📖 The Scholar and the Boatman Completing Story for Class 6

📖 The Scholar and the Boatman Completing Story for Class 7

📖 The Scholar and the Boatman Completing Story for Class 8

📖 The Scholar and the Boatman Completing Story for SSC

📖 The Scholar and the Boatman Completing Story for HSC

The Scholar and the Boatman Completing Story for Class 6, 7, 8, SSC, HSC

The Scholar and the Boatman Completing Story for Class 6

Completing a story is one of the most common writing items in the English second paper for students of Classes 6 to 10, and it also appears in SSC and HSC examinations. In this item, the question paper gives you the beginning of a story - usually three to five sentences - and you must complete it in your own words, giving it a suitable title and ending it with a moral. Among all the completing stories set in Bangladeshi board and school exams, "The Scholar and the Boatman" is one of the most frequently asked. It appears almost every year in school exams, model tests, and test papers because it is short, full of dialogues, and carries a strong moral about pride and humility.

This post contains everything you need to master this story: the standard given beginning exactly as it appears in the question paper, a full completed version with a moral, an explanation of the moral, the meanings of the difficult words with Bangla translations, a short version for Classes 6 and 7, exam tips for writing it perfectly, and answers to the most common questions students ask about it. Read the full version carefully, learn the word meanings, and then practise writing the story in your own words before your exam.

Many students lose marks on this item not because they do not know the story, but because they write it carelessly. They mix up the order of the scholar's three questions, forget the turning point where the boatman asks about swimming, or end the story without writing the moral on a separate line. Some write the story in the present tense, and some change the given beginning instead of continuing from it. This post fixes all these problems. The full version below follows the exact order examiners expect, the exam tips section tells you what markers look for, and the FAQ answers every doubt students usually have. If you study this one post properly, you will be able to write The Scholar and the Boatman completing story for any class, from Class 6 to HSC.

The Given Beginning of the Story

In the examination, you will not get the whole story. You will only get the beginning of the story, usually printed in a box in the question paper. Your job is to complete the story naturally from that point. The given beginning of The Scholar and the Boatman completing story is almost always the same in every board, school, and model test paper. Read it twice before you start writing, and make sure your completed story begins exactly where this beginning ends.

"Once a scholar was crossing a river in a boat. The scholar asked the boatman whether he knew grammar. The boatman replied that he knew nothing of it..."

This beginning gives you four facts to work with: a learned scholar is crossing a river, he asks the boatman about grammar, and the boatman humbly admits that he knows nothing of it. Everything you write after this must follow logically from these facts. Do not start your answer by rewriting or changing these sentences. Copy the given beginning as it is (or begin your answer with it), and then continue the story in your own words. The three dots at the end mean "now you continue" - they are your signal to take over the story.

The Scholar and the Boatman Completing Story - Full Version with Moral

Once a scholar was crossing a river in a boat. He was a famous man of letters in his town. He had read many books on grammar, literature and philosophy, and he was very proud of his learning. The boatman was a simple, poor man who rowed his boat from one bank of the river to the other to earn his living. He had never gone to school, and he could neither read nor write.

As the boat moved slowly over the calm water, the scholar looked at the boatman with pride in his eyes and asked, "Boatman, do you know grammar?" The boatman smiled humbly and replied, "No, sir. I know nothing of grammar. I never had the chance to go to school." The scholar laughed loudly and said, "Then one-fourth of your life is wasted!"

The poor boatman felt hurt, but he said nothing. He went on rowing quietly.

After a while, the scholar asked again, "Do you know anything of literature? Have you read any poems or stories?" The boatman shook his head and said, "No, sir. I do not know what literature is." The scholar laughed even louder and said, "Then half of your life is wasted!"

The boatman sighed deeply but kept rowing. His heart was heavy with sorrow, but he did not answer back.

A few minutes later, the scholar asked a third question. "Surely you know something of philosophy and history?" he asked with a proud smile. The boatman replied in a low voice, "Sir, I know nothing of philosophy or history. I only know how to row my boat." At this, the scholar burst into laughter and said, "Then three-fourths of your life is wasted, poor fellow!"

The scholar leaned back in the boat, feeling very pleased with himself. He thought the boatman was a worthless fellow who knew nothing of the world.

