, will you buy some of these?”
“Which of them, Rosamond?”
“Which? I don’t know which. Look at those earrings, that necklace, those pendants! Any of them will do, they are so pretty!”
“Yes, they are all pretty, but of what use would they be to me?”
“I am sure, Mamma, you could find some use if you only bought them first.”
“But I would rather find out the use first.”
Though a little disheartened, Rosamond kept on looking at the shops and tried to persuade her mother to buy this or that.
“Mamma, buckles are very useful things. Please buy some.”
“I have a pair of buckles. I don’t need any now.” So saying her mother walked on.
This time Rosamond was really disappointed as her mother wanted nothing. However, while they were passing by a chemist’s shop, she saw some jars—blue, green, red, yellow and purple—and she seemed to have a fascination for a purple jar. But her mother answered as before, “Of what use would they be to me, Rosamond?”
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“Oh, Mamma, I would use it for a flower pot.”
“But you have a flower pot and the jar you are dying for buying is not a flower pot.”
“Yet, Mamma, I like it so much …!”
Then suddenly she cried, “Ouch! A stone, mamma, a stone has got in my shoe. It hurts!”
“Oh! How did it get there?”
“See, there’s a hole in my shoe, Mamma. In fact, my shoes are quite worn out. Would you be so good as to buy me another pair?”
“But, Rosamond, I haven’t got money enough to buy shoes, jars, jewellary, buckles and all that you wish to buy.”
Rosamond became sad again. Her mind flashed back to all those beautiful things she had seen that morning.
“But, Mamma, I like the purple jar very much. And now my foot hurts. Could you buy me only these two things—the jar and a pair of shoes, please?”
“No, Rosamond, you can buy only one thing. However, you may buy the other thing next month. And you have to decide which one you would like to buy now.”
“I need the shoes badly,” Rosamond began to argue with herself, “but my heart is in that beautiful jar.”
Then looking at her shoes, she told her mother, “These shoes are not so bad, except for the hole in one. I think I can make them last till the end of the month, can’t I? Don’t you think so, Mamma?”
“I want you to think for yourself, dear.”
“Okay, if you please, I would like to have the purple jar.”
“Very well, you will have it.”
When they got back to the shop, Rosamond’s mother asked her to carefully examine the jar before she bought it. But Rosamond was so excited that she bought it even without looking at what was inside the jar.
Happily she came back home with her mother. Then Rosamond quickly brought some flowers from the garden and was going to put them into the jar. But as soon as she took the top off, she saw something dark inside, which gave off an unpleasant smell.
“What is it, Mamma? I didn’t want this black thing and the terrible smell.”
“Nor did I, my dear.”
“But what shall I do with it?”
“That I can’t tell.”
“Okay, Mamma, I must pour it out and fill the jar with fresh water.”
Then she made the jar empty. But to her great disappointment, she found that it was no longer a purple jar — it was a plain white glass jar. With its coloured water gone, the jar did no longer look beautiful.
Rosamond cried with tears of disappointment in her eyes. She also cried for her folly. Every day her shoes grew worse and worse; and she could neither run, dance, jump, nor go shopping with her mother.
Thus Rosamond suffered for a whole month and learned a lesson the hard way. She hoped that she would be wiser in future.
বেগুনি জার
রোজামন্ড নামের সাত বছরের এক ছোট্ট মেয়ে লন্ডনের রাস্তায় তার মায়ের সঙ্গে হাঁটছিল। দোকানের জানালায় সাজানো রঙিন ও ঝকঝকে জিনিস দেখে তার মন ভরে যাচ্ছিল। সে বারবার থেমে যেতে চাইত, প্রতিটি জিনিস কেনার জন্য জিদ করত, যদিও সেগুলোর নাম বা ব্যবহার সে জানতই না।
প্রথমে তারা এক টুপি বিক্রেতার দোকানের সামনে দাঁড়াল। জানালায় ফিতা, লেইস আর কৃত্রিম ফুল দিয়ে সাজানো ছিল।
“মা, মা! কী সুন্দর গোলাপগুলো! তুমি কি কিনবে?”
“না, সোনা। এগুলো আসল ফুল নয়।”
তারপর তারা গেল এক জুয়েলারির দোকানের সামনে। কাঁচের ভেতর নানা রকমের দুল, হার আর পেনডেন্ট ঝলমল করছিল।
“মা, এগুলোর মধ্যে কিছু কিনে দাও না!”
“কোনটা রোজামন্ড?”
“যেকোনোটা! সবই তো কত সুন্দর!”
মা হেসে বললেন, “হ্যাঁ সুন্দর তো বটেই, কিন্তু আমার কী কাজে লাগবে?”
