The Three Questions by Leo Tolstoy, Summary and Exercise

"The Three Questions" highlights the value of selfless action, kindness, and being fully present in life. It underscores mindfulness, compassion, and the transformative power of living fully in the present through kindness. By focusing on the immediacy of each moment, Tolstoy illustrates how selfless acts dissolve divisions between enemies and allies, turning strangers into kin.

The king once thinks that he would always succeed if he found the answers to his three questions. The three questions are: What is the right time to begin something? Which people should he listen to? What is the most important thing for him to do? He declares to give a great reward to anyone who can come up with the answers. Learned men come to the king, but their answers do not satisfy him. He decides to consult a hermit, who is widely renowned for his wisdom.

The king goes to the hermit in simple clothes, leaving his bodyguards and horse behind. He sees the hermit digging the ground. The hermit is old and weak and breathes heavily while working. The king asks him the three questions but receives no reply. Having pity on the hermit, the king digs the ground for him.

The king repeatedly asks the hermit his questions but receives no reply. At the same time, a bearded man comes running out of the wood holding his hands against his stomach, bleeding badly. When he reaches the king, he faints. The king washes his wound with his handkerchief and bandages it. The man asks for water, and the king gives it to him. The man is taken inside the hut and laid on the bed. As the king is tired, he sleeps. When he wakes up, the injured man apologizes to him, shocking the king.

The man reveals that he is the king’s enemy because the king killed his brother and seized his property. He had planned to kill the king on his way back since he knew the king was alone. However, when the king did not return, the man left his ambush and was attacked by the king’s guards.

The man feels deeply indebted to the king for saving his life. The king forgives him, promises to return his property, and sends his servants and doctor to care for him. The king then goes to the hermit and begs for answers one last time. The hermit explains that the most important time is now, the most important person is the one before us, and the most important act is to do good to others.

a. Describe the king’s motivation for seeking answers at the beginning of the story and how his perspective changes by the end.

At the beginning, the king wanted to know the right time to act, the right people to meet, and the most important work so that he would never fail. He believed that perfect knowledge would make his rule successful. He searched for answers from learned men and the hermit. By the end, he learned that the most important time is the present moment. He also realized that the most important duty is to do good to the person before him.

Answer these questions.

b. How was the hermit’s method of teaching different from the method of the learned men who first advised the king?

The learned men taught the king through theories, rules, and arguments. Their answers were based only on words and ideas. The hermit did not give direct answers. Instead, he taught the king through real-life actions and experiences, making the lesson clearer and deeper.

c. How did the king’s act of humility help him to receive the answers he was seeking?

The king showed humility by dressing like a common man and going to the hermit alone. He willingly helped the weak hermit dig the garden. He patiently waited instead of demanding answers. Through this humble behavior, he experienced situations that revealed the true answers.

d. Explain the irony in the king finding the ‘most important man’ to be the very person who had sworn to kill him.

The irony lies in the fact that the king expects the most important man to be wise or loyal, but he turns out to be his enemy. The man came with the intention of killing the king. Instead, he becomes the one who needs the king’s help the most. By saving his enemy’s life, the king gains peace and loyalty. Thus, the man who threatened the king becomes the “most important man” at that moment.