But soon the sky began to change. Dark clouds gathered overhead, and a cold wind began to blow. The calm river turned rough, and big waves began to rock the little boat from side to side. The scholar's proud smile disappeared from his face. He held the sides of the boat tightly and cried out in fear, "Boatman, what is happening? Are we in danger?"

"Yes, sir," said the boatman, rowing with all his strength. "A storm is coming. The river is getting rough, and our boat may sink."

The scholar turned pale. Just then the boatman asked him a question in a calm voice, "Sir, you know so much of grammar, literature and philosophy. Tell me - do you know how to swim?"

The scholar's face turned white with fear. He stammered, "No... no, I never learned swimming. I was always busy with my books."

The boatman looked at him and said with a gentle smile, "Then, sir, your whole life is wasted. I know how to swim. I can reach the shore by swimming. But you cannot."

At that moment a big wave struck the boat, and it began to sink. The boatman caught hold of the frightened scholar and said, "Do not be afraid, sir. Hold me tightly." With great effort, the strong boatman swam through the rough water, carrying the scholar with him, and at last reached the shore safely.

The scholar was wet, trembling and ashamed. He had mocked the boatman for knowing nothing, yet it was the boatman's knowledge that had saved his life. He held the boatman's hands and said, "Forgive me, brother. Today I have learned a great lesson. Bookish knowledge is not everything. Your practical knowledge is as valuable as all my books."

From that day, the scholar never looked down upon any man again.

Moral: A little learning should not make one proud.

Moral of the Story

The moral of the story is: a little learning should not make one proud.

The scholar in this story had read many books, and his little learning made him proud. He mocked the poor boatman three times - first for not knowing grammar, then for not knowing literature, and then for not knowing philosophy. Each time he declared that a part of the boatman's life was wasted. But when the storm came, all his bookish knowledge was useless. He did not know how to swim, and it was the boatman's practical knowledge that saved his life.

This teaches us that pride goes before a fall. No knowledge is useless, and bookish knowledge alone is not enough. A man may be learned in books yet helpless in real life, while a simple working man may possess knowledge that can save a life. True learning makes a man humble, not proud. For a student, the lesson is clear: never look down upon any person or any profession, respect practical skills as much as book knowledge, and remember that the proud scholar had to be rescued by the very boatman he had mocked. Humility is the true mark of a learned man.

Difficult Word Meanings with Bengali Meanings

Learning the meanings of the difficult words will help you understand the story better and use these words in your own writing. Here are the important words from the story with their Bangla and English meanings.

Before the exam, go through this table two or three times and try to memorise the Bangla meaning of each word. When you write the story in your own words, use a few of these words - for example proudly, storm, and ashamed - because using the right vocabulary earns you extra marks. But do not force difficult words into simple sentences. Use only the words you are sure about, and always keep the spelling correct. The words below are taken directly from the full version of the story in this post, so you will recognise every one of them when you read the story again.

Shorter Version for Junior Classes (Class 6-7)

Once a scholar was crossing a river in a boat. The scholar asked the boatman whether he knew grammar. The boatman replied that he knew nothing of it. The scholar laughed and said, "Then one-fourth of your life is wasted!" Then he asked about literature. The boatman knew nothing of it. "Then half of your life is wasted!" said the scholar. Then he asked about philosophy. Again the boatman knew nothing. "Then three-fourths of your life is wasted!" laughed the scholar proudly.

Suddenly a storm arose, and the boat began to sink. The boatman asked, "Sir, do you know how to swim?" The scholar said, "No." The boatman smiled and said, "Then your whole life is wasted. I can swim, but you cannot."

The boatman caught hold of the scholar and swam to the shore with him. The scholar felt very ashamed. He said, "Forgive me. Today I have learned that bookish knowledge is not everything." Moral: A little learning should not make one proud.

How to Write a Completing Story in the Exam

1. Read the given beginning twice. Before writing a single word, read the given beginning carefully. Note the key facts: a scholar is crossing a river, he asks about grammar, and the boatman knows nothing of it. Your story must start exactly from here.

2. Keep the three questions in the correct order. The scholar asks about grammar first, then literature, then philosophy - and the answers grow each time: one-fourth, half, and three-fourths of life wasted. Do not mix up this order; examiners know it by heart.

