“The Three Questions” is a short story that was written by Russian author Leo Tolstoy in 1903. In this short story, three questions came to the mind of a certain Tsar. He was longing for the answers to the three questions. To get the answers, he came across a hermit who was famous for his wisdom. At last, he got the answers to his three questions.
The Three Questions by Leo Tolstoy – 63 Short Questions and Their Answers
1. What was the first question of the Tsar?
The first question of the Tsar was: What was the right time to begin everything?
2. What was the second question of the Tsar?
The second question of the Tsar was: Who were the most necessary people to listen to?
3. What was the third question of the Tsar?
The third question of the Tsar was: What was the most important thing to do?
4. Why did the Tsar decide to consult the hermit?
As the Tsar’s scholars had failed, he decided to consult the hermit. He knew the hermit was wise enough to give answers to his three questions.
5. Whom did the hermit use to receive?
The hermit used to receive none but the common folk.
6. Where did the hermit live?
The hermit lived in a wood which he never quitted.
7. How did the Tsar help the hermit?
The Tsar helped the hermit by digging the ground.
8. Whom did the hermit see come running?
The hermit saw a bearded man come running.
9. How did the Tsar tend the man?
The Tsar washed and bandaged the wound several times till the blood stopped flowing. In this way, the Tsar tended the wounded man.
10. Who attacked the bearded man?
The Tsar’s bodyguard attacked the bearded man.
11. Where did the Tsar fall asleep?
The Tsar fell asleep on the threshold of the hermit’s hut as he was exhausted.
12. When did the wounded man recover?
The wounded man recovered the next morning.
13. What did the wounded man ask for when he revived?
When the wounded man revived, he asked for something to drink.
14. Why did the man want to take revenge on the Tsar?
As the Tsar had once executed the man’s brother and seized his property, he wanted to take revenge on the Tsar.
15. Why did the man beg for forgiveness from the Tsar?
The bearded man had intended to kill the Tsar. But the Tsar saved his life when he was severely wounded. Therefore, the man begged for forgiveness from the Tsar.
16. What did the Tsar promise?
The Tsar promised to send his servants and his own physician to attend the man and affirmed that he would restore his property.
17. What, according to the hermit, is the most important time?
According to the hermit, the most important time is the present.
18. Who, according to the hermit, is the most important person?
According to the hermit, the most important person is the one with whom we are in this moment.
19. What, according to the hermit, is the most important affair?
According to the hermit, the most important affair is to do good to others.
19. To whom did the three questions occur?
The three questions occurred to a certain Tsar.
20. Why did learned men come to the Tsar?
Learned men came to the Tsar to give answers to his three questions, expecting to get the reward that the Tsar had announced.
21. Why did some scholars advise the Tsar to consult a magician?
A magician could foretell the right time for every action. So, some scholars advised the Tsar to consult a magician.
22. Why did the Tsar come to the hermit?
The Tsar came to the hermit to know the answers to his three vital questions because the hermit was widely renowned for his wisdom.
23. What was the hermit widely famous for?
The hermit was widely renowned for his wisdom.
24. What was the hermit doing when the Tsar came to visit him?
When the Tsar came to visit him, the hermit was digging the ground with his spade.
25. Why did the hermit live in a forest?
The hermit was supposed to give up all worldly comforts and possessions. So, he lived in a forest.
26. Why did the Tsar not agree with any of the learned men?
The learned men’s answers were different, and the Tsar was not satisfied with the answers provided by them to his three questions. As a result, the Tsar did not agree with any of the learned men.
27. Where was the man’s wound?
The man’s wound was in the stomach.
28. Why did the Tsar lie down on the threshold?
As the Tsar was exhausted from the walk and the work he had done, he lay down on the threshold.
29. What did the Tsar give the wounded man after he revived?
The Tsar gave the wounded man some fresh water to drink after he revived.
30. Why was the bearded man a sworn enemy of the Tsar?
The bearded man took the Tsar as his avowed enemy, as the Tsar had executed his brother and seized his property.
31. “I came upon your bodyguard… “- What happened then?
The man, a declared enemy of the Tsar, came upon the Tsar’s bodyguard who recognised him as the Tsar’s enemy and wounded him severely.
32. Why did the Tsar want to know the answers to the important questions?
The Tsar believed that if he knew the answers to the three questions, he would never fail in any work that he might undertake.
33. Who came first to answer the questions of the Tsar?
The learned men came first to answer the three questions of the Tsar.
34. What would the Tsar give to the man for answering his questions satisfactorily?
The Tsar announced a handsome reward for the person who would answer his questions satisfactorily.
