প্ল্যাটফর্ম সেভেনে শেষ আলো

প্ল্যাটফর্ম সেভেনে শেষ আলো

প্রতিদিন সন্ধ্যা ৬টা ৪০ মিনিটে ট্রেনটি এসে থামত প্ল্যাটফর্ম সেভেনে।
আর প্রতিদিনই এলিয়াস দাঁড়িয়ে থাকত সেখানে—কোটের পকেটে হাত গুঁজে, এমন একজনের অপেক্ষায় যে আর কখনো নামত না সেই ট্রেন থেকে।

কেউ জানত না কেন সে আসে।
স্টেশন মাস্টারের ধারণা ছিল—ভালোবাসা।
চা-ওয়ালার মনে হতো—অনুশোচনা।
এলিয়াস কখনোই তাদের ভুল ভাঙায়নি।

এক রাতে হঠাৎ বিদ্যুৎ চলে গেল।

পুরো স্টেশন ডুবে গেল অন্ধকারে—শুধু প্ল্যাটফর্মের শেষ মাথায় একটি হলুদ আলো জ্বলছিল। এলিয়াস ধীরে ধীরে আলোর দিকে এগোল। একটি বেঞ্চে বসে ছিল এক মেয়ে, হাতে পুরোনো একটি লণ্ঠন। তার মুখ শান্ত, চোখ দুটো আশ্চর্য রকম চেনা।

“তুমি দেরি করে ফেলেছ,” মেয়েটি নরম গলায় বলল।

“আমি জানি,” এলিয়াস বলল—কেন বলছে, সে নিজেও জানত না।

মেয়েটি উঠে দাঁড়িয়ে লণ্ঠনটি তার হাতে দিল।
“তুমি বেঁচে থাকার বদলে শুধু অপেক্ষাই করে গেছ।”

ঠিক তখনই স্টেশনের আলো ফিরে এল।
মেয়েটি আর ছিল না।
লণ্ঠনটিও নয়।

ট্রেন এসে থামল। দরজাগুলো খুলে গেল একটানা শব্দে।

বহু বছর পর, প্রথমবারের মতো এলিয়াস ট্রেনে উঠল—প্ল্যাটফর্মে দাঁড়িয়ে না থেকে।

আর প্ল্যাটফর্ম সেভেন—
অবশেষে খালি হয়ে গেল, শান্তিতে।

The Last Light on Platform Seven

The Last Light on Platform Seven

Every evening at 6:40, the train arrived at Platform Seven.
And every evening, Elias stood there with his hands in his coat pockets, waiting for someone who never stepped off.

No one knew why he came. The station master guessed it was love. The tea seller guessed it was regret. Elias never corrected them.

One night, the power went out.

The station fell into darkness—except for a small yellow light glowing at the far end of the platform. Elias walked toward it. Sitting on a bench was a girl holding an old lantern, her face calm, her eyes familiar.

“You’re late,” she said softly.

“I know,” Elias replied, though he didn’t know why.

She stood and handed him the lantern. “You kept waiting instead of living.”

The lights suddenly flickered back on. The girl was gone. The lantern, too.

The train arrived, doors opening with a hiss.

For the first time in years, Elias stepped onto the train instead of waiting beside the tracks.

And Platform Seven was empty—finally at peace.

The Last Light in Room 27

The Last Light in Room 27

Every night at exactly 11:47 PM, a single light flickered on in Room 27 of the old city library.

No one worked there anymore.
No one was supposed to.

Ethan, a night security guard with a habit of noticing small things, had watched it happen for three weeks straight. Same time. Same soft yellow glow. Then darkness again after exactly two minutes.

On the twenty-second night, curiosity defeated caution.

He climbed the narrow staircase, his footsteps echoing like whispers. Room 27 stood at the end of the hall, its door slightly open, light spilling onto the dusty floor.

Inside, the room was bare—except for an old wooden desk and a small lamp.

And a woman.

She looked up, startled, as if she hadn’t expected to be seen.

“I’m sorry,” Ethan said quickly. “I didn’t mean to— I just… this light.”

She smiled, but there was sadness in it. “I only have two minutes,” she said.

“Two minutes for what?”

“To remember.”

She explained that she had been a writer, working in this very room decades ago. On the night she finished her last story, a fire broke out. Everyone escaped—except her. The library was rebuilt, but something of her remained, tied to the place where her final words were written.

“The light?” Ethan asked softly.