3. Build the pride before the fall. Show the scholar laughing and feeling superior in the first half. The stronger his pride, the stronger the effect of the turning point. Do not rush to the storm.

4. Make the storm the turning point. The dark clouds, the wind, and the rocking boat change everything. Describe the scholar's fear in a few vivid sentences - his smile disappears, he turns pale, he holds the boat tightly.

5. Mirror the structure with the swim question. The boatman asks, "Do you know how to swim?" just as calmly as the scholar asked his questions. His reply - "Then your whole life is wasted" - mirrors the scholar's own words. This mirror is the heart of the story; do not miss it.

6. Keep the past tense throughout. A story is always written in the past tense. Use asked, replied, laughed, said, and swam - never switch to the present tense in the middle of the story.

7. Add short dialogues. Simple dialogues like "Do you know grammar?" and "Then your whole life is wasted." make the story lively and earn you extra marks. Keep them short and easy.

8. End with the moral on a separate line. After the story ends, write the moral in a new line, for example: Moral: A little learning should not make one proud. Examiners always look for it.

9. Give a suitable title. Write a title at the top, such as "The Scholar and the Boatman". A story without a title loses marks.

10. Manage your time and keep your handwriting neat. Spend about 20 to 25 minutes on this item. Write neatly, leave a line gap between paragraphs, and check your spelling at the end.

FAQs on the Scholar and the Boatman Completing Story

What is the scholar and the boatman completing story for class 6?

For Class 6, The Scholar and the Boatman completing story is written in 150 to 200 simple words. The given beginning is: a scholar crossing a river asks the boatman whether he knows grammar, and the boatman says he knows nothing of it. You complete it by describing the scholar's three proud questions (grammar, literature, philosophy), the sudden storm, the boatman's calm question about swimming, and the scholar's rescue and shame. End with the moral: A little learning should not make one proud. Use short sentences and easy words suitable for Class 6. The short version in this post is a perfect model for Class 6 students to practise from.

How do I write the scholar and the boatman completing story for class 7?

For Class 7, follow the same structure as Class 6 but write 180 to 250 words with slightly richer detail. Add short dialogues between the scholar and the boatman, such as "Then one-fourth of your life is wasted!" and "Then your whole life is wasted." Describe the storm a little more vividly - mention the dark clouds, the strong wind, and the rocking boat. Show the scholar's fear and the boatman's calm courage in contrast. Keep the past tense throughout, keep the three questions in the correct order, and finish with the moral on a separate line. A clear title at the top is a must.

What is the scholar and the boatman completing story for class 8 and SSC?

For Class 8 and SSC, the story should be 250 to 300 words with better vocabulary and sentence variety. Include the scholar's background (a famous man of letters, proud of his learning) and the boatman's background (a simple poor man who never went to school). Describe the scholar's mockery growing with each question, paint the storm scene with expressive words, and show the scholar's shame and apology at the end in a few touching sentences. Examiners at this level expect correct grammar, proper paragraphing, and a clear moral at the end. Practise writing it within 20 to 25 minutes, because time management is a big part of scoring well in the English second paper.

What is the scholar and the boatman completing story for HSC?

For HSC, completing story items are less common, but The Scholar and the Boatman still appears in college exams and model tests. Write 300 to 350 words with mature vocabulary - words like arrogance, humility, mocked, and trembling. Show the scholar's inner pride in the first half and his inner shame in the second half. Describe the storm as nature's answer to his pride. You may add a short closing reflection connecting the story to real life, for example how degrees without practical skills leave graduates helpless. The moral remains the same: A little learning should not make one proud. At HSC level, markers also reward variety in sentence structure, so mix short and long sentences.

What is the moral of the scholar and the boatman story?

The moral of The Scholar and the Boatman story is: A little learning should not make one proud. It means that a small amount of book knowledge should never make anyone look down upon others. The scholar mocked the boatman three times for not knowing grammar, literature, and philosophy, but when the storm came, his books could not save him - the boatman's practical knowledge of swimming did. The story teaches students to respect every person and every profession, to value practical skills, and to stay humble no matter how much they learn. Always write the moral on a separate line at the end of your answer.

What is the beginning of the scholar and the boatman completing story?

