Chapter 1 — Three Questions

The king wants to know: (1) What is the right time to begin something? (2) Which people should he listen to? (3) What is the most important thing for him to do? He believes he will never fail if he knows these three things.

The wise men gave very different answers to each question — some said a timetable was needed, others recommended a council of wise men, and yet others said only magicians could tell the right time. Because the answers varied so widely, the king was not satisfied and gave no reward.

The king went to seek the advice of the hermit, who was widely known for his wisdom. The hermit lived in a wood and saw only simple people, so the king put on ordinary clothes, left his horse and bodyguard before reaching the hut, and went on alone.

The hermit was digging the ground in front of his hut. He was old and weak and breathed heavily as he worked. The king offered to take the spade and work in the hermit's place, and he dug two beds while the hermit rested.

The bearded man was the king's enemy. He revealed that the king had put his brother to death and seized his property, and he had come planning to kill the king on his way home. However, he was wounded by the king's bodyguard and came running to the hut with a severe stomach wound.

The king and the hermit removed the man's clothing and found a large wound in his stomach. The king washed it and covered it with his handkerchief, then kept re-dressing the wound until the bleeding stopped. He also brought fresh water for the man to drink. With the hermit's help, the king carried the man into the hut and laid him on the bed.

The bearded man had come with the intention of killing the king in revenge for the death of his brother and the seizure of his property. Instead, the king saved his life by dressing his wounds. The man said that the king, who had every reason to be his enemy, had saved him, and he asked forgiveness and promised to serve the king faithfully for the rest of his life.

The king not only forgave the man but also said he would send his servants and his own doctor to look after him, and he promised to give back the man his property.

The hermit said: (1) The most important time is 'Now' — the present moment is the only time we have any power to act. (2) The most necessary person is the person you are with at a particular moment, because no one knows who they will meet in the future. (3) The most important business is to do that person good, because we were sent into this world for that purpose alone.

The hermit pointed out that if the king had not stayed to dig the beds, he would have left and been attacked by his enemy on the road. By digging, the right time was 'now', the hermit was the most important person, and helping him was the most important business. Later, when the wounded man arrived, caring for him was the right action at that moment, as it saved a life and made peace with an enemy.

The story teaches that the present moment is always the most important time, the person we are with right now is the most important person, and doing good to that person is the most important thing we can do. The king discovers these truths through his own actions rather than through the advice of scholars.

The story is by Leo Tolstoy. It appears in the textbook as a retold version.

Yes. The official NCERT PDF for Class 7 English Honeycomb, including Chapter 1 'Three Questions', is available free on CBSE PrepMaster (cbseprepmaster.com). No sign-up or payment is required.