The Old Woman and The Wine-Jar

An Old Woman finds an empty wine jar, but its lingering aroma evokes cherished memories, bringing her joy and treasure.

Once upon a time, there was an old woman who loved wine. One day, as she walked down a dusty road, she saw a wine jar lying on the ground. Her heart jumped with excitement. "Maybe it is full of wine!" she thought, and she hurried towards it.

She picked up the jar with shaking hands, hoping it was heavy with wine. But sadly, it was very light. It wasn’t full like she had hoped. She felt disappointed, but she didn’t throw it away. Instead, she lifted it to her nose and smelled the inside.

The strong smell of wine filled her nose, and she closed her eyes. The smell made her think of happy times. She remembered fun parties with friends, warm nights by the fire, and laughing, singing, and telling stories while drinking wine.

Even though the jar was empty, the old woman felt happy. She smiled and continued walking. The empty jar gave her no wine, but it brought back her happy memories.

An old woman smiling as she breathes in the lingering scent of an empty wine jar

Audio available for B1 version

Text Version
Intermediate (B1)

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Word Finder
  1. Excitement:

    Strong feeling of joy or anticipation about something.
  2. Hurried:

    Moved quickly because of eagerness or being in a rush.
  3. Shaking:

    Trembling slightly because of emotions or weakness.
  4. Disappointed:

    Feeling sad because something didn’t meet your hopes.
  5. Heavy:

    Weighing a lot or feeling difficult to lift.
  6. Smelled:

    Detected a scent using your nose.
  7. Filled:

    Completely occupied or taken up with something.
  8. Remembered:

    Brought a memory back to your mind.
  9. Parties:

    Social events where people gather to have fun.
  10. Memories:

    Thoughts of past experiences or events.
Understanding Questions
  1. Why did the old woman feel excited when she saw the wine jar on the ground?
  2. What did the old woman do when she realized the jar was empty?
  3. How did the smell of the wine jar affect the old woman’s mood?
  4. What memories did the old woman think of after smelling the jar?
  5. Why did the old woman feel happy even though the wine jar was empty?
Reflection Questions
  1. Why do you think the Old Woman was happy even though the jar was empty?
  2. How did the smell of the wine jar bring back memories for the Old Woman?
  3. Can you think of a time when something small reminded you of a happy memory, like the wine jar did for the Old Woman?
  4. What does this story teach us about the value of memories and experiences?
  5. How can we cherish and remember happy moments in our lives, just like the Old Woman did with the empty wine jar?
Fable Quotes

Gratitude turns empty vessels into cherished treasures, as memories fill the void with joy.

Contentment lies not in what we possess, but in the joy we find in treasured memories.

In the realm of appreciation, nothing is ever truly empty or useless.

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