Three Questions Notes, Summary & Questions Class 10 SSC

This chapter is a parable written by the famous Russian author Leo Tolstoy. It tells the story of a curious king seeking answers to three fundamental questions of life and discovering profound truths through a wise hermit.

About the author

Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910) was a Russian writer regarded as one of the greatest authors of all time. He first achieved literary acclaim in his twenties with his semi-autobiographical trilogy Childhood, Boyhood and Youth.

Summary

A certain king believed that he would never fail if he knew the right time to begin everything, who the right people to listen to were, and what the most important thing to do was. He made a proclamation offering a great reward to anyone who could answer these questions.

Many learned people came to court and gave completely different answers. Some suggested drawing up tables of days and months, while others advised having a council of wise people. Similarly, varying answers were given regarding necessary people and important occupations. Unconvinced by any, the king gave the reward to none.

Changing into simple clothes and approaching the hermit's cell, the king dismounted his horse and left his bodyguard behind, then found the frail hermit digging beds in front of his hut.

The king washed the large stomach wound and bandaged it, repeatedly removing the blood-soaked bandage to wash and rebandage it until the bleeding finally stopped.

He revealed that he was the king's sworn enemy who had come to kill him to avenge his brother's execution and property seizure, but when he came out of ambush after the king failed to return, the king's bodyguards recognized and wounded him.

Before leaving, the king asked his questions one last time. The hermit explained that the king had already been answered through his own actions: the most important time was when he was digging beds for the hermit and later saving the wounded man; the most important person was whoever he was with at that moment; and the most important business was doing that person good.

Mind map

Sequence of Events

Characters

Themes and message

The Importance of the Present Moment

True power lies only in the present ('now'), as it is the only time over which humans have control.

Compassion and Forgiveness

Helping others and forgiving enemies transforms hostility into lasting friendship and fulfills the true purpose of human life.

Key points to remember

• The story is a parable written by Leo Tolstoy.
• The king sought to know the right time, the right people, and the most important task.
• The hermit lived in a forest and spoke only to common folk.
• The king's enemy came to kill him but ended up being saved by him.
• The central lesson is that the most important time is 'now', the necessary person is whoever you are with, and the main task is doing them good.

Word meanings

Important questions and answers

Q1. What were the three questions that troubled the king?

The three questions were: (1) What is the right time to begin everything? (2) Who are the right people to listen to and avoid? (3) What is the most important thing to do?

Q2. Why did the king go to visit the hermit in disguise?

The king went to the hermit because the hermit was widely renowned for his wisdom, lived in a forest, and spoke only to common folk. Therefore, the king put on simple clothes and left his bodyguard behind.

Q3. Describe the state of the bearded man when he arrived at the hermit's hut.

The bearded man came running out of the forest with his hands pressed against his stomach. Blood was flowing from under his hands, and when he reached the king, he fainted and fell to the ground moaning feebly due to a large stomach wound.

Q4. Why did the wounded man ask for the king's pardon?

The wounded man asked for the king's pardon because he was the king's sworn enemy who had come to kill him in revenge for executing his brother and seizing his property. After the king's bodyguards wounded him when he came out of ambush and the king subsequently saved his life, he felt grateful and repentant.

Q5. How did the hermit finally point out the answers to the king's questions?

The hermit explained that if the king had not pitied his weakness and stayed to dig the beds, he would have been killed by his enemy. Therefore, the time he spent digging was most important, the hermit was the most important man, and helping him was the most important business. Similarly, attending to the wounded man was crucial because saving him led to making peace with an enemy.

Q6. State whether true or false: The person the King saved and helped was his enemy.

True.

Q7. Choose the correct synonym for 'convinced' from the options: (i) persuaded (ii) happy (iii) unhappy (iv) angry.

(i) persuaded

Q8. What is the final message given by the hermit at the end of the story?

The hermit stated that the only important time is 'now' because it is when we have power, the most necessary person is the one you are with, and the most important thing is to do that person good.

Exam tips

• Memorize the exact definitions of the three questions the king asked.
• Understand the sequence of events, especially how the king's meeting with the hermit intersects with the attack by the enemy.
• Practice vocabulary words and their meanings for objective questions like fill-in-the-blanks.
• Remember the core moral of the story: living in the present and helping others.

FAQs

What genre does 'Three Questions' belong to?

It is a parable, which is a short story with a moral lesson featuring human characters.

Who wrote 'Three Questions'?

It is written by the celebrated Russian author Leo Tolstoy.

What are the answers to the king's three questions according to the hermit?

The right time is 'now', the right person is the one you are with, and the most important business is to do that person good.

These notes were prepared with AI help from the Balbharati English Kumarbharati textbook (2026-27) and fact-checked against it.