THE THREE QUESTIONS
by Leo Tolstoy
It once occurred to a certain king, that if he always knew the right time to begin everything; if he knew who were the right people to listen to, and whom to avoid, and, above all, if he always knew what was the most important thing to do, he would never fail in anything he might undertake.
And this thought having occurred to him, he had it proclaimed throughout his kingdom that he would give a great reward to any one who would teach him what was the right time for every action, and who were the most necessary people, and how he might know what was the most important thing to do.
And learned men came to the King, but they all answered his questions differently.
In reply to the first question, some said that to know the right time for every action, one must draw up in advance, a table of days, months and years, and must live strictly according to it. Only thus, said they, could everything be done at its proper time. Others declared that it was impossible to decide beforehand the right time for every action; but that, not letting oneself be absorbed in idle pastimes, one should always attend to all that was going on, and then do what was most needful. Others, again, said that however attentive the King might be to what was going on, it was impossible for one man to decide correctly the right time for every action, but that he should have a Council of Wise Men, who would help him to fix the proper time for everything.
But then again others said there were some things which could not wait to be laid before a Council, but about which one had at once to decide whether to undertake them or not. But in order to decide that, one must know beforehand what was going to happen. It is only magicians who know that; and, therefore, in order to know the right time for every action, one must consult magicians.
Equally various were the answers to the second question. Some said, the people the King most needed were his councilors; others, the priests; others, the doctors; while some said the warriors were the most necessary.
To the third question, as to what was the most important occupation: some replied that the most important thing in the world was science. Others said it was skill in warfare; and others, again, that it was religious worship. All the answers being different, the King agreed with none of them, and gave the reward to none. But still wishing to find the right answers to his questions, he decided to consult a hermit, widely renowned for his wisdom.
The hermit lived in a wood which he never quitted, and he received none but common folk. So the King put on simple clothes, and before reaching the hermit’s cell dismounted from his horse, and, leaving his bodyguard behind, went on alone. When the King approached, the hermit was digging the ground in front of his hut. Seeing the King, he greeted him and went on digging. The hermit was frail and weak, and each time he stuck his spade into the ground and turned a little earth, he breathed heavily.
The King went up to him and said: “I have come to you, wise hermit, to ask you to answer three questions: How can I learn to do the right thing at the right time? Who are the people I most need, and to whom should I, therefore, pay more attention than to the rest? And, what affairs are the most important and need my first attention?”
The hermit listened to the King, but answered nothing. He just spat on his hand and recommenced digging.
“You are tired,” said the King, “let me take the spade and work awhile for you.”
“Thanks!” said the hermit, and, giving the spade to the King, he sat down on the ground.
When he had dug two beds, the King stopped and repeated his questions. The hermit again gave no answer, but rose, stretched out his hand for the spade, and said, “Now rest awhile–and let me work a bit.” But the King did not give him the spade, and continued to dig. One hour passed, and another. The sun began to sink behind the trees, and the King at last stuck the spade into the ground, and said, “I came to you, wise man, for an answer to my questions. If you can give me none, tell me so, and I will return home.”
“Here comes some one running,” said the hermit, “let us see who it is.”
The King turned round, and saw a bearded man come running out of the wood. The man held his hands pressed against his stomach, and blood was flowing from under them.
When he reached the King, he fell fainting on the ground moaning feebly. The King and the hermit unfastened the man’s clothing. There was a large wound in his stomach. The King washed it as best he could, and bandaged it with his handkerchief and with a towel the hermit had. Again and again the King washed and rebandaged the wound.
At last the man revived and asked for something to drink. The King brought fresh water and gave it to him. Meanwhile the sun had set, and it had become cool. So the King, with the hermit’s help, carried the wounded man into the hut and laid him on the bed. Lying on the bed the man closed his eyes and was quiet; but the King was so tired with his walk and with the work he had done, that he crouched down on the threshold, and also fell asleep–so soundly that he slept all through the short summer night.
When he awoke in the morning, it was long before he could remember where he was, or who was the strange bearded man lying on the bed and gazing intently at him with shining eyes.
“Forgive me!” said the bearded man in a weak voice, when he saw that the King was awake and was looking at him.
“I do not know you, and have nothing to forgive you for,” said the King.
