THE THREE CASKETS
Bassanio went to Belmont to visit Portia, grandly dressed, with many servants. Portia’s father had died lately. Before his death he had thought of an unusual plan to find a good husband for his daughter. He wanted a man to marry Portia for herself and not for her wealth. He had three caskets made, one of gold, one of silver and one of lead. One of the caskets had Portia’s portrait in it. The suitor who would first choose the casket with the portrait would marry her.
The first one to try was the prince of Morocco. Не thought that silver and lead are poor metals. It is the casket made of precious metal that can hold the precious picture. So he chose the gold casket. But all he found was a picture of a skull with a message that said, “All that glitters is not gold.” The prince was very sad and went back home. Then came the prince of Spain. He looked at the silver casket for a long time. On it was written, “He who chooses me will get what he deserves.” The prince had a very high opinion about himself. He thought that he deserved the best. He therefore chose the silver casket and opened it. Inside the casket he found the picture of a blinking fool. He was very disappointed and offended. He immediately rode away.
Then it was Bassanio’s tum. He looked at the caskets for a long time. He thought, “Appearances are often misleading. Bad men appear good and they hide their inner ugliness under fine clothes.” So he chose the plain looking lead casket. On opening the casket, he found the portrait of Portia inside.
Bassanio and Portia got married. There was great joy at Belmont, and the newly married couple were spending their time happily.
But soon their happiness turned into sorrow with a piece of news. A messenger came with a letter from Antonio. The letter said, “Dear friend Bassanio, all my ships have been lost at sea. I cannot pay the money I owe to Shylock. So I have to pay the penalty. Dear friend, come and see me if possible. I would like to see you once before I die.” Bassanio quickly left for Venice.
তিনটি সিন্দুক
বাসানিও একদিন বেলমন্টে গেল পোরশিয়ার সঙ্গে দেখা করতে। সে গিয়েছিল খুব জাঁকজমক পোশাকে, সঙ্গে ছিল অনেক ভৃত্য। কিছুদিন আগেই পোরশিয়ার বাবা মারা গিয়েছিলেন। মৃত্যুর আগে তিনি তাঁর মেয়ের জন্য এক অদ্ভুত পরিকল্পনা করে গিয়েছিলেন।
তিনি চেয়েছিলেন, কেউ যেন কেবল ধন-সম্পদের জন্য পোরশিয়াকে বিয়ে না করে, বরং তার জন্যই বিয়ে করে। তাই তিনি তিনটি বাক্স বানিয়েছিলেন—একটি সোনার, একটি রুপার আর একটি সিসার। এই বাক্সগুলোর মধ্যে একটির ভিতরে ছিল পোরশিয়ার ছবি। যে পাত্র সঠিক বাক্সটি বেছে নেবে, সেও পোরশিয়ার স্বামী হবে।
প্রথমে ভাগ্য পরীক্ষা করতে এলেন মরক্কোর রাজপুত্র। তিনি ভাবলেন, রুপা আর সিসা তো সাধারণ ধাতু, মূল্যবান ছবিটি নিশ্চয় সোনার বাক্সেই থাকবে। তাই তিনি সোনার বাক্সটি খুললেন। কিন্তু সেখানে পেলেন একটি খুলি আর একটি লেখা—“যা চকচক করে, সবই সোনা নয়।” রাজপুত্র খুব দুঃখ পেলেন এবং দেশে ফিরে গেলেন।
এরপর এলেন স্পেনের রাজপুত্র। তিনি দীর্ঘক্ষণ রুপার বাক্সটির দিকে তাকালেন। তাতে লেখা ছিল—“যে আমাকে বেছে নেবে, সে পাবে তার প্রাপ্য।” রাজপুত্র নিজের সম্পর্কে খুব উচ্চ ধারণা রাখতেন। তিনি মনে করলেন, তিনি সর্বোত্তম পাওয়ার যোগ্য। তাই তিনি রুপার বাক্সটি বেছে নিলেন। কিন্তু বাক্স খুলে দেখলেন, ভেতরে আছে এক বিদূষকের ছবি। এতে তিনি খুবই হতাশ ও অপমানিত হলেন এবং দ্রুত সেখান থেকে চলে গেলেন।
সবশেষে এল বাসানিওর পালা। সে অনেকক্ষণ বাক্সগুলোর দিকে তাকিয়ে রইল। মনে মনে ভাবল—“চেহারা সবসময় সত্যি বলে না। অনেক খারাপ মানুষ বাইরের চাকচিক্যের আড়ালে তাদের ভেতরের কদর্যতা লুকিয়ে রাখে।” তাই সে সাদাসিধে সিসার বাক্সটি বেছে নিল। আর সেটি খুলে দেখল—ভেতরে আছে পোরশিয়ার ছবি।
এবার বাসানিও আর পোরশিয়ার বিয়ে হলো। বেলমন্টে চারদিকে আনন্দ আর উল্লাস ছড়িয়ে পড়ল। নবদম্পতি খুব সুখে দিন কাটাতে লাগল।
কিন্তু বেশিদিন পর সেই আনন্দে ভাটা পড়ল। একদিন এক দূত এসে একটি চিঠি দিল। চিঠিটি লিখেছিলেন আন্তোনিও। সেখানে লেখা ছিল—
“প্রিয় বন্ধু বাসানিও, আমার সব জাহাজ সমুদ্রে ডুবে গেছে। আমি শাইলকের ঋণ শোধ করতে পারছি না। তাই আমাকে শাস্তি পেতে হবে। সম্ভব হলে একবার দেখা করতে এসো। মৃত্যুর আগে তোমাকে একবার দেখতে চাই।”
চিঠি পড়েই বাসানিও খুব দুঃখ পেল এবং তৎক্ষণাৎ ভেনিসের উদ্দেশে রওনা দিল।
SELF PRACTICE:
- Where did Bassanio go to visit Portia?