“It turns on when someone is willing to notice,” she replied.

The lamp flickered.

Her figure began to fade.

“Wait,” Ethan said. “What was the last story about?”

She smiled again, this time warmly.
“It was about a man who paid attention.”

The light went out.

The room was empty.

From that night on, Room 27 never lit up again. But Ethan changed. He noticed things—people, moments, stories left untold.

And sometimes, when he walked past the library late at night, he swore the darkness felt a little less lonely.

২৭ নম্বর কক্ষের শেষ আলো

২৭ নম্বর কক্ষের শেষ আলো

প্রতি রাত ঠিক ১১:৪৭ মিনিটে, পুরনো শহরের লাইব্রেরির ২৭ নম্বর কক্ষে একটি মাত্র আলো জ্বলত।

আর কেউ সেখানে কাজ করত না।

কেউ করার কথা ছিল না।

ছোট ছোট জিনিস লক্ষ্য করার অভ্যাস থাকা একজন রাতের নিরাপত্তারক্ষী ইথান, টানা তিন সপ্তাহ ধরে ঘটনাটি দেখে আসছিল। একই সময়। একই নরম হলুদ আভা। তারপর ঠিক দুই মিনিট পর আবার অন্ধকার।

বাইশতম রাতে, কৌতূহল সতর্কতাকে হার মানিয়ে নেয়।

সে সরু সিঁড়ি বেয়ে উপরে উঠে, তার পায়ের শব্দ ফিসফিস করে প্রতিধ্বনিত হচ্ছিল। ২৭ নম্বর কক্ষটি হলের শেষ প্রান্তে দাঁড়িয়ে ছিল, এর দরজাটি সামান্য খোলা, ধুলোময় মেঝেতে আলো ছড়িয়ে পড়ছিল।

ভেতরে, ঘরটি খালি ছিল - একটি পুরানো কাঠের ডেস্ক এবং একটি ছোট বাতি ছাড়া।

এবং একজন মহিলা।

সে চমকে উঠে উপরের দিকে তাকাল, যেন সে আশা করেনি যে তাকে দেখা যাবে।

"আমি দুঃখিত," ইথান দ্রুত বলল। "আমি চাইনি - আমি শুধু... এই আলো।"

সে হাসল, কিন্তু তাতে দুঃখ ছিল। "আমার কাছে মাত্র দুই মিনিট আছে," সে বলল।

"কিসের জন্য দুই মিনিট?"

"মনে রাখার মতো।"

সে ব্যাখ্যা করল যে সে কয়েক দশক আগে এই ঘরেই কাজ করছিল। যে রাতে সে তার শেষ গল্পটি শেষ করেছিল, সেই রাতে আগুন লেগে যায়। সবাই পালিয়ে যায় - সে ছাড়া। লাইব্রেরিটি পুনর্নির্মাণ করা হয়েছিল, কিন্তু তার কিছু অংশ রয়ে গেছে, যেখানে তার শেষ কথাগুলি লেখা হয়েছিল সেখানে আটকে ছিল।

"আলো?" ইথান মৃদুস্বরে জিজ্ঞাসা করল।

"কেউ যখন খেয়াল করতে ইচ্ছুক হয় তখন এটি জ্বলে ওঠে," সে উত্তর দিল।

বাতিটি ঝিকিমিকি করে উঠল।

তার আকৃতি ম্লান হতে শুরু করল।

"অপেক্ষা করো," ইথান বলল। "শেষ গল্পটি কী সম্পর্কে ছিল?"

সে আবার হাসল, এবার উষ্ণভাবে।

"এটি এমন একজন ব্যক্তির সম্পর্কে ছিল যিনি মনোযোগ দিয়েছিলেন।"

আলো নিভে গেল।

ঘরটি খালি ছিল।

সেই রাত থেকে, ২৭ নম্বর ঘরটি আর কখনও জ্বলেনি। কিন্তু ইথান বদলে গেল। সে জিনিসগুলি লক্ষ্য করল - মানুষ, মুহূর্ত, গল্প যা বলা হয়নি।

আর মাঝে মাঝে, যখন সে গভীর রাতে লাইব্রেরির পাশ দিয়ে হেঁটে যেত, তখন সে শপথ করত যে অন্ধকারে তার একাকীত্ব একটু কম অনুভূত হত।

🌿 শেষ বাতিটি (বাংলা)

শেষ বাতিটি (বাংলা)