“You do not know me, but I know you. I am that enemy of yours who swore to revenge himself on you, because you executed his brother and seized his property. I knew you had gone alone to see the hermit, and I resolved to kill you on your way back. But the day passed and you did not return. So I came out from my ambush to find you, and I came upon your bodyguard, and they recognized me, and wounded me. I escaped from them, but should have bled to death had you not dressed my wound. I wished to kill you, and you have saved my life. Now, if I live, and if you wish it, I will serve you as your most faithful slave, and will bid my sons do the same. Forgive me!”
The King was very glad to have made peace with his enemy so easily, and to have gained him for a friend, and he not only forgave him, but said he would send his servants and his own physician to attend him, and promised to restore his property.
Having taken leave of the wounded man, the King went out into the porch and looked around for the hermit. Before going away he wished once more to beg an answer to the questions he had put. The hermit was outside, on his knees, sowing seeds in the beds that had been dug the day before.
The King approached him, and said, “For the last time, I pray you to answer my questions, wise man.”
“You have already been answered!” said the hermit still crouching on his thin legs, and looking up at the King, who stood before him.
“How answered? What do you mean?” asked the King.
“Do you not see,” replied the hermit. “If you had not pitied my weakness yesterday, and had not dug these beds for me, but had gone your way, that man would have attacked you, and you would have repented of not having stayed with me. So the most important time was when you were digging the beds; and I was the most important man; and to do me good was your most important business. Afterwards, when that man ran to us, the most important time was when you were attending to him, for if you had not bound up his wounds he would have died without having made peace with you. So he was the most important man, and what you did for him was your most important business.
Remember then: there is only one time that is important — and that is now! It is the most important time because it is the only time when we have any power.
The most necessary man is he with whom you are, for no man knows whether he will ever have dealings with any one else.
And the most important thing to do is, to do good, because for that purpose alone was man sent into this life!”
Very Short Type Questions and Answers
(1) What was the king seeking for?
Ans: – The king was seeking for answers of his three questions.
(2) How many questions was the king seeking for?
Ans: – The king was seeking for three questions.
(3) What was the first question of the king?
Ans: – The first question was “What is the right time to begin something?”
(4) What was the second question asked by the king?
Ans: – The second question was – “Which people should I listen to?”
(5) What was the third question asked by the king?
Ans: – The third question was – “What is the most important thing for me to do?”
(6) Whom did the king sent throughout his kingdom?
Ans: – The king sent messengers throughout his kingdom.
(7) What would be rewarded by the king if anyone answers these three questions?
Ans: – The king promised a large sum of money as a reward
(8) Was the king satisfied by the answers given by some wise men?
Ans: – No, he was not satisfied by their answers.
(9) Who was widely known for his wisdom?
Ans: – The hermit
(10) Whom did the king decide to seek advice form?
Ans: – The king decided to seek advice form a certain hermit
(11) Where did the hermit live?
Ans: – The hermit lived alone in a small forest and leads a simple life
(12) Whom did the king disguise himself when he went to met the hermit?
Ans: – The king disguised himself as a simple human with ordinary clothes.
(13) Before reaching the hermits hut, what did the king do?
Ans: – Before reaching there, the king left his horse with his bodyguards and went alone to the hut.
(14) What was the hermit doing when the king reached there?
Ans: – The hermit was digging the ground infront of his hut.
(15) Who greeted the king?
Ans: – The hermit
(16) Was the hermit young and strong?
Ans: – No, the hermit was old and very weak.
(17) What was the reply gives by the hermit when king asked to answer his three questions?
Ans: – The hermits reply to him. He just intended and kept in digging.
(18) “Let me take the spade and work in your place”. Who said and to whom?
Ans: – The king said this to the hermit.
(19) Whom did the king see running towards them?
Ans: – The king saw a bearded man running towards them.
(20) Why was the bearded man running towards them?
Ans: – Because he was wounded in his stomach.
(21) What happened when the man reached to them?
Ans: – The man was fainted and fell down on the ground.
(22) Who curved the wounded man?
Ans: – The king
(23) What did the wounded man say when the king woke up the next day?
Ans: – The wounded man was the enemy of the king.
(24) Who was the wounded man?
Ans: – The wounded man was the enemy of the king.
(25) Why did the man wants to take revenge on the king?
Ans: – Because the king killed his brother and seized his property.
(26) What did the king promise the bearded man?
Ans: – The king promised him to give back his property.
(27) Who wounded the man?
Ans: – The king’s bodyguard wounded the man.
(28) When the king asked his three answers for the last time, what did the hermit reply?
