On the island of Crete, the fearsome Minotaur, a creature that was half-man and half-bulk terrorized the inhabitants. To contain the beast. King Minos enlisted the help of Daedalus, a masterful architect and inventor. Daedalus constructed an intricate labyrinth so complex that escape was nearly impossible. Once the Minotaur was imprisoned within the maze. King Minos believed he had the perfect trap for his enemies, who would be sent into the labyrinth to meet a gruesome end.
However. King Minos, no longer needing Daedalus, cruelly imprisoned the inventor and his son, Icarus, within the same labyrinth. Yet, Daedalus, familiar with the labyrinth's design, managed to escape with Icarus. After fleeing, they found themselves stranded on the island with no means of escape by sea.
Observing the birds Hying above. Daedalus was inspired to craft wings from leathers and wax for himself and his son. He warned Icarus to fly at a moderate height—too close to the sea, and the wings would become heavy with moisture; loo close to the sun. and the wax would melt.
Initially, Icarus heeded his lather’s advice, but soon, overwhelmed by die excitement of the flight, he soared higher and higher, forgetting the warning. As he ascended, the sun’s heat melted the wax binding his wings. Helplessly, Icarus plummeted into the sea and drowned, leaving Daedalus to fly on alone, devastated by his son's tragic fate, lie eventually reached Sicily, where he mourned Icarus and named the sea where his son fell the Icarian Sea in his memory.
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
Who helped King Minos imprison the Minotaur? a) Icarus
b) Daedalus
c) Varaha
d) King Dharmaketu
Answer: b) Daedalus
What did Daedalus create to escape the labyrinth with Icarus? a) A boat
b) Wings made of feathers and wax
c) A magical spell
d) A secret tunnel
Answer: b) Wings made of feathers and wax
What was the consequence of Icarus flying too high? a) He was caught by the Minotaur
b) His wings melted from the sun’s heat
c) He got lost in the labyrinth
d) He fell into the sea
Answer: b) His wings melted from the sun’s heat
What did Daedalus name the sea where Icarus fell? a) Mediterranean Sea
b) Icarian Sea
c) Aegean Sea
d) Ionian Sea
Answer: b) Icarian Sea
Who was Khona in Bangla folklore? a) A queen
b) A royal astrologer
c) A weather expert and farmer’s helper
d) A mythological queen of the sea
Answer: c) A weather expert and farmer’s helper
Why was Khona punished by the rulers? a) For being too wise
b) For disobeying the king
c) For predicting the future
d) For speaking out against the rulers
Answer: d) For speaking out against the rulers
What does the saying "Jodi borshe magher shesh, dhonyi raj ar punyi desh" mean? a) If the crops grow well, the kingdom will prosper
b) If it rains at the end of winter, the kingdom will prosper
c) The king must always listen to the people
d) The ruler controls the weather
Answer: b) If it rains at the end of winter, the kingdom will prosper
What was Khona's original name? a) Lila
b) Khona
c) Icarus
d) Mihir
Answer: a) Lila
Who cut out Khona’s tongue? a) Her husband Mihir
b) Varaha
c) King Dharmaketu
d) The rulers
Answer: d) The rulers
What was the name of the astrologer who predicted Mihir’s future? a) Varaha
b) Daedalus
c) Dharmaketu
d) Lila
Answer: a) Varaha
Short Questions with Answers
Why did King Minos imprison Daedalus and his son?
King Minos imprisoned Daedalus and his son Icarus after using Daedalus’ expertise to trap the Minotaur in the labyrinth. Once the Minotaur was contained, King Minos no longer needed Daedalus' services and cruelly decided to lock him and his son in the very labyrinth that had been used to trap the creature.
What was the role of Daedalus in the myth of the Minotaur?
Daedalus was a brilliant inventor and architect who designed the labyrinth to trap the Minotaur, a fearsome beast. His intricate design ensured that anyone placed inside would be unable to escape. This allowed King Minos to rid his kingdom of enemies, as they were sent into the labyrinth and met their doom.
