[New 2026] 'The Three Questions' by Leo Tolstoy | Summary | Questions and Answers | New Images Class 8 English.

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by Maniesh Agarwal | April, 2026.

'The Three Questions' written by Leo Tolstoy centres around the theme of mindfulness and compassion. It taught us that the present moment is the most important, the most important person is the one you're with, and the most important thing to do is to be kind and helpful to others. The story teaches that focusing on the present, being present with others, and helping those in need are the keys to finding meaning and purpose in life.

# Story : "The Three Questions" by Leo Tolstoy.

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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 anyone 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 varied 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 renowed for his wisdom.

The hermit lived in a wood which he never left, and he received none but common folk. So the King put on simple clothes, and before a religious discipline 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 someone 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. 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 also 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 sentence of death 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 anyone else. And the most important thing to do is to do good, because for that purpose alone was man sent into this life!'

By - Leo Tolstoy.

# Summary :

● Many years ago, a king wanted to find answers to three important questions. He thought if he knew the answers to the questions, he would never fail. He wanted to know what the best time to begin any work was, whom he should take advice from and what the most important thing to do was. He promised to reward heavily to anyone who knew the right answers.

● Many wise men came to the king with diverse answers, but the king was not happy with them. So, he went to a hermit who stayed nearby. On asking the answers to the questions, he received no response. So, he helped the hermit in digging beds for seeds. After digging two beds, he was about to leave as he hadn’t got the answers he had sought. At that time, a man came running towards them. He was bleeding from the stomach. The king bandaged his wound and helped him lie down inside the hut with the hermit’s help.

● The man woke up the next morning and asked for forgiveness from the king. The man confessed that he had come to kill the king who had killed his brother and taken away his property. The man had been attacked by the king’s bodyguards while he had waited for the king to return from the hermit’s place. After hearing the man’s confession, the king forgave him and was happy to have transformed his enemy into a friend.

● The king went to the hermit before leaving and asked for the answers to the three questions again. To that, the old hermit replied that the king had already received his answers. The hermit explained that by digging the beds for him, the king had escaped a murderous attack.

● So, the most important time was when the king was digging the beds. The most important person was the hermit whom the king had helped. And the most important business was to dig the beds and help the hermit.

● Afterwards, when the wounded man had come rushing towards the king, the most important time was when the king was attending to the man’s wounds. The most important person was the wounded attacker. And the most important business was to attend to that man’s wounds.

● The hermit further told the king that the most important time is the present moment. The most important person is the one someone is with in the present moment. And the most important business is to do good.

# Word - Meanings :

Undertake : Agree to do.
Proclaimed : Announced officially or publicly.
Learned : Knowledgeable or wise.
Council : A group of people who advise the king.
Beforehand : Event that takes place in advance.
Hermit : Person living in solitude.
Dismounted : Got off.
Frail : Delicate.
Recommenced : Began again.
Feebly : Lacking strength or force; Weakly.
Unfastened : Untied; Loosened; Removed.
Crouched : Bent forward.
Threshold : Doorway; Entrance.
Intently : Attentively; Closely.
Executed : Carried out a sentence of death.
Seized : Took hold of forcibly; Snatched.
Ambush : A hiding place.
Porch : A veranda; Entryway.
Repented : Regretted; Filled with sorrow.

# Question - Answers :

# Choose the correct answers :

Q1. What did the King promise in exchange of answers to his questions?
a. More questions
b. Reward
c. Treasure
d. Position in the Council

b. Reward ✅

Q2. Which of these did the King not receive as an answer for the most important occupation?
a. Skill in warfare
b. Religious worship
c. Managing time
d. Science

c. Managing time ✅

Q3. Whom did the King eventually decide to consult for the answers?
a. A hermit
b. Magicians
c. Councilors
d. Learned men

a. A hermit✅

Q4. What was the hermit doing when the King saw him first?
a. Praying
b. Helping
c. Sowing seeds
d. Digging

d. Digging✅

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# Reference to the context :

“ '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!' ”

a. Who are 'l' and 'you' here?

Here 'I' refers to the bearded-wounded man and 'you' is the King.

b. How are the two of them connected?

The two of them are connected as the king executed bearded man's brother and seized his property. So, the man felt him as his enemy and wanted to take revenge.

c. Why is the speaker asking for forgiveness?

The speaker asking for forgiveness because he came into the woods to kill the king but king saved his life.

“ 'You have already been answered!' ”

a. Who had already been answered?

The king had already been answered.

b. What answer is referred to here?

The answer referred to here is the answers of the three questions that the king asked to the hermit.

c. Do you think the answer is appropriate? Why?

Yes, the answer is appropriate because it taught a lesson to the king that, he should focus on the present time or work and should give importance to the people that are present with him at that time.

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# Answer the following questions :

Q1. What were the three questions that the King wanted answers for?

The three questions that the king wanted answer for were :

Which is the right time to begin everything?
Who were the right people to listen to and whom to avoid?
What was the most important thing to do?

Q2. Could the learned men and magicians help? Why or why not?

No, the learned men and magicians was not able to help the king as their expertise was in academic and magical matter, which did not address the king's enquiry.

Q3. Why did the King dress as a commoner to meet the hermit?

The King dressed as a commoner to meet the hermit because the hermit received one but only common folk. So, the king had to leave his royal identity before meeting the hermit.

Q4. Who was the man who came running out of the woods?

The man who came running out of the woods was a bearded man who was bleeding due to a large wound in his stomach. The man came into the woods to kill the king, but was caught by the guards and got wounded by their sword.

Q5. What were the answers to the King's three questions?

The answers to the king's three questions were :

The right time to begin anything is now as it is the only time when we have power.
The right people to listen to is the one with whom you are now as no man knows whether he will ever have dealings with anyone else.
The most important thing to do is to do good, because for that purpose alone was man sent into this life.

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# Think and Answer :

Q1. Hermits live without social interaction yet they can offer practical advice. What makes this possible?

Hermits live without social interaction yet they can offer practical advice because :

Hermits live close to the nature and observe patterns and rhythms in it. This connection with the nature provide them a deep understanding of fundamental life principles.
Hermit's life is rich with diverse experiences - hardship, solitude and self-discovery. This contribute to their wisdom and ability to provide practical advice.

Q2. Write a brief note on the character of the King.

In the story 'The Three Questions', The king experiences a profound transformation. Initially he was portrayed as a power-focused ruler seeking answers to the three fundamental questions. The learned man and the magicians answered his questions differently which did not satisfy him. His desire to know the answers of the three questions took him as a commoner to the hermit who live in the woods. Leaving his royal identity before meeting the hermit shows his thirst for knowledge. His interactions with the hermit and his compassionate response to the wounded man revel his kindness and philanthropic responsibility. As the king encounter with the hermit change his understanding of wisdom and leadership. Through these experiences he learned the value of humility, compassion and living in the present. By the end of the story the king transformed from a power-focused ruler to an enlightened leader who appreciates empathy.

Q3. What is the moral of this story? Discuss.

The story 'The Three Questions' centers around the theme of mindfulness and compassion. It taught us that the present moment is the most important, the most important person is the one you're with, and the most important thing to do is to be kind and helpful to others. The story teaches that focusing on the present, being present with others, and helping those in need are the keys to finding meaning and purpose in life.

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# Learn More :

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