Three Questions By Leo Tolstoy | Question Answer | Summary | The CHSE Student

 THREE QUESTIONS

By Leo Tolstoy

 

Three Questions

Introducing the author

Leo Tolstoy (1828 –1910) was a Russian writer who primarily wrote novels and short stories. Later in life, he also wrote plays and essays. His War and Peace and Anna Karenina, are acknowledged as two of the greatest novels of all time.

 

Summary

In the short story “Three Questions” Leo Tolstoy explores the theme of wisdom, acceptance, kindness, and forgiveness. The story is about a king who wants to know the answer of the three questions so as to get enlightenment.

 

The three questions were: what was the right time for every action, who were the right people to be with and what was the most important thing to do. He proclaimed that he would give a great reward to the person who can answer his three questions.

 

A lot of learned men came up with their answers. Unfortunately, their answers did not satisfy the king. So the king decided to consult a wise hermit. He saw the hermit digging the ground and out of compassion, he did it for the hermit. He kept on asking the three questions but the hermit kept silent until hours passed and it was already sunset.

 

The hermit saw a bearded man running and his hands on his stomach. He was wounded and dying; the hermit told the king about it and they helped the bearded man.

 

The next day, the king woke up and the bearded man saw him and apologized to him. He admitted that he was an enemy of the king. The bearded man said that he heard about the king going to the hermit so he tried to kill him when he was in his way back home but he failed.

 

The king asked the hermit once again for his answers to which the hermit said that the most important time is our present because it is the only moment when we have the power to act. The most important person at a moment is we ourselves because the future is unpredictable and the most important business is to be kind and good to others because we have been sent in this world to serve this noble cause.

 

So this way the hermit tells the king that all the answers are within himself. By helping the wounded man and by spending time with the hermit he gets to know the answer to his questions which he got through self-realization. He learned to do good to others without thinking about own self.

 

Question Answer

Unit-1

1. What were the three questions that occurred to the king? What did he do get the answer to his question?

Ans: The three questions that occurred to the king were if he was always aware of the right time to start everything, whether he had the knowledge of who the perfect people to listen to, and whom to get rid of, and at last if he was alive to do what the most genuine work to perform. To get the answer to his questions, he announced a great reward for anybody who would answer these three questions satisfactorily.

2. What answer did the wise men give to his first question?

Ans: The happy prospect of being rewarded by the king fabulously attracted many wise men. They made a beeline to the presence of the king hoping to answer his questions. In reply to the first question, some suggested that the king ought to consult a table of days, month and years in order to know the right time to do the right work. Other advised him to consult a council. Yet there were some who even suggested to the king to seek the help of a magician in the matter.

3. How did the wise men answer his second question?

Ans: In reply to the second question, the wise men were not unanimous in their answer. Some said that king should consult his Councillors. Other said he should consult priests and doctors; while some said the warriors were the most necessary.

4. What answers did the king get third question?

Ans: The king got various answers for his third question form the wise men. In their opinion they differ from each other. Some wise men replied that the important thing in the world was science. To others It was skill in warfare. The answer did not end there. Some other wise men replied that it was religious worship.

 

5. Why did he decide to consult a hermit?

Ans: Different answers to his three important questions failed to satisfy the king. In other words, he did not subscribe to any of the answers provided by the wise men. There was a hermit who was exceedingly famous for his wisdom. Therefore, the king decides to consult a hermit.

 

Unit-2

1. Where did the king meet the hermit? How did the hermit receive the king?

Ans: The king wore simple clothes to meet the hermit in the wood which was his permanent abode. The hermit’s meeting was only confined to the common folk. However, he received the king as usual. There was not a touch of extra-ordinariness about it. After greeting the king, the hermit kept on digging the ground in front of his hut.

2. How did the king help the hermit?

Ans: The king saw the hermit digging the ground single-handily. The old man was weak and frail and skinny. He seemed exhausted. The king took pity on him and kind he was, he wished to lend a helping hand to the holy man. He took the spade from him and dug the ground himself. Thus, the king helped the hermit.

3. How did the king nurse the wounded stranger?

Ans: As soon as the king saw the wounded stranger, he along with the hermit opened his clothing. He carefully washed and bandaged the large wound in his stomach with his handkerchief, yet the blood kept on flowing. Therefore, the king again and again removed the bandage soaked with blood, and washed and bandaged it once again. At last blood stopped flowing. The injured man came to his senses and asked for water. The king rose to the occasion. At last, he along with the hermit carried the wounded stranger to the hut.

4. Why did the wounded person desire to serve the king as his most faithful slave?

Ans: The wounded man has die-hard enemy of the king. The king had executed his brother and confiscated his property. So the man wanted to take revenge by killing the king while he was playing visit to the hermit alone. But the way with which the king nursed him and saved his life moved the man. It was unbelievable. The hostility he had matured for the king vanished. His heart was filled with repentance. Therefore, the wounded person desired to serve the king as his most faithful servant.

Unit-3

1. How did the hermit answer the king’s questions?

Ans: Before talking leave of him, the king again asked the hermit to answer his three questions, but he was told that he had already been answered. The most important time for him the day before was when he was digging he bed; the most important man was hermit. Afterwards when he attended to the wounded stranger that was the right time, the stranger the right man and the help given was the most important work otherwise the injured man would have died. Therefore, the right time is always the present time, the most important man is one whom one deals with at that time and the right occupation is to help other.

2. Was the king satisfied with the hermit’s answer? Give a reasoned answer?

Ans: The king was greatly satisfied with the hermit’s answers. Each answer the hermit gave to the question was relevant. For instance, the enemy would have killed the king, had he not dug the ground and consequently, stayed with him.  The hermit’s focus on ‘now’ impressed him most. The king was satisfied, when the hermit wanted him to do good to the man of that moment is the most important affair, because God has created man only for this purpose.

 

 

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