নদীর ধারে, যেখানে নদীটি রুপালি ফিতার মতো বাঁক নিয়েছে, সেখানেই ছিল একটি নীরব গ্রাম। গ্রামের প্রান্তে দাঁড়িয়ে ছিল একটি পুরোনো বাতির খুঁটি। সময়ের সাথে এর রং খসে পড়েছিল, আর ঝড়-বৃষ্টিতে কাঁচে পড়েছিল অসংখ্য আঁচড়। প্রতিদিন সন্ধ্যার ঠিক আগে, সূর্য গাছের আড়ালে হারিয়ে যাওয়ার সময়, বাতিটি মিটমিট করে জ্বলে উঠত এবং সরু পথটিকে সোনালি আলোয় ভরে দিত।

এই পথটিই সবাইকে বাড়ি ফিরিয়ে নিত।

গ্রামের মানুষ বাতিটির দিকে খুব একটা তাকাত না। তাদের কাছে এটি ছিল শুধু পুরোনো, দুর্বল এক জিনিস—যেটি একদিন বদলে ফেলা হবে। কিন্তু ছোট একটি ছেলে, আয়ান, বাতিটিকে অন্য চোখে দেখত।

কয়েক বছর আগে আয়ান তার বাবাকে হারিয়েছিল। সেই থেকে ভয় যেন তার ছায়া হয়ে সঙ্গী হয়েছিল। ঝড়ের রাতে, বাতাস যখন হু হু করে বইত, কিংবা জঙ্গল থেকে অদ্ভুত শব্দ আসত, আয়ান বাতিটির নিচে বসে পড়ত। হাঁটু জড়িয়ে ধরে সে তাকিয়ে থাকত সেই কাঁপতে থাকা আলোয়—যেটা কখনো নিভে যেত না। সেই আলো তাকে নিরাপদ মনে করাত।

তার দাদি পাশে বসে গল্প বলতেন।
তিনি বলতেন,
“অন্ধকার যত গভীর হয়, আলো তত শক্তিশালী হয়।”

এক সন্ধ্যায় আকাশ হঠাৎ কালো হয়ে এলো। দূরে বজ্র গর্জন করছিল, নদী ফুলে উঠছিল। প্রবল বৃষ্টিতে গ্রামজুড়ে বিদ্যুৎ চলে গেল। একে একে ঘরগুলো অন্ধকারে ডুবে গেল। মানুষ ভয় পেতে শুরু করল।

কিন্তু পুরোনো বাতিটি তখনও জ্বলছিল।

বৃষ্টির পর্দা ভেদ করে তার আলো স্থির ও সাহসী হয়ে ছড়িয়ে পড়ল। মানুষ ঘর থেকে বেরিয়ে এল। কেউ সন্তানদের হাত ধরল, কেউ লাঠিতে ভর দিয়ে হাঁটল। সবাই সেই আলো অনুসরণ করে নিরাপদে পথ খুঁজে নিল।

আয়ান বাতিটির নিচে দাঁড়িয়ে ছিল—ভিজে, কিন্তু হাসিখুশি। সেদিন প্রথমবার সে ভয় পায়নি।

সকালে ঝড় থেমে গেল। আকাশ পরিষ্কার, নদী শান্ত। কিন্তু বাতিটি মাটিতে পড়ে ছিল—ভাঙা, কাঁচ ছড়িয়ে ছিটিয়ে, আলো নিভে গেছে।

গ্রামবাসী নীরবে দাঁড়িয়ে রইল। তারা বুঝল, তারা শুধু একটি বাতি হারায়নি—তারা হারাতে বসেছিল তার অনুভূতি।

তাই তারা সেই জায়গায় একটি গাছ লাগাল। তারা প্রতিজ্ঞা করল, অন্ধকারে একে অন্যের জন্য আলো হয়ে থাকবে। প্রয়োজনে হাতে হাতে বাতি জ্বালাবে।

বছর পেরিয়ে গেল। আয়ান বড় হয়ে শিক্ষক হয়ে গ্রামে ফিরল। প্রতিদিন সন্ধ্যায় শিশুরা সেই গাছের নিচে খেলত। সেখানে আর কোনো বাতি ছিল না, তবুও পথটি সবসময় আলোকিত মনে হতো।

কারণ সত্যিকারের আলো কখনো নিভে যায় না।

🌱 The Last Lamp

The Last Lamp

At the edge of a quiet village, where the river curved like a silver ribbon, stood an old lamp post. Its paint had peeled with time, and its glass was scratched by years of wind and rain. Every evening, just before the sun slipped behind the trees, the lamp flickered to life and spread a soft golden light along the narrow road.

