"Three Questions" is the opening story of the NCERT Class 7 English textbook "Honeycomb". The story is a timeless tale about a king who believes that if he knows the answers to three questions, he will never fail in anything he does. The three questions he wishes to answer are: what is the right time to begin something, who are the right people to listen to, and what is the most important thing to do.
The king wanders across the kingdom in search of wise answers, but no one can satisfy him. Eventually, he seeks the advice of a wise hermit who lives in the forest. Through a chain of dramatic events including a wounded man and a life-threatening attack, the king discovers that the answers were always hidden in the present moment and in the immediate actions of daily life.
The story beautifully conveys the moral that the most important time is "now", the most important person is the one you are with, and the most important thing to do is to do good to that person. It is a profound lesson in mindfulness and human kindness.
The story "Three Questions" is adapted from the short story by Leo Tolstoy, one of the greatest Russian writers of all time. Tolstoy was born in 1828 and is famous for masterpieces like "War and Peace" and "Anna Karenina". He was deeply concerned with moral and philosophical questions about how human beings should live their lives. His short stories often carry powerful moral lessons wrapped in simple, universal settings. In this story, Tolstoy uses a hermit in the forest as the symbol of wisdom and simple living, which reflects his own later philosophy of simplicity, hard work, and service to others.
A certain king once thought that he would never fail if he knew three answers: the right time to begin everything, the right people to listen to, and the most important thing to do. He proclaimed that whoever answered these questions would be richly rewarded. Many learned men came, but they gave conflicting answers. Some said the right time was fixed by a timetable, others said it depended on special calculations; some said the most important people were councillors and doctors, while others said priests; and some said science was the most important thing while others said fighting.
Since no answer satisfied him, the king decided to consult a hermit who lived in a forest and was famous for his wisdom. The king dressed in simple clothes and went to the hermit. The hermit was digging flower beds and did not answer; he kept on digging, tired and breathing heavily. The king offered to dig for him. After some time, the king asked his questions again. The hermit still did not answer and instead pointed out a bearded man running towards them with his hands pressed over a wound in his stomach.
The king tore a towel and dressed the man's wound. The wounded man was a stranger who had planned to kill the king earlier, but the king's bodyguards had wounded him in the process. After dressing the wound, the king carried the man to the hut for shelter. By morning the man was recovering and asked for forgiveness. The king forgave him and made peace with him. The hermit then answered the king's questions with the lessons drawn from the events of the day: the most important time is now, the most important person is the one you are with, and the most important thing is to do that person good.
| Character | Role and Traits |
|---|---|
| The King | Curious, humble, determined; he strips off royal robes to dig and nurse a stranger, learning humility and compassion. |
| The Hermit | Wise, simple, patient; lives in a forest hut and never receives visitors except the common folk; he teaches through action rather than words. |
| The Bearded Man (enemy) | Former enemy who planned to kill the king; he is wounded and later becomes a friend after being forgiven. |
| The Learned Men | Counselors and scholars who give contradictory, bookish answers and fail to satisfy the king. |
The central theme of the story is that the present moment is the only reality. The king searches far and wide for answers to questions about time, people and work, but the hermit reveals that truth lies in immediate action. The theme of compassion and forgiveness is equally strong: the king forgives a man who tried to kill him, transforming an enemy into a friend. The story also highlights that wisdom comes through experience and service, not through bookish knowledge or position. "Doing good to the person you are with is the only thing that matters," the hermit teaches, because each moment in life is lived for that purpose.
| Question | Wrong Answers Given | Correct Answer (from the hermit) |
|---|---|---|
| What is the right time to begin anything? | Timetables, astronomical calculations, seasons, wise men | The most important time is "now" — the present moment. |
| Who are the right people to listen to? | Councillors, doctors, priests, warriors | The most important person is the one you are with. |
| What is the most important thing to do? | Science, fighting, religious rites, good deeds | The most important thing is to do that person good. |
| Event Number | Event |
|---|---|
| 1 | King declares he wants answers to three questions. |
| 2 | Learned men give contradictory answers; none satisfies him. |
| 3 | King goes to the hermit's hut in simple clothes. |
| 4 | Hermit keeps digging; king takes over digging. |
| 5 | Bearded man runs in wounded; king dresses his wound. |
| 6 | King carries the man to the hut; nurse him overnight. |
| 7 | The enemy reveals himself and asks forgiveness. |
| 8 | Hermit gives the final answers through the day's events. |
"Three Questions" teaches a profound and simple truth: life is lived only in the present, and the way we treat the person before us defines the quality of our life. The king's journey from royal pomp to a hermit's flower bed is a journey from ignorance to wisdom, from revenge to forgiveness. The story encourages students to be mindful, compassionate and action-oriented. Its moral — that the most important time is now and the most important task is to do good to the one you are with — remains as relevant today as when Leo Tolstoy first wrote it. It is a perfect opening story for Class 7, gently preparing young readers for deeper questions about purpose, kindness and the art of living.