How did Daedalus and Icarus escape the labyrinth?
Daedalus and Icarus escaped the labyrinth after being imprisoned there by King Minos. Daedalus, familiar with the labyrinth's design, crafted wings out of feathers and wax. They flew out of Crete, but Icarus, ignoring his father's warnings, flew too close to the sun, causing his wings to melt and leading to his tragic fall.
What happened to Icarus after he ignored Daedalus' warning?
Icarus became overwhelmed with excitement during their escape and flew higher than his father had instructed. He flew too close to the sun, which melted the wax holding his wings together. As a result, Icarus fell into the sea and drowned, leaving Daedalus heartbroken and to fly on alone.
Who was Khona and what was her contribution to farming knowledge?
Khona, originally named Lila, was a renowned woman in Bangla folklore, famous for her extraordinary ability to predict weather patterns and help farmers with agricultural advice. She shared her wisdom through short, rhyming verses called "Khona's Words" that were easy to remember and practical for farmers to use in their daily lives.
Why was Khona punished by the rulers?
Khona's wisdom and defiance of the ruling class led to her punishment. Despite her valuable knowledge for the common people, her ability to challenge authority angered the rulers, and they ordered that her tongue be cut out to silence her, hence she became known as "Khona," meaning someone who cannot speak.
What is the significance of the saying "Jodi borshe magher shesh, dhonyi raj ar punyi desh"?
This saying is deeply connected to the agricultural cycles and weather patterns in Bengali culture. It means that if it rains at the end of the Magh month (the last month of winter), it signals a prosperous year ahead for the kingdom and the land, indicating good harvests and a flourishing country.
How did Khona's wisdom live on despite her punishment?
Although Khona was punished by the rulers, her wisdom lived on through the verses she created, which were passed down from generation to generation. Her teachings continued to benefit the people, especially the farmers, ensuring that her knowledge and influence endured long after her physical silence.
What was the relationship between Lila and Mihir in the story?
Lila, originally a royal astrologer, married Mihir, the son of Varaha, the royal astrologer who had initially predicted Mihir’s unfortunate fate. Lila and Mihir eventually found Varaha and proved that his predictions had been wrong, restoring peace and reconciliation between them.
What did Varaha predict about Mihir's future and how was it proven wrong?