The standard given beginning of The Scholar and the Boatman completing story is: "Once a scholar was crossing a river in a boat. The scholar asked the boatman whether he knew grammar. The boatman replied that he knew nothing of it..." This beginning is almost identical in every board, school, and model test paper. In the exam, copy this beginning as it is and continue from the three dots. Do not change its sentences or add your own opening. Everything you write after it - the literature and philosophy questions, the storm, the swim question, and the rescue - must follow naturally from these opening lines.

How long should a completing story be in the exam?

The right length depends on your class. For Classes 6 and 7, 150 to 200 words is enough. For Classes 8 to 10 and SSC, write 200 to 300 words. For HSC, 300 to 350 words is suitable. Do not write too long or too short. A very short story looks incomplete and loses marks, while a very long story wastes your exam time and often brings more grammar mistakes. Count roughly as you write - about 15 to 20 lines of your answer script is usually 200 to 250 words. Quality matters more than length: a correct, well-ordered 200-word story scores higher than a careless 400-word one.

Is there a scholar and the boatman completing story in easy words?

Yes. The short version in this post is written in easy words specially for Classes 6 and 7. It uses simple sentences, common vocabulary, and no difficult grammar - only about 150 to 200 words. You can memorise it and rewrite it in your own words in the exam. For even easier practice, learn the meanings of the difficult words from the word-meaning table above, and then try writing the story without looking. Once you can write the easy version correctly, move on to the full version to build your vocabulary and sentence skills. Teachers often advise weak students to master the easy version first and attempt the longer version only after they are confident.

বাংলা অর্থসহ

এই গল্পের সহজ বাংলা অর্থ নিচে অনুচ্ছেদ অনুযায়ী দেওয়া হলো। ইংরেজি গল্পটি পড়ে অর্থ না বুঝলেও এই অংশ পড়ে পুরো গল্প আয়ত্ত করা যাবে।

গল্পের বাংলা অর্থ

অনুচ্ছেদ ১: একবার এক পণ্ডিত নৌকায় করে একটা নদী পার হচ্ছিলেন। তিনি ছিলেন তার শহরের একজন বিখ্যাত বিদ্বান মানুষ। তিনি ব্যাকরণ, সাহিত্য আর দর্শনশাস্ত্রের ওপর অনেক বই পড়েছিলেন, আর তার জ্ঞান নিয়ে তিনি খুব গর্বিত ছিলেন। মাঝি ছিল একজন সরল, গরিব মানুষ, যে জীবিকা নির্বাহের জন্য নদীর এক পাড় থেকে আরেক পাড়ে নৌকা বাইত। সে কখনো স্কুলে যায়নি, আর পড়তেও পারত না, লিখতেও পারত না।

অনুচ্ছেদ ২: নৌকা যখন শান্ত পানির ওপর ধীরে ধীরে এগোচ্ছিল, পণ্ডিত চোখে অহংকার নিয়ে মাঝির দিকে তাকিয়ে জিজ্ঞেস করলেন, "মাঝি, তুমি কি ব্যাকরণ জানো?" মাঝি বিনীতভাবে হেসে উত্তর দিল, "না হুজুর। আমি ব্যাকরণ সম্পর্কে কিছুই জানি না। স্কুলে যাওয়ার সুযোগ আমার কখনো হয়নি।" পণ্ডিত জোরে হেসে উঠে বললেন, "তাহলে তোমার জীবনের এক-চতুর্থাংশ নষ্ট!"

অনুচ্ছেদ ৩: গরিব মাঝির মন কষ্ট পেল, কিন্তু সে কিছু বলল না। সে চুপচাপ বৈঠা চালিয়ে গেল।

অনুচ্ছেদ ৪: কিছুক্ষণ পর পণ্ডিত আবার জিজ্ঞেস করলেন, "তুমি কি সাহিত্য সম্পর্কে কিছু জানো? কোনো কবিতা বা গল্প পড়েছ?" মাঝি মাথা নাড়িয়ে বলল, "না হুজুর। সাহিত্য কী জিনিস আমি জানি না।" পণ্ডিত আরও জোরে হেসে বললেন, "তাহলে তোমার অর্ধেক জীবন নষ্ট!"