That road led home.

Most villagers passed the lamp without a second thought. To them, it was just another object—old, weak, and waiting to be replaced. But to a small boy named Ayan, the lamp was a friend.

Ayan had lost his father years ago, and since then, fear often followed him like a shadow. On nights when the wind howled or the forest whispered strange sounds, he would sit beneath the lamp, hugging his knees, watching the light tremble but never go out. Somehow, it made him feel safe.

His grandmother used to tell him stories as they rested there.
“Light,” she said softly, “is strongest when the night is darkest.”

One evening, black clouds rolled across the sky. Thunder growled in the distance, and the river swelled angrily. Rain fell hard, and soon the village lost its electricity. One by one, houses went dark. Doors closed. People panicked.

But the old lamp still burned.

Its light cut through the rain, steady and brave. Villagers began to step outside, drawn by its glow. Mothers held their children’s hands. Old men leaned on sticks. One by one, they followed the light and found their way through the storm.

Ayan stood beneath the lamp, soaked but smiling. For the first time, he wasn’t afraid.

By morning, the storm had passed. The sky was clear, and the river was calm again. But the lamp lay broken on the ground, its glass shattered, its light gone.

The villagers gathered silently. They felt a strange sadness—not for metal and glass, but for what it had given them.

So they planted a tree where the lamp once stood. They promised to light lanterns when darkness came. And they promised something more—to be a light for one another.

Years later, Ayan grew up and returned as a teacher. Each evening, children played beneath the tree, laughing. And though no lamp stood there anymore, the road always felt bright.

Because true light never fades.

 দয়ালু ছাতা

এক বৃষ্টির সকালে, স্যাম নামে একটি ছোট ছেলে স্কুলের জন্য প্রস্তুত হওয়ার জন্য খুব ভোরে ঘুম থেকে উঠেছিল। আকাশে কালো মেঘ ছিল, আর প্রচণ্ড বৃষ্টি হচ্ছিল। স্যাম তার ছোট নীল ছাতাটি নিয়ে তার মাকে বিদায় জানিয়ে বাড়ি থেকে বেরিয়ে গেল।

কাদামাখা রাস্তা ধরে হাঁটতে হাঁটতে স্যাম দেখতে পেল মানুষজন তাদের কাজে এবং স্কুলে ছুটে আসছে। কারও কারও হাতে ছাতা ছিল, আবার কারও মাথা ঢেকে রাখার জন্য ব্যাগ বা বই ব্যবহার করছিল। বৃষ্টির কারণে রাস্তা পিচ্ছিল হয়ে গিয়েছিল, কিন্তু স্যাম সাবধানে হাঁটছিল।

কয়েক মিনিট পর, স্যাম লক্ষ্য করল রাস্তার পাশে একজন বৃদ্ধা মহিলা দাঁড়িয়ে আছেন। তিনি ক্লান্ত এবং দুর্বল দেখাচ্ছিলেন। তার পোশাক ভেজা ছিল, এবং তার কোনও ছাতা ছিল না। তিনি তার শাল দিয়ে বৃষ্টি থেকে নিজেকে রক্ষা করার চেষ্টা করছিলেন, কিন্তু তাতে খুব একটা লাভ হচ্ছিল না।

স্যামের তার জন্য করুণা হল। তিনি থামলেন এবং বৃদ্ধার কাছে গেলেন।

দাদী, দয়া করে আমার ছাতাটি নিয়ে যান, স্যাম বিনয়ের সাথে বললেন।

বৃদ্ধা অবাক হয়ে গেলেন। "কিন্তু তোমার কী হবে, আমার সন্তান?" তিনি জিজ্ঞাসা করলেন।

"আমি স্কুলে দৌড়ে যেতে পারি," স্যাম হেসে উত্তর দিলেন। "আমার চেয়ে তোমার এটা বেশি দরকার।"

বৃদ্ধা মহিলাটি উষ্ণভাবে হেসে স্যামের সাথে ছাতাটি ধরে রাখলেন। তারা ধীরে ধীরে হেঁটে তার ছোট্ট বাড়িতে পৌঁছালেন। ভেতরে যাওয়ার আগে, বৃদ্ধা মহিলা স্যামকে আশীর্বাদ করে বললেন, "তুমি খুব দয়ালু ছেলে। তুমি সবসময় সুখী থাকো।"