Varaha predicted that Mihir would face a troubled life and die young, so he set Mihir afloat in a copper pot to save him. However, Mihir was found and raised by another king in Sri Lanka, disproving Varaha's gloomy prophecy. Mihir grew up to lead a successful life, which ultimately proved Varaha's prediction wrong.
Bangla Translation
বাংলা অনুবাদঃ
ক্রিট দ্বীপে, ভয়ঙ্কর মিনোটর, একটি প্রাণী যা অর্ধেক মানুষ এবং অর্ধেক বিশাল ছিল, বাসিন্দাদের আতঙ্কিত করে তুলেছিল। জন্তুটিকে আটকাতে। রাজা মিনোস একজন দক্ষ স্থপতি এবং উদ্ভাবক ডেইডালাসের সাহায্য নেন। ডেইডালাস এত জটিল একটি জটিল গোলকধাঁধা তৈরি করেছিলেন যে পালানো প্রায় অসম্ভব ছিল। একবার মিনোটরকে গোলকধাঁধার মধ্যে বন্দী করা হয়েছিল। রাজা মিনোস বিশ্বাস করেছিলেন যে তার শত্রুদের জন্য তার কাছে নিখুঁত ফাঁদ রয়েছে, যাদেরকে ভয়ঙ্কর পরিণতির মুখোমুখি হতে গোলকধাঁধায় পাঠানো হবে।
যাইহোক, রাজা মিনোস, আর ডেইডালাসের প্রয়োজন ছিল না, আবিষ্কারক এবং তার পুত্র ইকারাসকে একই গোলকধাঁধার মধ্যে নিষ্ঠুরভাবে বন্দী করেছিলেন। তবুও, ডেইডালাস, গোলকধাঁধার নকশার সাথে পরিচিত, ইকারাসকে নিয়ে পালাতে সক্ষম হন। পালিয়ে যাওয়ার পর, তারা নিজেদেরকে দ্বীপে আটকা পড়ে থাকতে দেখেন সমুদ্রপথে পালানোর কোনও উপায় নেই।
উপরে হাইং করা পাখিদের পর্যবেক্ষণ করা। ডেইডালাস নিজের এবং তার পুত্রের জন্য চামড়া এবং মোম থেকে ডানা তৈরি করতে অনুপ্রাণিত হয়েছিলেন। তিনি ইকারাসকে সতর্ক করে দিয়েছিলেন যে, সমুদ্রের খুব কাছে উড়তে হবে, আর ডানাগুলো আর্দ্রতায় ভারী হয়ে যাবে; সূর্যের খুব কাছে চলে যাবে। আর মোম গলে যাবে।
প্রথমে, ইকারাস তার ফেনার পরামর্শ মেনে চলেন, কিন্তু শীঘ্রই, উড়ানের উত্তেজনায় অভিভূত হয়ে, তিনি সতর্কীকরণ ভুলে গিয়ে আরও উঁচুতে উড়ে যান। তিনি যখন উপরে উঠতে থাকেন, সূর্যের তাপে তার ডানা বাঁধা মোম গলে যায়। অসহায়ভাবে, ইকারাস সমুদ্রে পড়ে যান এবং ডুবে যান, ডেডালাসকে একা উড়তে ছেড়ে দেন, তার ছেলের করুণ পরিণতিতে বিধ্বস্ত হয়ে, অবশেষে সিসিলিতে পৌঁছান, যেখানে তিনি ইকারাসের জন্য শোক প্রকাশ করেন এবং তার ছেলে যেখানে পড়েছিল তার স্মৃতিতে সেই সমুদ্রের নাম রাখেন ইকারিয়ান সাগর।
vocabulary words from the text with their Bangla meanings:
Island - দ্বীপ
Fearsome - ভয়ংকর
Minotaur - অর্ধেক মানুষ, অর্ধেক ষাঁড়ের পৌরাণিক প্রাণী
Terrorized - আতঙ্ক সৃষ্টি করেছিল
Inhabitants - বাসিন্দারা
Contain - বন্দী রাখা
Enlisted - তালিকাভুক্ত করা / সাহায্য চাওয়া
Architect - স্থপতি
Inventor - আবিষ্কারক
Intricate - জটিল
Labyrinth - গোলকধাঁধা
Impossible - অসম্ভব
Prisoned - বন্দী করা
Believed - বিশ্বাস করতেন
Trap - ফাঁদ
Enemies - শত্রুরা
Cruelly - নিষ্ঠুরভাবে
Escape - পালানো
Stranded - আটকা পড়া
Observing - পর্যবেক্ষণ করা
Inspired - অনুপ্রাণিত
Craft - তৈরি করা
Feathers - পালক
Wax - মোম
Moderate - মাঝারি
Ascended - উপরে উঠল
Melted - গলে যাওয়া
Plummeted - নিচে পড়ে যাওয়া
Drowned - ডুবে মারা যাওয়া
Mourned - শোক প্রকাশ করল
Predicting - পূর্বাভাস দেওয়া
Verses - ছড়া / কবিতা
Defiance - অবাধ্যতা / বিরোধিতা
Punished - শাস্তি দেওয়া
Tongue - জিহ্বা
Astrologer - জ্যোতিষী
Rescued - উদ্ধার করা
Jealous - ঈর্ষান্বিত
Silence - চুপ করানো
Benefit - উপকার করা
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