🌦️ Unit 10, Lesson 3: The Truthful Dove
"What?" cried the bat. "Is that all you have to say to our gracious host? Is he not the wisest, bravest and most generous of all animals and birds? Don’t you have praise for his noble character as well as for his goodness to us? I am ashamed of you! You do not deserve such hospitality. You do not deserve this shelter."
"Yes, get lost!" echoed the bat, flapping his leathery wings. The two heartless creatures fell upon the poor little dove and drove her out into the dark and stormy night.
But the owl and the bat did not go unpunished for their act of heartlessness. The bat can never fly in broad daylight. He has to wait for the sun to go down. And do you know what happened to the vain owl? Well, he is blind as long as the sun is up. He cannot hunt or feed himself unless it is dark. So the two vicious creatures with their dark heart live in the dark..
On the other hand, the dove is rewarded for her truthfulness. Her name shall be used by poets as long as the world lasts to rhyme with “LOVE”.
Multiple Choice Questions
- What ultimately causes the bat and owl to lose their freedom during daylight?
- Their physical weakness compared to other birds
- A punishment directly linked to their heartless actions
- Their inability to adapt to the forest environment
- The dove’s revenge against their cruelty
- What does the dove’s banishment from the shelter primarily symbolize?
- The rejection of honesty in a world ruled by selfishness
- Nature’s indifference toward weaker creatures
- The dove’s lack of awareness about social customs
- The owl’s rightful authority over other birds
- How does the bat’s reaction to the dove reflect dramatic irony?
- He unknowingly praises the dove’s courage
- He compliments the host without sincerity
- He condemns the dove while being the one who deserves shame
- He secretly wishes to protect the dove
- Which trait of the owl is most emphasized through his punishment?
- His wisdom is exaggerated by the narrator
- His vanity leads to blindness in the light of truth
- His hunger makes him aggressive toward others
- His isolation from the bird community
- The contrasting fates of the dove versus the owl and bat highlight which central theme?
- Power grants lasting protection
- Truthfulness earns eternal honor while cruelty invites downfall
- Strength determines who survives in nature
- Social praise is needed to validate virtue
- The phrase “her name shall be used by poets… to rhyme with LOVE” suggests the dove’s legacy is rooted in:
- Her bravery in escaping danger
- Her role as a messenger among birds
- Her symbolic association with purity and affection
- Her ability to avoid conflicts wisely
- What narrative tone shift is evident from the owl and bat’s ridicule to the conclusion of the story?
- From cruelty and injustice to poetic moral justice
- From humor to historical commentary
- From sorrow to hopelessness
- From suspense to a tragic ending