এরপর স্যাম স্কলে দৌড়ে গেলেন। ক্লাসরুমে পৌঁছানোর সময় তার ইউনিফর্ম ভিজে গিয়েছিল এবং জুতা কাদা হয়ে গিয়েছিল। তার শিক্ষক এটি লক্ষ্য করেছিলেন এবং তাকে দেরি করার কারণ জিজ্ঞাসা করেছিলেন।

স্যাম পুরো ঘটনাটি খুলে বললেন। শিক্ষক গর্বের সাথে হেসে বললেন, "স্যাম, তুমি ঠিক কাজটিই করেছ। সময়ের চেয়ে দয়া বেশি গুরুত্বপূর্ণ।"

অন্যান্য ছাত্ররা স্যামের জন্য হাততালি দিল। স্যাম লজ্জা পেলেও খুব খুশি হল। সে শিখেছে যে অন্যদের সাহায্য করা আনন্দ দেয়, এমনকি বৃষ্টির দিনেও।

নীতি: দয়ার একটি ছোট কাজ অনেক বড় পরিবর্তন আনতে পারে।

The Kind Umbrella

One rainy morning, a little boy named Sam woke up early to get ready for school. Dark clouds covered the sky, and rain was falling heavily. Sam took his small blue umbrella and said goodbye to his mother before leaving the house.

As Sam walked along the muddy road, he saw people rushing to their work and school. Some had umbrellas, and some were using bags or books to cover their heads. The rain made the road slippery, but Sam walked carefully.

After a few minutes, Sam noticed an old woman standing beside the road. She looked tired and weak. Her clothes were wet, and she had no umbrella. She was trying to protect herself from the rain with her shawl, but it was not helping much.

Sam felt sorry for her. He stopped and went near the old woman.
“Grandmother, please take my umbrella,” Sam said politely.

The old woman was surprised. “But what about you, my child?” she asked.

“I can run to school,” Sam replied with a smile. “You need it more than I do.”

The old woman smiled warmly and held the umbrella together with Sam. They walked slowly until they reached her small house. Before going inside, the old woman blessed Sam and said, “You are a very kind boy. May you always be happy.”

Sam then ran to school. By the time he reached the classroom, his uniform was wet and his shoes were muddy. His teacher noticed this and asked him why he was late.

Sam told the whole story. The teacher smiled proudly and said, “Sam, you did the right thing. Kindness is more important than time.”

The other students clapped for Sam. Sam felt shy but very happy. He learned that helping others brings joy, even on a rainy day.

Moral: A small act of kindness can make a big difference.

The Kind Little Bird

One day, a little bird lived in a green forest. The bird was very kind and friendly.
It loved to help other animals.

One hot afternoon, the bird saw a thirsty ant near a river. The ant was very tired and could not drink water.
The little bird picked up a leaf and dropped it into the water. The ant climbed on the leaf and drank water safely.

The ant was very happy and thanked the bird.

A few days later, a hunter came to the forest. He tried to catch the little bird.
The ant saw this and quickly bit the hunter’s foot. The hunter cried out, and the bird flew away.

The little bird was safe.

Moral: Kindness is never wasted.

A Little Learning is a Dangerous Thing

A Little Learning is a Dangerous Thing

 In a quiet village surrounded by green fields and tall palm trees, there lived a simple man named Karim. Karim was honest and hardworking, but he always felt embarrassed because he could not speak English. Whenever he saw educated people speaking English, he admired them deeply and wished he could speak like them.

One day he finally gathered the courage and went to a teacher in the nearby town. The teacher was kind and agreed to teach him English. But soon the teacher discovered that Karim was extremely slow at learning. No matter how many times the teacher explained a word, Karim forgot it the next moment.

Still, the teacher did not lose hope. After many days of effort, Karim finally learned only three English words:

• Yes

• No

• Very good

Even though he learned very little, Karim was extremely proud. He believed that he had become an English expert. With great excitement, he returned to his village.

From that day on, Karim began to use those three English words everywhere—whether they were right or wrong. If someone asked him to eat, he said “Very good.” If a child cried, he said “No.” If someone asked him if he was going to the market, he said “Yes,” even when he wasn’t. People in the village were surprised but laughed at his new habit.

One night, a theft took place in the village. A wealthy farmer’s house was broken into, and valuable items were stolen. The whole village was in panic.

