Question 1:

Why did the king want to know answers to three questions?

Solution:
The king wanted to know answers of his three questions because he
wanted to be a successful ruler.

Question 2:
Messengers were sent throughout the kingdom

1. to fetch wise men.

2. to find answers to the questions.
3. to look for the wise hermit.
4. to announce a reward for those who could answer the
questions.

Solution:
[Link] find answers to the questions.

Check
Complete the following sentences by adding the appropriate
parts of the sentences given in the box.

1. Many wise men answered the king’s questions ……………….

2. Someone suggested that there should be a council of wise
men ……………….
3. Someone else suggested that the king should have a timetable
……………….
4. The king requested the hermit ……………….
5. The king washed and dressed the beared man’s wound
……………….

Solution:

1. Many wise men answered the king’s questions, but their

answers were so varied that the king was not satisfied.
 2. Someone suggested that there should be a council of wise men
to help the king act at the right time.
3. Someone else suggested that the king should have a timetable
and follow it strictly.
4. The king requested the hermit to answer three questions.
5. The king washed and dressed the bearded man’s wound but
the bleeding would not stop.

Answer the following questions.

Question 1:
Why was the king advised to go to the magicians?
Solution:
Some of the wise men thought that in order to decide right time for doing
something, one must look into the future and only magicians were able to
do that. So, they advised the king to go to the magicians.

Question 2:
In answer to the second question, whose advice did the people say would
be important to the king?
Solution:
In answer to the second question some people, suggested to seek advice
of councillors, the priest or the doctors or the soldiers.

Question 3:
What suggestions were made in answer to the third question?
Solution:
For the third question some people said science was the most important
business while there were others who believed it was fighting and then
there were those who believed religious worship should take the first
place.

Question 4:
Did the wise men win the reward? If not, why not?
Solution:
No, the wise men didn’t win the reward because their answers were so
different from each other and king was not satisfied with their answers.

Question 5:
How did the king and the hermit help the wounded man?
Solution:
The king washed the wound and covered the wound of the man with his
handkerchief and kept on dressing it until the bleeding stopped
completely.
The king also offered the wounded man water to drink. The hermit helped
the king to bring the wounded man inside his hut and allowed the man to
spend his night in the hut.
Question 6:

1. Who was the bearded man?

2. Why did he ask for the king’s forgiveness?

Solution:

1. The bearded man was an enemy of the king. He wanted to take

revenge of his brother’s death by killing the king and taking
away all his property.
2. The bearded man asked for the king’s forgiveness because he
wanted to kill the king but the king has saved his life. He was
grateful to the king now.

Question 7:
The king forgave the bearded man. What did he do to show his
forgiveness?
Solution:
The king showed his forgiveness by promising the man that he will send
his doctor and servants to look after him and also promised to return him
all his property.

Question 8:
What were the hermit’s answers to the three questions? Write each
answer separately. Which answers do you like the most and why?
Solution:
The most important time, the hermit said, 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 unknown and we don’t
know whether we will meet anyone in the future or not.
So, we should listen to ourselves.
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.
I liked the third answer the most because helping someone in need is like
serving God. It makes us a good person and brings a sense of satisfaction
and contentment.

Question 1:
Imagine you are the king. Narrate the incident of your meeting with the
hermit. Begin like this: The wise men answered my questions, but I was
not satisfied with their answers. One day I decided to go and meet the
hermit….
Solution:
I knew the hermit used to help only ordinary men, so I left behind my
servants and bodyguards. I went to meet him wearing simple clothes. The
hermit was an old man and used to live in a hut amidst the woods. He was
digging the ground in front of his hut when I arrived there. He greeted me
and continued his work. I informed him the purpose of my visit, but still he
continued digging the ground. He looked tired so I offered my help. He
agreed, so I took the spade from him and started digging the ground.
After digging for many hours I again repeated my questions, but the
hermit did not answer.
Evening was approaching and now I thought of returning. Suddenly, the
hermit showed me a bearded man who was running towards us.