Ans: – The hermit replied that the king had already been answered for the three questions.
(29) According to the hermit, what was the answer of his first questions?
Ans: – According to him, the right time, was when the king was digging the beds.
(30) What was the answer of his second questions according to the hermit?
Ans: – The right and the most important person was the hermit himself.
(31) What was the answer given by hermit of his third questions?
Ans: – The most important business was that the king helped the hermit.
(32) What is the only one time that is important?
Ans: – The only one time that in important is ‘Now’.
(33) Why ‘now’ is the most important time?
Ans: – Because it is the only time we have any power to act.
(34) Who is the author of this story?
Ans: – Leo Tolstoy
(35) “here comes someone running” – who said this and whom do ‘someone’ refers to?
Ans – This was said by the hermit and ‘someone’ referred to the wounded man.
Short Type Questions and Answers
(1) Why did the thought come to the king that he would never fail?
Ans: – The thought come to the king that he would never fail, if only he could get the three things, i.e. hermits to know the three answers of his three questions.
(2) Why did the king send his messengers throughout the kingdom?
Ans: – The king sent his messengers throughout the kingdom because he promised to reward a huge sum of money who would be able to answers his three questions.
(3) What was the answer given by some wise men to his first questions?
Ans: – The answers were like, the king must prepare his timetable and strictly follow it. Others suggestion to have a council of wise men, who would help him to act at the right time.
(4) Write the answers suggested by wise men to his second questions?
Ans: – To his second questions some suggested that the king should have councillors and priests. Some others said to listen to his doctors and yet others said that soldiers were the most needed one.
(5) What were the reply given by the wise men to his third questions?
Ans: – To his third questions, some wise men replied that science is the most important thing for him. But some others said that fighting and also religious worship in the most important thing.
(6) Was the king satisfied by the answers given by some wise men? If not, why?
Ans: – No, the king was not satisfied by the answers suggested by the wise men, because the answers to his questions given by them were all different and he could not decide what is choose. SO, therefore, none of them were rewarded.
(7) Whom did the king decide to seek the advice form and why?
Ans: – As the king was not satisfied by the answers given by many wise men, later he decided to seek the advice form a certain hermit because he was widely known for his wisdom.
(8) Who was the hermit?
Ans: – The hermit was a person who lives alone in a small forest and leads a simple life. He was widely known for his wisdom, so the king decide t seek advice from him.
(9) Did the hermit reply to his questions?
Ans: – No, the hermit did not replied his question. He just listened his questions and them kept on digging again. Therefore, the king received no reply
(10) Who was coming towards the king and the hermit?
Ans: – A bearded man was coming towards them. He was injured and lost his consciousness and fell on the ground infront of the king. Later the king and the hermit found out that he was wounded in his stomach.
(11) Why did the bearded man plan to kill the king and how?
Ans: – The bearded man revealed that he was the enemy of the king because he killed his brother and seized all his property. SO the bearded man took the opportunity to take revenge on him. He planned to kill him on his way back home. But later he was caught by the bodyguards of the king and wounded him.
(12) What did the wounded man promise to the king?
Ans: – The man promised that he would serve the king as his most loyal and faithful servant for saving his life. Further, he would also order his sons to do the same thing for the king.
Long Type Extra Questions and Answers –Three Questions
(1) What were the three questions that the king seeking for answers?
Ans: – The king thought that if he knew this three questions answer, he would never fail in his life. The questions were –
(i) What would be the right time to begin something?
(ii) What type of people should he listen to?
(iii) What would be the most important thing for him to do?
(2) Whom did the king send to his kingdom and why?
Ans: – The king decided to send messengers throughout his kingdom and made an announcement of promising a huge amount of money to anyone who would answer his three questions. Unfortunately, he did not reward anyone because he was not satisfied by their different types of answers.
(3) What were the various answers given by wise men to his first questions?
Ans: – There were various kinds of answers given by some wise men, like the king should prepare a timetable and follow the schedule. By this way, he can manage everything at its proper time.
Some others said that the king should consult a council of wise men to help him and decide everything at a proper time. Further, others suggested to took into the future by the help of a magician.
(4) Whom did the king visit in the forest and why?
Ans:- Although, the king was not satisfied by the answers given many wise men because they were all different answers and it was quite difficult to choose either. So, the king decided to visit the hermit and seek his advice for his questions. The hermit lived in a small forest and led a simple life. Therefore, the king disguised himself in a simple clothes and left his horse and bodyguard and walked alone towards the hut of the hermit.