The next morning, a group of policemen arrived to investigate. They went from house to house questioning everyone. Finally, they reached Karim.

A policeman asked,
“Do you know anything about the theft last night?”
Karim, without understanding the question, proudly replied,
“Yes!”

The policeman was immediately alert.
“Then tell us what happened,” he said.
Karim, confused and nervous, simply replied,
“No.”

The policemen looked at each other suspiciously. His answers made no sense, but he sounded like someone hiding the truth. After discussing among themselves, they decided to take Karim to the police station for further questioning.

When they told him,
“You must come with us to the police station,”
Karim, still unaware of the situation, happily replied,
“Very good!”

The villagers watched in shock as the police took him away. Only then did Karim realize the trouble he had created for himself. His little knowledge of English had put him in serious danger.

---

Moral:

A little learning is a dangerous thing.
Incomplete knowledge often causes more harm than good.

🌟 The Mysterious Midnight Visitor

The Mysterious Midnight Visitor

Liam loved staying up late, especially during school holidays. One quiet summer night, while everyone else was asleep, he sat near his window reading his favorite adventure book. The moon was bright, and a cool breeze filled his room.

Suddenly, Liam heard a soft tap… tap… tap on the window.

He froze.

Again—tap… tap… tap.

Gathering courage, he slowly opened the window. To his surprise, a tiny glowing creature floated in the air. It looked like a small ball of blue light with wings made of silver dust.

“Hello!” the creature said in a tiny but cheerful voice. “I am Niri, a midnight messenger.”

“A… a what?” Liam stuttered.

“A midnight messenger,” Niri repeated. “I bring small warnings or blessings to humans who are kind at heart. And tonight, I need your help!”

Liam’s fear quickly turned into excitement. “Help with what?”

Niri pointed toward the tall mango tree in the backyard. “A baby owl is stuck on a branch. It can’t fly down, and its mother is worried.”

Without wasting time, Liam grabbed his flashlight and followed Niri outside. The backyard looked different at night—quiet, mysterious, and magical. He soon spotted the little owl trembling on a branch.

“It’s okay, little one,” Liam whispered.

With Niri’s guidance, he climbed carefully, reached the owl, and helped it down safely. The mother owl hooted softly, flying in circles as if saying thank you.

“You did it!” Niri said happily. “Because of your kindness, I have a gift for you.”

The glowing creature touched Liam’s forehead lightly. “Whenever you feel scared or alone at night, just look at the moon. You will feel brave again.”

Before Liam could say anything, Niri disappeared in a burst of silver sparkles.

The next morning, Liam wondered if it was all a dream. But when he opened his window, he found a small silver feather on his desk—shining in the sunlight.

He smiled.

Maybe magic was real after all.

🌙 নক্ষত্র সংগ্রাহক

নক্ষত্র সংগ্রাহক

লিনা রাতের আকাশ খুব পছন্দ করত। প্রতি সন্ধ্যায় সে তার ছাদে উঠে ছোট লণ্ঠনের মতো তারাগুলো মিটিমিটি জ্বলতে দেখত। সে বিশ্বাস করত প্রতিটি তারার মধ্যে একটা গোপন রহস্য আছে।

একদিন রাতে, যখন সে উপরের দিকে তাকাল, তখন সে আকাশে একটি ছোট রূপালী সিঁড়ি দেখতে পেল। একটি ক্ষুদ্র মূর্তি নেমে এল - এটি তার হাতের চেয়ে বড় ছিল না এবং চাঁদের আলোর মতো মৃদুভাবে জ্বলছিল।

“আমি ওরিয়ন,” ছোট্ট ব্যক্তিটি বলল। “আমি হারানো তারা সংগ্রহ করি।”

“হারানো তারা?” লিনা জিজ্ঞাসা করল।

ওরিয়ন মাথা নাড়ল। “মাঝে মাঝে তারা ভুল স্বপ্নে পড়ে। আমি তাদের ফিরিয়ে আনি।”

ঠিক তখনই, একটি সোনালী তারা তাদের পাশ দিয়ে গড়িয়ে লিনার হাতের তালুতে এসে পড়ল। এটি উষ্ণ অনুভূত হয়েছিল, যেন হৃদস্পন্দন।

“ওটা তোমার,” ওরিয়ন বলল। “একটি তারা এমন কাউকে বেছে নেয় যে এখনও জাদুতে বিশ্বাস করে।”

লিনা হাসল। “এটা দিয়ে আমার কী করা উচিত?”