Question 2:
Imagine you are the hermit. Write briefly the incident of your meeting the
king. Begin like this:
One day I was digging in my garden. A man in ordinary clothes came to
see me. I knew it was the king….
Solution:
but still pretended to be unaware of his identity. He told me that he has
come to me to get answers for his three questions.
I greeted him and continued digging the ground. I was tired digging the
ground; the king noticed this and offered his help. I agreed and gave my
spade to him.
After digging two beds in the ground the king repeated his questions, I
ignored him again and rather asked him if he was tired and would like me
to dig the ground. But he refused to do so and continued the task.
Evening was approaching and it seemed that he was ready to leave, at
that very moment we saw a man running towards us.

Very Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1:
Why did the king send two messengers throughout his kingdom?
Solution:
The king sent his messengers to look for wise people.

Question 2:
How did the king promise to reward the person who would answer his
questions correctly?
Solution:
The king promised to reward the person with a huge sum of money.

Question 3:
Whose advice did the king finally think of seeking?
Solution:
The king finally thought of seeking the hermit’s advice who lived in a
distant jungle.

Question 4:
Who did go along with the king to meet the hermit?
Solution:
No one went along with the king.
Question 5:
During which time of the day would the hermit would leave the forest and
go out?
Solution:
The hermit never used to go out of the forest.

Question 6:
Why did the bearded man press his stomach with his hand?
Solution:
The bearded man pressed his stomach because he was wounded and
wanted to stop blood flowing out from his wound.

Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1:
Why was the king advised to listen to his soldiers?
Solution:
Some wise men thought that it were soldiers who used to fight wars for
the king and help him extend his territory and power. So, according to
them they thought soldiers were the most important people whom the
king should follow.

Question 2:
Why did the king refuse to give reward to anyone?
Solution:
The king was not satisfied with the answers of the wise men.
They all had given different answers to the same questions because of
which he was unable to come to a conclusion, so he refused giving the
reward to anyone.

Question 3:
Why the king changed his clothes and left behind his bodyguards and
horse before meeting the hermit?
Solution:
The king was aware that the hermit would meet only simple people.
So, he dressed up like an ordinary man, left behind his horse and
bodyguards and went to meet the hermit in his hut in the woods all alone.

Question 4:
Describe the hermit or give a character sketch.
Solution:
The hermit was a weak old man and used to live amidst the woods which
he would never leave. He was digging the ground in front of his hut for
sowing seeds when the king arrived and the tedious task had made him
tired. Hermit is one of the principal characters of Leo Tolstoy's story
"Three Questions". He is widely renowned for his wisdom. People respect
him. He lives a simple life .He was a man of great character .The king
holds him in high esteem. He receives only common folk. The hermit is
self supporting .When the King meets him, he asks three questions, but he
does not give the answer immediately .He wants that the King should
himself find his answers. As a teacher he believes in value of self
teaching. He is a great teacher , he teaches the King to teach himself . He
is simple and an ideal human being whose only mission in life is to do
good to all mankind.

Question 5:
“Here comes someone running”. Who has been referred to in this
sentence?
Solution:
The bearded man is being referred to in these lines. He had planned to
attack the king, but was instead attacked by the king’s bodyguards, as
they had recognised him. He had received a wound in his stomach. He
was rushing towards the hermit’s hut for help.

Long Answer Type Questions

Question 1:
What were the replies the king received for his first question?
Solution:
In reply to his first question, the king was advised to follow a timetable by
some men. There were some people who were of the opinion that it was
impossible to decide the right time in advance. The king was suggested to
keep a note of all the happenings around him, avoid indulging in
excessive pleasure and do everything that seemed important at any
particular time. Along with this he should have a team of intelligent people
to guide to him to the right thing at the right time.

Question 2:
Describe the king in your own words.
Solution:
The king wanted to be a good ruler. He was seeking answers for the three
questions which he thought would help him in his mission. The king was
kindhearted, when he found the old man tired of digging the ground, he
offered him his help. He kept on bandaging the bearded man’s wound
until blood stopped coming out from it. He was down to earth, he dressed
up like a common man and spent the night sleeping on floor at the
hermit’s hut.

Question 3:
Describe the bearded man in your own words.
Solution:
The bearded man was courageous. He wanted to avenge his brother’s
death killing the king. He lacked patience because when the king didn’t
return by evening, he became anxious and left his hiding place. He was
thankful and obliged by the king’s act.
He repented for his act and asked for forgiveness. He returned the favour
by promising the king faithfulness of his entire family for the kingdom.