অনুচ্ছেদ ৫: মাঝি গভীর দীর্ঘশ্বাস ফেলল কিন্তু বৈঠা চালিয়ে গেল। তার মন দুঃখে ভারী হয়ে ছিল, কিন্তু সে পাল্টা জবাব দিল না।

অনুচ্ছেদ ৬: কয়েক মিনিট পর পণ্ডিত তৃতীয় প্রশ্ন করলেন। "নিশ্চয়ই তুমি দর্শনশাস্ত্র আর ইতিহাস সম্পর্কে কিছু জানো?" তিনি গর্বিত হাসি দিয়ে জিজ্ঞেস করলেন। মাঝি নিচু গলায় উত্তর দিল, "হুজুর, দর্শনশাস্ত্র বা ইতিহাস সম্পর্কে আমি কিছুই জানি না। আমি শুধু নৌকা বাইতে জানি।" এটা শুনে পণ্ডিত হাসিতে ফেটে পড়লেন আর বললেন, "তাহলে তোমার জীবনের তিন-চতুর্থাংশ নষ্ট, বেচারা!"

অনুচ্ছেদ ৭: পণ্ডিত নৌকায় হেলান দিয়ে বসলেন, নিজেকে নিয়ে খুব সন্তুষ্ট বোধ করলেন। তিনি ভাবলেন মাঝি একটা অকেজো লোক, যে পৃথিবীর কিছুই জানে না।

অনুচ্ছেদ ৮: কিন্তু শিগগিরই আকাশ বদলাতে শুরু করল। মাথার ওপর কালো মেঘ জমল, আর ঠান্ডা বাতাস বইতে শুরু করল। শান্ত নদী উত্তাল হয়ে উঠল, আর বড় বড় ঢেউ ছোট্ট নৌকাটাকে এদিক-ওদিক দোলাতে লাগল। পণ্ডিতের মুখের গর্বিত হাসি উধাও হয়ে গেল। তিনি নৌকার দুই পাশ শক্ত করে ধরে ভয়ে চিৎকার করে উঠলেন, "মাঝি, কী হচ্ছে? আমরা কি বিপদে পড়েছি?"

অনুচ্ছেদ ৯: "হ্যাঁ হুজুর," মাঝি সর্বশক্তি দিয়ে বৈঠা চালাতে চালাতে বলল, "ঝড় আসছে। নদী উত্তাল হচ্ছে, আর আমাদের নৌকা ডুবে যেতে পারে।"

অনুচ্ছেদ ১০: পণ্ডিতের মুখ ফ্যাকাশে হয়ে গেল। ঠিক তখনই মাঝি শান্ত গলায় তাকে একটা প্রশ্ন করল, "হুজুর, আপনি ব্যাকরণ, সাহিত্য আর দর্শনশাস্ত্রের এত কিছু জানেন। বলুন তো — আপনি কি সাঁতার জানেন?"

অনুচ্ছেদ ১১: পণ্ডিতের মুখ ভয়ে সাদা হয়ে গেল। তিনি তোতলাতে তোতলাতে বললেন, "না... না, আমি কখনো সাঁতার শিখিনি। আমি সবসময় আমার বই নিয়ে ব্যস্ত ছিলাম।"

অনুচ্ছেদ ১২: মাঝি তার দিকে তাকিয়ে নরম হাসি দিয়ে বলল, "তাহলে হুজুর, আপনার পুরো জীবনটাই নষ্ট। আমি সাঁতার জানি। সাঁতরে আমি পাড়ে পৌঁছাতে পারব। কিন্তু আপনি পারবেন না।"

অনুচ্ছেদ ১৩: ঠিক সেই মুহূর্তে একটা বড় ঢেউ নৌকায় আঘাত করল, আর নৌকা ডুবতে শুরু করল। মাঝি ভীত পণ্ডিতকে ধরে বলল, "ভয় পাবেন না হুজুর। আমাকে শক্ত করে ধরুন।" অনেক কষ্টে শক্তিশালী মাঝি পণ্ডিতকে নিয়ে উত্তাল পানির ভেতর দিয়ে সাঁতরে গেল, আর অবশেষে নিরাপদে পাড়ে পৌঁছাল।

