The Three Questions Lesson Class 8 Summary by Leo Tolstoy in English

About the Author

Russian novelist Leo Tolstoy is known for his famous works War and Peace (1863-69) and Anna Karenina (1875-77) in Tula, Yasnya Polyana, where he was born on August 28, 1828. His parents passed away when he was young, and relatives brought him up. At Kazan University, Tolstoy studied law and oriental languages in 1844 but never received a degree. He left Yasnya Polyana in the middle of his studies because he was unhappy with the education quality and spent a lot of time in Moscow and St. Petersburg. After receiving treatment for venereal disease in 1847, Tolstoy fought his tendencies to indulge in excessive self-indulgence for most of his life. In 1851, Tolstoy went to the Caucasus with his older brother and enrolled in an army unit after obtaining essential debts from gambling.

Tolstoy began his literary career in the 1850s by releasing a series of autobiographies named Childhood (1852), Boyhood (1854), and Youth (1857). Tolstoy travelled to France, Switzerland, and Germany in 1857 to get knowledge of society and possible changes. He thought that education held the key to transforming the world. He researched educational philosophy and practice and wrote books and articles about it.

Summary of the Lesson- The Three Questions By Leo Tolstoy

A King once believed that he would never fail if he knew the answers to his three questions. These questions were: What is the right time to begin something? Which people should he listen to? What is the most important thing for him to do? To find answers, he sent messengers all over the kingdom and promised a large amount of money to the correct person who would provide him with the correct answers. Many wise men came but failed because they had different answers to all the questions that did not satisfy him with the answers. Then he decided to ask a hermit who was known for his wisdom. Hermits who reside in the forest never leave the woods and only interact with the common people. After knowing all this, he decided to meet him and dressed like an ordinary man. The King left his horse and bodyguard alone when he went to his hut. He arrived at the hut and observed the hermit digging the ground before his hut. The hermit welcomed the King and carried on with his digging. He was weak and old. The King asked him three questions. However, the hermit did not answer. He just continued digging. The King then took his spade away from him and dug it. The hermit thanked him. After the King finished digging two beds, the King repeated his question. Instead of answering, however, he asked for a spade to dig. But the King did not give him the spade and continued to dig.

The sun was shining. The King stood up and asked the hermit to answer his questions. If not, he would have to return home. Then a person ran over. It was a bearded man who had put his hands on the bleeding area of his stomach. After being cured by the King and the hermit, the bleeding stopped.

The bearded guy apologized to the King and introduced himself once he regained consciousness. The bearded guy hated the King and wanted revenge because he had once taken his brother's property and killed him. The man declared himself the King's most devoted servant, though, as the King had saved his life. He spoke with the bearded man, and after they were over, he returned to the hermit and asked him the same questions. The hermit replied that the King already knew the answers and had just provided them to the King to calm his worries. The most important time is right now; the person you are with at the time is the most important, and taking care of that person well is your job.