(5) What was the answers given the hermit to this first questions?
Ans: – The first questions asked by the king was that how could he learn to do the right thing at the right time. Later the hermit replied that if the king would not dug those beds for him, he would have gone away. And the bearded man would have attacked him, Hence, the most important time was when the king was digging those beds instead of the hermit.
(6) What did the hermit reply to his second questions?
Ans: – This second questions was who would be those people he should listen to and needed the most So, the hermit replied that the most important person was the hermit himself, because the king helped him dugging the beds whole day. Therefore, the hermit would be the most important person for the king.
(7) What was the answer given by the hermit to his third questions?
Ans: – The third questions asked by the king was that what would be the most important affairs for him to do. The hermit said that helping him to dug those beds was him most important business And also how the king cured his enemy was the important business for him too. Therefore, the king received all his answers of the three questions.
Choose the correct answer/ Fill in the blanks/State “ true or false”
1. The king made a proclamation that he would give a ________ to the one who answered his questions.
[a] award [b] gift [c] reward [d] present
2. The king had ________questions.
[a] five [b] two [c] four [d] three
3. “Varied” [para-3] means _____________.
[a] different [b] unnecessary [c] unequal [d] unimportant
4. The king decided to go to a __________.
[a] scholar [b] hermit [c] priest [d] teacher
5. The king gave ________to the injured man.
[a] fresh water [b] fresh juice [c] fresh fruits [d] fresh flowers
6. The king was the bearded man’s ___________.
[a] friend [b] enemy [c] guard [d] soldier
7. The king washed the bearded man’s _____________.
[a] hands [b] legs [c] wounds [d] hair
8. “If you can give me none please say so, and I will go home” who said these words.
[a] bearded man [b] learned man [c] king [d] guards
9. When I’m in the area I’ll _________on you.
[a] pay a compliment [b] pay respect [c] pay a penalty [d] pay a call
10. Many learned people came to the court and gave__________.
[a] same answers [b] correct answers [c] different answers [d] wrong answers
11. The hermit lived in a ________.
[a] small hut [b] big hut [c] dark hut [d] bright hut
12. The synonym of “convinced” is _________.
[a] satisfied [b] happy [c] unhappy [d] angry
13. The hermit was a _________ person.
[a] strong [b] brave [c] frail [d] bold
14. The hermit was ___________ when the king arrived.
[a] praying [b] eating [c] sleeping [d] digging
15. When he reached the king, he fell on the ground and fainted. Who is ‘he’?
[a] the sage [b] the hermit [c] the guard [d] the bearded man
16. Write the root words for the following:
[a] appealed _________ [b] submitted __________ [c] developed __________
17. The synonym of ‘beforehand’ is __________
[a] important [b] in advance [c] avoid [d] afterwards.
18. The writer of “Three Questions” is _________.
[a] Linda Pastan [b] Prabhu [c] Leo Tolstoy [d] Tagore
19. The king wanted to know the ________time to begin everything.
[a] right [b] exact [c] proper [d] good
20. The most important person for you is _________.
[a] your mother [b] your father [c] your teacher [d] the one with whom you are
21. Homophone of seize is __________.
[a] breeze [b] freeze [c] cease [d] tease
22. He _________for being late, he lost his place in the team.
[a] paid a penalty [b] paid a tribute [c] paid a call [d] paid a complaint
23.] The root word of “unfastened” is -___________.
[a] fast [b] fasten [c] unfasten [d] fastened
24. I pray you to answer my question, here “pray” means_________.
[a] speak to God [b] request [c] order [d] suggest
25. “Pray” in the above sentence is ________
[a] verb modifier [b] adj.modifier [c] adv.modifier [d] noun modifier
26.The hermit was known for his __________.
[a] bravery [b] kindness [c] honesty [d] wisdom.
27.The hermit silently handed over the spade. In this sentence _____ is the modifier.
[a] handed [b] spade [c] silently [d] over
28.Adverbs which refer to a particular time in the past go with ___________ tense.
[a] present perfect [b] simple past [c] simple future [d] simple present
29.Once a certain king had an idea. Here “ once” means ______________
[a] on one occasion [b] some unspecified time in past [c] at one time
30. Choose an adverb that collocates with “breathed”_____________.
[a] hurriedly [b] heavily [c] hardly