এভাবে একের পর এক দোকানের সামনে দাঁড়িয়ে রোজামন্ড জিনিসপত্র কিনতে চাইছিল। কিন্তু তার মা সব সময় একই উত্তর দিচ্ছিলেন—“এগুলো আমার দরকার নেই।”
হঠাৎ তারা এক ওষুধের দোকানের পাশে এলো। সেখানে বড় বড় রঙিন কাচের জার সাজানো ছিল—নীল, সবুজ, হলুদ আর বেগুনি। রোজামন্ডের চোখ আটকে গেল বেগুনি জারের দিকে।
“মা, এইটা না হলে একটা ফুলের টব হিসেবে ব্যবহার করতে পারি।”
“কিন্তু এটা ফুলের টব নয়, রোজামন্ড।”
ঠিক তখনই তার জুতার ভেতর একটা পাথর ঢুকে কষ্ট দিল। খেয়াল করল তার জুতায় বড় গর্ত হয়ে গেছে।
“মা, দয়া করে একটা নতুন জুতা কিনে দাও।”
মা বললেন, “আমার কাছে এত টাকা নেই যে জুতা, জার আর তোমার চাওয়া সবকিছু কিনতে পারি। তুমি একবারে একটা জিনিস বেছে নিতে পারবে।”
রোজামন্ড ভাবল—তার জুতার খুব দরকার, কিন্তু মন পড়ে আছে বেগুনি জারের দিকে। কিছুক্ষণ ভেবে সে বলল,
“জুতাগুলো মাসটা চলবে হয়তো। আমি বেগুনি জারটাই চাই, মা।”
মা তাকে সাবধানে দেখে নিতে বললেন, কিন্তু রোজামন্ড উত্তেজনায় কিছু না দেখেই কিনে ফেলল। ঘরে ফিরে সে দৌড়ে বাগান থেকে ফুল এনে জারে ভরতে গেল। কিন্তু ঢাকনা খুলতেই দেখা গেল ভেতরে কালো রঙের এক বাজে গন্ধওয়ালা তরল।
“মা! এটা কী! আমি তো এমনটা চাইনি!”
মা শান্তভাবে বললেন, “আমিও চাইনি, সোনা।”
তরলটা ফেলে দিতেই দেখা গেল, জারটা মোটেও বেগুনি নয়—এটা স্রেফ সাদা কাচের জার। রঙিন পানির কারণে বাইরে থেকে বেগুনি দেখাচ্ছিল।
রোজামন্ড কেঁদে উঠল—তার ভুল সিদ্ধান্তের জন্য আফসোস করতে লাগল। এদিকে তার জুতার অবস্থা দিনে দিনে খারাপ হতে লাগল। সে আর দৌড়াতে, খেলতে, এমনকি মায়ের সঙ্গে কেনাকাটায় যেতেও পারল না।
এভাবেই পুরো এক মাস ভুগতে হলো তাকে। শেষে সে বুঝল—চটকদার জিনিস দেখে অন্ধভাবে সিদ্ধান্ত নেওয়া বোকামি। বাস্তব প্রয়োজনের জিনিসই আগে বেছে নিতে হয়।
এই গল্প থেকে শিক্ষা: চোখ-ধাঁধানো বাহ্যিক সৌন্দর্যে নয়, বাস্তব প্রয়োজনকে গুরুত্ব দিতে হবে।
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
✅ 1. Who was Rosamond and how old was she?
Answer: Rosamond was a little girl, about seven years old.
✅ 2. Where was Rosamond walking with her mother?
Answer: She was walking in the streets of London with her mother.
✅ 3. What did Rosamond see in the milliner’s shop?
Answer: She saw ribbons, lace, and beautiful artificial flowers.
✅ 4. Why didn’t her mother buy the artificial flowers for her?
Answer: Because they were not real flowers, and she didn’t need them.
✅ 5. What did Rosamond see in the jeweller’s shop?
Answer: She saw pretty earrings, necklaces, and pendants.
✅ 6. What was Rosamond’s reason for wanting the ornaments?
Answer: She thought they were pretty and wanted any of them.
✅ 7. What was her mother’s response when Rosamond asked for buckles?
Answer: Her mother said she already had a pair of buckles and didn’t need more.
✅ 8. What kind of shop did Rosamond see the purple jar in?
Answer: She saw it in a chemist’s shop.
✅ 9. What did Rosamond want to use the purple jar for?
Answer: She wanted to use it as a flower pot.
✅ 10. Why couldn’t her mother buy both the purple jar and new shoes?
Answer: Because she didn’t have enough money to buy both.
✅ 11. Why did Rosamond want to buy everything she saw in the shops?
Answer: Because she liked them and thought they were pretty.
✅ 12. What does Rosamond’s reaction to the purple jar reveal about her personality?
Answer: It shows she liked beautiful things and made quick decisions.
✅ 13. Why do you think the mother kept asking Rosamond about the use of each item?
Answer: To teach her to think before buying something.
✅ 14. What lesson was the mother trying to teach Rosamond through this experience?
Answer: She wanted Rosamond to learn the difference between needs and wants.
✅ 15. How does the story show the difference between need and want?
Answer: Rosamond needed shoes, but she wanted the purple jar more.
✅ 16. What does the word “fascination” mean in the context of the story?
Answer: It means Rosamond liked the jar very much and couldn’t stop thinking about it.
✅ 17. What is a “milliner’s shop”?