অনুচ্ছেদ ১৪: পণ্ডিত ভেজা, কাঁপছিলেন আর লজ্জিত ছিলেন। তিনি মাঝিকে কিছু না জানার জন্য ঠাট্টা করেছিলেন, অথচ মাঝির জ্ঞানই তার প্রাণ বাঁচিয়েছিল। তিনি মাঝির হাত ধরে বললেন, "আমাকে ক্ষমা করো ভাই। আজ আমি একটা বড় শিক্ষা পেয়েছি। বইয়ের জ্ঞানই সবকিছু নয়। তোমার ব্যবহারিক জ্ঞান আমার সব বইয়ের মতোই মূল্যবান।"

অনুচ্ছেদ ১৫: সেদিন থেকে পণ্ডিত আর কখনো কোনো মানুষকে ছোট করে দেখেননি।

শুরুর অংশের বাংলা অর্থ

"একবার এক পণ্ডিত নৌকায় করে একটা নদী পার হচ্ছিলেন। পণ্ডিত মাঝিকে জিজ্ঞেস করলেন সে ব্যাকরণ জানে কিনা। মাঝি উত্তর দিল যে সে এ সম্পর্কে কিছুই জানে না..."

নৈতিক শিক্ষার বাংলা অর্থ

নীতি: অল্প বিদ্যা অহংকারের কারণ হওয়া উচিত নয়।

এই গল্পের পণ্ডিত অনেক বই পড়েছিলেন, আর তার সেই অল্প বিদ্যাই তাকে অহংকারী করে তুলেছিল। তিনি গরিব মাঝিকে তিনবার ঠাট্টা করলেন — প্রথমে ব্যাকরণ না জানার জন্য, তারপর সাহিত্য না জানার জন্য, আর তারপর দর্শনশাস্ত্র না জানার জন্য। প্রতিবারই তিনি ঘোষণা করলেন যে মাঝির জীবনের একটা অংশ নষ্ট। কিন্তু ঝড় এলে তার সব বইয়ের জ্ঞান কোনো কাজে লাগল না। তিনি সাঁতার জানতেন না, আর মাঝির ব্যবহারিক জ্ঞানই তার প্রাণ বাঁচাল।

এটা আমাদের শেখায় যে অহংকার পতনের আগে আসে। কোনো জ্ঞানই অকেজো নয়, আর শুধু বইয়ের জ্ঞানই যথেষ্ট নয়। একজন মানুষ বইয়ে বিদ্বান হয়েও বাস্তব জীবনে অসহায় হতে পারে, আবার একজন সরল কর্মজীবী মানুষের এমন জ্ঞান থাকতে পারে যা একটা প্রাণ বাঁচাতে পারে। সত্যিকারের জ্ঞান মানুষকে বিনয়ী করে, অহংকারী নয়। একজন ছাত্রের জন্য শিক্ষাটা স্পষ্ট: কোনো মানুষ বা কোনো পেশাকে কখনো ছোট করে দেখো না, বইয়ের জ্ঞানের মতোই ব্যবহারিক দক্ষতাকে সম্মান করো, আর মনে রেখো — অহংকারী পণ্ডিতকে সেই মাঝিই উদ্ধার করতে হয়েছিল যাকে সে ঠাট্টা করেছিল। বিনয়ই বিদ্বান মানুষের আসল পরিচয়।

এই পোস্টের ছোট সংস্করণ (ক্লাস ৬-৭ এর জন্য), পরীক্ষার টিপস এবং প্রায়শ জিজ্ঞাসিত প্রশ্নগুলোতেও একই গল্প বলা হয়েছে — শুধু সংক্ষেপে। মূল ঘটনাগুলো একই: পণ্ডিতের তিনটি গর্বিত প্রশ্ন (ব্যাকরণ, সাহিত্য, দর্শনশাস্ত্র), হঠাৎ ঝড়, সাঁতার নিয়ে মাঝির শান্ত প্রশ্ন, আর পণ্ডিতের উদ্ধার ও লজ্জা। তাই ওপরের বাংলা অর্থ একবার ভালো করে পড়লেই পুরো গল্প আয়ত্ত হয়ে যাবে।

কঠিন শব্দের অর্থ

এই গল্পে ব্যবহৃত কঠিন ইংরেজি শব্দগুলোর বাংলা অর্থ নিচের টেবিলে দেওয়া হলো।