Three Questions Summary Class 7
The story “Three questions” by Leo Tolstoy is a story in which a king seeks answers to his three questions.
The 1st 2 Para’s of the story “The thought . . . . . three questions” starts the story with a though that came to the mind of a king. The king thought he would never fail if he knew the answers of three questions.
The three questions were:- What was the right time to begin something, whom should he listen to, what was the most important thing he should do. The puzzled king therefore sent messengers to the kingdom & promised a huge sum of money to the person who answered it.
The third & fourth Para of the story “Many wise men . . . . go to magicians” continues the king’s search for the answer to his three questions. Many wise men came to the kingdom & gave various answers. The reply to the first question he got was, the king should follow a perfect timetable only that would help him do his activities in proper time. Some wise men said it was impossible to decide the right time for something in advance. Some opined that he should notice everything very carefully avoid foolish pleasure that do whatever seemed necessary at the moment. Yet some said the king would need a group of wise men to help him act properly while some said it would be impossible for them to decide the right time of every action correctly. Some said the king should seek help from magicians & so the king rushed to the magicians.
The 5th & the 6th Para of the story “In their . . . . alone” highlights the king’s search to the answer of the 2nd question. Some said the king should only listen to his councilors, some replied he should listen to the priests while few said he should choose the doctor, & yet some said the king should rely on the soldiers. The answers to the 3rd question he got was he should regard science as the most important thing while some choose fighting & some replied on religious workships. The king was completely puzzled & not at all satisfied with the various answers.
So he decided to seek the advice of a hermit who was known for his wisdom & knowledge. The hermit left in a jungle alone & attended only simple people so the king put on ordinary clothes & left his horse & body guard at the distance & then left alone.
The 7th to 10th Para “As the king….. ground” highlight the king’s meeting with the hermit. As the king reached the hermit’s but he saw the hermit digging the ground. The hermit greeted the king & continued with his work. The hermit was old & weak & breathed heavily. The king went to the hermit & told that he was confused & had corner to know the answer to three questions. The hermit listened to the king but did not reply & continued with his work. The king told the hermit to allow him to dig for the hermit as he was tired. The hermit thanked the king & gave him the spade & rested on the ground.
The 11th & 12th Para “When the king……. Return home” describes the help the king does to the hermit. The king had dug 2 beds & then he stopped & repeated his questions to the hermit. The hermit stood up but gave no answer. He stretched his hand & asked for the spade. The king did not give the spade & continued to work. He worked for an hour. The sun was about to set down & the king stuck the spade at the ground & mur murred that he had come to know the answer to his question but got none. The king then told that if the hermit won’t be able to answer him he should say him to leave. The hermit that sees someone running to them & shouted.
II
The 1st & 2nd Para’ of part II “The king —- bed was” describes the king & the hermit’s meeting with a wounded man. The king turned & saw a man who was wounded in the stomach. He was bleeding & fainted & fell down. The king & the hermit removed his cloth & saw a wound in his stomach. The king washed & covered the wound with a handkerchief but it was still bleeding. The king finally re-dressed the wound & it stopped bleeding. The man was felling better & asked for something to drink. The king gave him some fresh water. The sun had already set. The wounded man was laid to bed. The king was very tired, he lay on the ground & slept. He woke up in the morning & saw the wounded man lying on the bed.
The 3rd to 6th Para “Forgive ……. Wise man” describes the story of the wounded man. The wounded man asked forgiveness from the king the king was surprised & said he did not know him & had nothing to forgive. The wounded man than told that he knew the king very well. The wounded man was the enemy of the kind as he had killed the latter’s brother & even seized his property. So the wounded man wants to take revenge from him. He had made his mind to kill the king & so he came to kill the king. After waiting for a day for the king to come he came out & got wounded from the king’s body guard as he could recognize his enemy. He would not have been alive if the king would not have saved him. The wounded man continued that he will be ever grateful to him & serve the king as his most faithful serves The king was very happy to make his enemy his friend. He promised to treat him by his own doctor & even return the seized property to the wounded man. Before leaving the king went to the hermit who was sowing seeds that the king dug the previous day. The king for the lost time begged the hermit to answer him before the king left.
The 7th to 10th Para “You have . . . . . Purpose alone” Conclude the story in a very positive way. The hermit replied to the king that the later had already got reply to the questions. The king was surprised & asked the hermit how did hot the answers. The hermit then explained the king that if he had not felt pity on the hermit & helped him dug & went away the enemy would have attacked & killed him. So the most important time was when he was digging the bed. The hermit further explained that he was the most important person & helping the hermit was the king’s most important task. The hermit very beautiful explained the king that caring for the wounded man was the king’s most important time, the wounded man was the most important person than & caring for the wounded man was the king’s most important business. The story draws very beautiful moral that has been explained by the hermit. The most important time is ‘Now’ it is the time to act & perform. The most important person is the person we are with at that moments, & doing good to that person or helping that person is the most important business. Every person has been send in this world for a purpose.
The story shares a beautiful massage that performing our activities at that moment is important future cannot be predicted & hence living at the moment, he helping others is what a person should do.