35. Why did some scholars advise the Tsar to have a council of wise men?
Some scholars advised the Tsar to have a council of wise men with the belief that they would then advise the Tsar about the proper time for every work.
36. How would a council of wise men help the Tsar?
To fix a proper time for everything, a council of wise men would help the Tsar.
37. What, according to the scholars, were the different important occupations?
According to the scholars, the most important occupations are as follows: the study of science, skill in warfare, and religious worship.
38. Who did the hermit meet to give advice?
The hermit met only the common folk to give advice.
39. Why did the Tsar disguise his appearance before meeting the hermit?
As the hermit received none but common folk, the Tsar disguised his appearance before meeting the hermit.
40. Why did the Tsar put on simple clothes before visiting the hermit?
As the Tsar knew that the hermit received only common folk, he put on simple clothes before visiting the hermit.
41. Why did the Tsar refuse to give reward to the learned men?
The Tsar was not satisfied with the answers of the learned men. So, he refused to give reward to them.
42. Why did the Tsar fall asleep?
The Tsar fell asleep because he was very tired from the walk and the work he had done.
43. Why did the Tsar forgive the wounded man?
The Tsar forgave the wounded man because he begged for his forgiveness. In addition to it, the Tsar wanted to make peace with his enemy.
44. What did the Tsar see when he woke up the next morning?
When the Tsar woke up the next morning, he noticed that the wounded man was gazing at him intently with shining eyes.
45. “You have already been answered!’ said the hermit.”-Why did the hermit say so?
The hermit said so as he knew that the Tsar had gotten the answers to all his questions, unknowingly, through the experiences of the previous day.
46. “What do you mean?”-What does the question suggest?
The Tsar said this with surprise to mean that he did not understand how his questions had already been answered.
47. Why is the present (now) the most important time?
The present is the most important time, as it is the only time over which we have some power and control.
48. “Now”-Who said this and why?
The hermit said this to the Tsar. He wanted to suggest that the present is the most important time.
49.”… for that purpose alone was man sent into this life!”-What does ‘that purpose’ refer to?
‘That purpose’ refers to the objective of a man who is born to do good to another person with whom he is at a given point of time.
50. “You are tired,”-Who said this, and what did he do?
The Tsar said this to the hermit, and he took the spade from the hermit to begin digging the ground himself.
51. “Now rest awhile”- Who said this and why?
The hermit said this as he thought that the Tsar stopped digging and repeated his questions only because he was tired.
52. Why did the hermit breathe heavily?
The hermit breathed heavily as he was too weak to undertake the heavy toil of digging the ground.
53. “Let us see who it is.”-Who is the man referred to here?
The man referred to here is a bearded stranger who came out of the woods, bleeding profusely.
54. Describe the wound of the stranger.
The stranger had a serious wound in his stomach, and blood was flowing profusely from this wound.
55. What did the Tsar use to bandage the wound of the bearded man?
The Tsar used his handkerchief and the hermit’s towel to bandage the wound of the bearded man.
56. In which season did the Tsar spend the night at the hermit’s cell?
The Tsar spent the night at the hermit’s cell in summer.
57. What did the Tsar do with his enemy?
The Tsar forgave his enemy, promised to send his servants and his own physician, vowed to restore his property, and made peace with his enemy. The Tsar showed his greatness.
58. What did the Tsar do to show his forgiveness to the bearded man?
The Tsar promised to send his servants and his own physician, and also pledged to restore his property to show his forgiveness to the bearded man.
59. Which part of the body of the bearded man was injured in the story ‘The Three Questions’?
The stomach of the bearded man was injured by the Tsar’s bodyguard.
60. Why did the man come out of his ambush?
The man came out of his ambush as he lost his patience while waiting for the Tsar to return from the hermit’s place.
61. What did the wounded man promise the Tsar?
The wounded man promised the Tsar that he and his sons would serve the Tsar as his most faithful slaves, as the Tsar had saved his life.
62. What was the hermit doing when the Tsar came to take leave from him?
The hermit was sowing seeds in the beds that had been dug the previous day when the Tsar came to take leave from the hermit.
63. Who wrote “The Three Questions”?
Russian writer Leo Tolstoy wrote “The Three Questions”.
General Question :
What are the three questions you should ask before using your emergency fund?
Sometimes we have to face financial difficulties. We save funds to maintain our financial stability. What should we do if we fall into an emergency?
If you are wise, you should ask yourself three Questions before using your emergency fund :
- Is it extremely essential to use the emergency fund?
- Is there any other way to manage the situation instead of using the emergency fund?
- What will be the impact on your financial stability if you spend the emergency fund?
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