“এটা কাছে রাখো,” ওরিয়ন ফিসফিসিয়ে বলল। “যখনই তোমার আশার প্রয়োজন হবে তখনই এটি জ্বলবে।”

পরের দিন সকালে, তারাটি একটি ছোট উজ্জ্বল দুল হয়ে গিয়েছিল। লিনা যখনই একাকী বা ভয় পেয়েছিলেন, তখনই দুলটি জ্বলজ্বল করত, তাকে স্টার কালেক্টরের সাথে দেখা করার রাতের কথা মনে করিয়ে দিত।

এবং সেই দিন থেকে, সে সর্বদা বিশ্বাস করত যে জাদু আকাশের ঠিক বাইরে বাস করে।

🐦The Clever Crow

The Clever Crow

One bright morning, a hungry crow was flying over a village in search of food. After a long time, he saw a piece of bread lying on a window sill. Feeling happy, he quickly flew down, picked it up with his beak, and flew to the nearby forest to enjoy his meal in peace.

The crow sat proudly on the branch of a tall tree, ready to eat. Just then, a sly fox passed by. The fox looked up and saw the crow with the bread. His mouth watered, and he wanted to eat it too.

The clever fox thought of a plan. Standing under the tree, he said politely, “Oh beautiful crow! How shiny your black feathers are! I have never seen a bird as graceful as you. Surely, your voice must be as sweet as your appearance. Would you please sing a song for me?”

The crow felt very pleased to hear such sweet words. He thought, “This fox really admires me. Let me show him how beautifully I can sing!”

The foolish crow opened his beak to sing — and the piece of bread fell straight down! The clever fox quickly caught it in his mouth and laughed loudly.

“Ha ha! Thank you, my dear friend, for the delicious meal,” the fox said as he ran away happily.

The poor crow sat on the branch, feeling both hungry and ashamed. He realized he had been fooled by false praise.

From that day on, the crow decided never to trust flattery again.

---

✨ Moral: Beware of flattery — it can lead you to loss.

🐶 The Foolish Dog

The Foolish Dog

Once upon a time, in a small village, there lived a dog who was always hungry. He roamed from street to street every day, searching for food. One afternoon, he was very lucky — he found a big, juicy piece of meat near a butcher’s shop.

The dog was very happy. He thought, “Ah! This is my lucky day. I will take this meat home and eat it all by myself.” He grabbed the meat in his mouth and started running toward his home.

On his way, he had to cross a narrow bridge over a river. As he walked across the bridge, he happened to look down into the water. The river was calm and clear, and the dog saw his own reflection in it.

But the foolish dog thought there was another dog in the river, holding a piece of meat — even bigger than his own!

He became greedy and thought, “If I can take that meat from him, I’ll have two pieces to eat!”

Without thinking twice, the dog opened his mouth to bark at the “other dog.”

As soon as he did that — plop! — his piece of meat fell from his mouth into the river. The water carried it away, and it was gone forever.

The dog stood on the bridge, staring sadly at the water. He realized that his greed had made him lose everything. Slowly, he walked home with an empty stomach and a heavy heart.

---

Moral: Greed leads to loss. Be happy with what you have.

🌸The Hare and the Tortoise

The Hare and the Tortoise

Once upon a time, in a peaceful forest, there lived a hare and a tortoise. The hare was very proud of his speed. He always bragged to the other animals, “No one can run faster than me!” He often laughed at the tortoise, saying, “You are so slow, you will never get anywhere in life.”

The tortoise, though slow, was calm and wise. He did not like the hare’s arrogance. One day, he said quietly, “Hare, let us run a race. Then we will see who is faster.” The hare laughed loudly. “You must be joking! How can you, a slow creature, ever beat me?” But the tortoise replied firmly, “We shall see.”

The forest animals gathered to watch the race. The starting point was near a big tree, and the finish line was across the meadow, under a shady oak. At the signal, the hare sprinted forward with great speed, leaving the tortoise far behind. “This race will be so easy,” thought the hare. “I can rest and still win.”

The hare saw a cool, grassy spot under a tree and decided to lie down. “I’ll take a little nap. The tortoise is so slow, he won’t reach anywhere near the finish line before I wake up,” he thought. Soon, the hare fell fast asleep.

Meanwhile, the tortoise kept walking slowly but steadily. Step by step, he moved forward without stopping. He did not rest, he did not give up. His determination carried him across the meadow. Finally, the tortoise reached the finish line.