Answer: A shop that sells hats, ribbons, and artificial flowers.
✅ 18. What do you understand by the phrase “her heart is in the jar”?
Answer: It means she loved the jar very much and really wanted it.
✅ 19. Do you think Rosamond made the right choice by choosing the jar over the shoes? Why or why not?
Answer: No, because she needed shoes more, and the jar was not useful.
✅ 20. If you were in Rosamond’s place, which item would you choose and why?
Answer: I would choose the shoes because I need them and they are more important.
MORE QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS:
Q: Who was Rosamond?
A: A little girl about seven years old.
Q: Where was Rosamond walking?
A: In the streets of London.
Q: Who was with Rosamond?
A: Her mother.
Q: What did Rosamond see in the shop windows?
A: A great variety of things.
Q: Did Rosamond know the names or uses of the things?
A: No, she did not.
Q: What kind of shop did they first stop at?
A: A milliner’s shop.
Q: What was displayed in the milliner’s shop?
A: Ribbons, lace, and artificial flowers.
Q: What did Rosamond want to buy at the milliner’s shop?
A: Some artificial roses.
Q: Why did her mother refuse to buy the roses?
A: Because they were not real flowers.
Q: Which shop did they visit after that?
A: A jeweller’s shop.
Q: What did Rosamond find pretty in the jeweller’s shop?
A: Earrings, a necklace, and pendants.
Q: Did her mother buy the jewellery?
A: No.
Q: Why did her mother refuse the jewellery?
A: Because they were of no use to her.
Q: What did Rosamond say about usefulness?
A: She said her mother could find a use if she bought them first.
Q: What useful item did Rosamond suggest next?
A: Buckles.
Q: Did her mother buy the buckles? Why not?
A: No, because she already had a pair.
Q: Which shop attracted Rosamond after that?
A: A chemist’s shop.
Q: What fascinated Rosamond there?
A: A purple jar.
Q: What did Rosamond want to use the jar for?
A: As a flower pot.
Q: Why did her mother say the jar was not suitable?
A: Because it was not a flower pot.
Q: What suddenly hurt Rosamond?
A: A stone in her shoe.
Q: What did Rosamond discover about her shoes?
A: They were quite worn out and had a hole.
Q: What two things did Rosamond want her mother to buy?
A: A pair of shoes and the purple jar.
Q: Why couldn’t her mother buy both things?
A: Because she didn’t have enough money.
Q: How many things could Rosamond buy?
A: Only one.
Q: What did her mother say she could do with the other item?
A: Buy it next month.
Q: What two choices did Rosamond have to decide between?
A: The shoes and the purple jar.
Q: What did Rosamond argue with herself about?
A: Whether to buy the shoes or the jar.
Q: What did she finally choose?
A: The purple jar.
Q: What did her mother say after Rosamond chose the jar?
A: “Very well, you will have it.”
Q: Who asked Rosamond to carefully examine the jar?
A: Her mother.
Q: Did Rosamond examine the jar before buying it?
A: No, she did not.
Q: Why didn’t Rosamond examine the jar?
A: She was too excited.
Q: Where did Rosamond and her mother go after buying the jar?
A: They went home.
Q: What did Rosamond bring from the garden?
A: Some flowers.
Q: What was Rosamond going to do with the flowers?
A: Put them into the jar.
Q: What did Rosamond see when she took the top off the jar?
A: Something dark inside.
Q: What came from the jar when it was opened?
A: A terrible smell.
Q: What did Rosamond say when she saw the black thing?
A: “I didn’t want this black thing and the terrible smell.”
Q: Did her mother want the black thing?
A: No, she didn’t.
Q: What did Rosamond ask her mother?
A: “What shall I do with it?”
Q: Could her mother tell her what to do?
A: No, she couldn’t.
Q: What did Rosamond decide to do with the jar?
A: Pour it out and fill it with fresh water.
Q: What did Rosamond find after making the jar empty?
A: It was no longer purple but plain white glass.
Q: What had made the jar look beautiful before?
A: Its coloured water.
Q: Did the jar look beautiful after the water was gone?
A: No, it did not.
Q: What did Rosamond do when she was disappointed?
A: She cried.
Q: What did Rosamond cry for, besides disappointment?
A: Her folly.
Q: What happened to her shoes every day?
A: They grew worse and worse.
Q: Could Rosamond run with her shoes?
A: No, she could not.
Q: Could she dance?
A: No.
Q: Could she jump?
A: No.
Q: Could she go shopping with her mother?
A: No.
Q: How long did Rosamond suffer?
A: For a whole month.
Q: What did she learn from her suffering?
A: A lesson the hard way.
Q: What lesson did Rosamond learn?
A: To be wiser in the future.
Q: Who was wiser after the incident?
A: Rosamond.
Q: Why did Rosamond suffer?
A: Because she acted foolishly and didn’t examine the jar.
Q: How did Rosamond feel when she discovered the truth about the jar?
A: Disappointed and upset.
Q: What did Rosamond hope for the future?
A: That she would be wiser.