THREE QUESTIONS

- Leo Tolstoy
Short Answer:
1. What message do we get from the story "Three Questions"?
 The morale of the story "Three Questions" is ‘ revenge is not
the solution to settle the scores’.
 The best solution is 'Service to Mankind and Love' which is
more powerful than hatred.
 That is the best way by which we can win the heart of even
our sworn enemy as a friend.
2. Who was the bearded man? Why did he want to kill the King?
Who wounded him?
 The bearded man belongs to the king’s enemy country.
 He wanted to kill the King because the King once executed his
brother and seized his property.
 It was the King’s bodyguard who wounded the man when the
man was waiting for the King to be killed..
3. How did the king and the hermit help the wounded man?
 The king and the hermit helped the wounded man by providing
him the shelter and protected from the army.
 The king washed and covered the wound of the man with his
handkerchief, but the blood would not stop flowing.
 The king re-dressed the wound until it stopped bleeding.
 They took him to hut for taking rest and king also gave him fresh
water after being relaxed.
4. What were the various answers given by wise men to his first
questions?
 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.
 Others suggested looking into the future with the help of a
magician.
5. Whom did the king visit in the forest and why?
 The king was not satisfied by the answers given many wise men.
 So, the king decided to visit the hermit and seek his advice for his
questions.
 Therefore, the king disguised himself in simple clothes and left his
horse and bodyguard and walked alone towards the hut of the
hermit.

Long Answer:

1. What were the hermit’s answers to the three questions?

Write each answer separately. Which answer do you like
most, and why?
The King wanted to know the reply of three questions to succeed in
life.
 Firstly, he wanted to know the right time for every action.
 Secondly, he wanted to know the most important people who
direct him in a correct path.
 Finally he wanted to know the most important work for him to do
in this world.
The king was not satisfied by the answers given many wise men .
So, the king decided to visit the hermit and seek his advice for his
questions. The king asked the hermit once again every question,
he answered:
 To the king’s first question, the hermit said that there is only
one important time ‘Now’ (i.e. present). It is the only time
when you have the power to act.
 In answer to the king’s second question, the hermit said that
the most important person is the one with who we are at
the present because knows whether we will meet anyone
else in the future.
 In response to the king’s third question, the hermit
answered that the most important thing to do good to the
person because we were sent to the world to help others.
 I like the answer of the first question the most because time
has the supreme power. It can take you to height if you do
something good and can also make you fall on the ground if
you won't act in presence. One should live and act according
to present.