- How did Bassanio dress when he went to Belmont?
- Who had recently died before Bassanio’s arrival?
- What unusual plan did Portia’s father make?
- Why did Portia’s father make the three caskets?
- How many caskets were there?
- What were the three caskets made of?
- What was hidden inside one of the caskets?
- Who was the first suitor to try the test?
- Which casket did the Prince of Morocco choose?
- What did the Prince of Morocco find inside the gold casket?
- What was the message inside the gold casket?
- How did the Prince of Morocco feel after his choice?
- Who was the next suitor after the Prince of Morocco?
- Which casket did the Prince of Spain choose?
- What was written on the silver casket?
- Why did the Prince of Spain choose the silver casket?
- What did he find inside the silver casket?
- How did the Prince of Spain react after opening the casket?
- Who got the next chance to choose the casket?
- What thought came to Bassanio’s mind before choosing?
- Which casket did Bassanio choose?
- What did Bassanio find inside the lead casket?
- What happened after Bassanio found Portia’s portrait?
- Where did Bassanio and Portia get married?
- How did the people of Belmont celebrate the marriage?
- What news disturbed their happiness?
- Who brought the letter from Antonio?
- What had happened to Antonio’s ships?
- Why did Bassanio leave for Venice in a hurry?
QUESTION AND ANSWERS:
- Who went to Belmont?
Answer: Bassanio went to Belmont. - Why did Bassanio go to Belmont?
Answer: He went to visit Portia. - How was Bassanio dressed?
Answer: He was dressed grandly. - Who had recently died in Belmont?
Answer: Portia’s father had recently died. - What did Portia’s father want?
Answer: He wanted a good husband for his daughter. - What kind of plan did Portia’s father make?
Answer: An unusual plan. - What was the purpose of the plan?
Answer: To find a husband who would marry Portia for herself, not her wealth. - How many caskets were made?
Answer: Three caskets. - What metals were the caskets made of?
Answer: Gold, silver, and lead. - What was inside one of the caskets?
Answer: Portia’s portrait. - Who was the first suitor?
Answer: The prince of Morocco. - Which casket did the prince of Morocco choose?
Answer: The gold casket. - Why did he choose the gold casket?
Answer: He thought precious metal must hold the precious picture. - What did he find inside the gold casket?
Answer: A skull with a message. - What message was written there?
Answer: “All that glitters is not gold.” - How did the prince of Morocco feel?
Answer: He was very sad. - What did the prince of Morocco do after failing?
Answer: He went back home. - Who was the second suitor?
Answer: The prince of Spain. - Which casket did the prince of Spain choose?
Answer: The silver casket. - What was written on the silver casket?
Answer: “He who chooses me will get what he deserves.” - How did the prince of Spain think of himself?
Answer: He had a very high opinion about himself. - Why did he choose the silver casket?
Answer: He thought he deserved the best. - What did he find inside the silver casket?
Answer: The picture of a blinking fool. - How did the prince of Spain feel?
Answer: He was disappointed and offended. - What did he do after opening the silver casket?
Answer: He immediately rode away. - Whose turn was it next?
Answer: Bassanio’s turn. - How long did Bassanio look at the caskets?
Answer: For a long time. - What did Bassanio think about appearances?
Answer: Appearances are often misleading. - What did he think about bad men?
Answer: Bad men appear good and hide ugliness under fine clothes. - Which casket did Bassanio choose?
Answer: The lead casket. - What did he find inside the lead casket?
Answer: The portrait of Portia. - What happened after Bassanio chose correctly?
Answer: Bassanio and Portia got married. - Where was there great joy?
Answer: At Belmont. - How did the newly married couple spend their time?
Answer: Happily. - What soon disturbed their happiness?
Answer: A piece of news. - Who brought the news?
Answer: A messenger. - Who wrote the letter?
Answer: Antonio. - What did Antonio write about his ships?
Answer: All his ships had been lost at sea. - What could Antonio not pay?
Answer: The money he owed to Shylock. - What did Antonio have to pay instead?
Answer: The penalty. - What did Antonio call Bassanio in the letter?
Answer: Dear friend. - What did Antonio request Bassanio to do?
Answer: To come and see him. - Why did Antonio want to see Bassanio?
Answer: He wanted to see him once before he died. - How did Antonio feel when writing the letter?
Answer: Sad and hopeless. - What did Bassanio do after reading the letter?
Answer: He quickly left for Venice. - Who was Bassanio’s best friend?
Answer: Antonio. - Who was Shylock?
Answer: The man to whom Antonio owed money. - Where was Portia living?
Answer: In Belmont. - What was inside the wrong caskets?
Answer: A skull and a fool’s picture. - Who finally won Portia’s hand?
Answer: Bassanio.