When the hare woke up, he looked around and saw the tortoise almost at the finish line. Shocked, the hare ran as fast as he could, but it was too late. The tortoise had already won the race.

All the animals cheered for the tortoise. The hare hung his head in shame. From that day on, he learned never to make fun of others.

Moral: Pride goes before a fall. Slow and steady wins the race.

🌸The Ant and the Dove

The Ant and the Dove

One summer morning, a little ant was walking near a river. The sun was shining brightly, and the ground was hot. The ant felt very thirsty, so it went down to the riverbank to drink some cool water. But as it bent down, it slipped on a wet stone and fell into the rushing river.

The tiny ant tried very hard to swim, but the water was too strong. It struggled and cried out, “Help! Someone please help me!” The current carried the ant further and further away from the bank.

High above, on a nearby tree, a kind dove was resting on a branch. The dove saw the poor ant fighting for its life. Without wasting a moment, the dove plucked a broad green leaf from the tree. She dropped it gently into the water, right next to the ant.

The ant quickly climbed onto the leaf. The leaf floated like a little boat and carried the ant safely to the shore. The ant was very grateful. It looked up at the dove and said, “Thank you, kind friend. You have saved my life. I will never forget this.”

Days passed. One afternoon, the ant was walking through the forest when it saw a man with a bow and arrow. The man was quietly aiming at the dove, who was sitting happily on the same tree branch.

The ant thought quickly. “This is my chance to help my friend!” It ran as fast as it could and bit the hunter’s foot hard. The man cried out in pain and dropped his bow. The dove heard the noise and flew away to safety.

The dove looked down at the little ant and understood what had happened. Both of them were happy, for they knew they had helped each other in times of danger.

Moral: A good deed is never wasted.

🌸The Fox and the Crow

The Fox and the Crow

One day, a crow found a piece of cheese and flew up to a tree to eat it. Just then, a hungry fox came by. He wanted the cheese very badly.

The fox thought of a trick. He said to the crow, “Oh, beautiful crow! How lovely your feathers are. You must have a sweet voice too. Please sing a song for me!”

The crow felt proud of the fox’s words. She opened her mouth to sing. As soon as she cawed, the cheese fell down.

The clever fox quickly picked it up and ran away, laughing. The poor crow realized she had been fooled.

---

Moral of the story: Beware of flatterers.

🌸The Fox and the Grapes

The Fox and the Grapes

It was a bright and sunny afternoon. A hungry fox was walking through a beautiful vineyard. His stomach growled, and he hoped to find something to eat. Suddenly, he saw a bunch of big, purple grapes hanging from a high vine.

The grapes looked fresh and juicy. The fox licked his lips and thought, “Ah! These grapes will surely satisfy my hunger.”

He stood on his back legs and tried to grab them, but they were too high. The fox stepped back, ran, and jumped as high as he could — but still, he could not reach them.

He tried again and again. He even stacked some sticks and stones to make himself taller, but nothing worked. The grapes stayed out of reach.

The poor fox became very tired. His legs ached, and he was sweating under the hot sun. At last, he gave up. He looked at the grapes one last time and said angrily,

"Those grapes are probably sour anyway! I don’t want them.😒”

Then, he walked away slowly, still hungry but pretending not to care.

---

Moral: It is easy to dislike what you cannot get. Do not let pride stop you from admitting what you truly want.

🌸The Thirsty Crow

The Thirsty Crow

One hot summer day, a crow was very thirsty. He flew here and there looking for water but found none.

At last, he saw a pot with a little water at the bottom. The crow tried to drink but his beak could not reach the water.

The clever crow thought of an idea. He picked up small stones one by one and dropped them into the pot. Slowly, the water rose up.

The crow drank the water and flew away happily.

Moral: Where there is a will, there is a way.

🌸The Clever Rabbit

The Clever Rabbit

Once upon a time, there was a clever rabbit living in a forest. Every day, a hungry lion would catch and eat one animal. All the animals were scared.

One day, it was the rabbit’s turn. The rabbit thought of a plan. He went to the lion very late

“Why are you so late?” roared the lion.

“On my way, another lion stopped me. He said he was the king of the forest,” said the rabbit.

The lion became very angry. “Take me to him!” he roared.

The rabbit led the lion to a deep well. The lion looked inside and saw his own reflection. He thought it was another lion and jumped in to fight.

But he fell into the water and drowned.

The clever rabbit saved all the animals in the forest.