Three Questions
1. Why did the king want to know answers to three questions?
Ans: The king wanted to know answers to three questions because of the thought came
to his mind that he would never fail if he knew answers to these three questions.
2. Messengers were sent throughout the kingdom - Ans: (iv) to announce a reward for those
who could answer the questions.
1. Many wise men answered the king’s questions, but their answers were so varied that the king
was not satisfied.
2. Someone suggested that there should be a council of wise men to help the king act at the
right time.
3. Someone else suggested that the king should have a timetable and follow it strictly.
4. The king requested the hermit to answer three questions.
5. The king washed and dressed the bearded man’s wound, but the bleeding would not stop.
Answer the following questions.
1. Why was the king advised to go to magicians?
Ans: In answer to the first question, in order to decide the right time for doing
something urgent one must have to look into the future. Since only magician could do
that, the king was advised to go to magicians.
2. In answer to the second question, whose advice did the people say would be
important to the king?
Ans: In answers to the second question, some said that the people most necessary to
the king were his councilors, others said, the priests. A few others chose the doctors.
And yet others said that soldiers were the most necessary.
3. What suggestions were made in answer to the third question?
Ans: In answer to the third question, some said science will be most important. Others
suggested fighting, and some said religious worship.
4. Did the wise men win the reward? If not, why not?
Ans: No, the wise men did not win the reward. The king got different for all the three
questions he asked. He was not satisfied with any of them.
5. How did the king and the hermit help the wounded man?
Ans: The king and the hermit helped the wounded man by providing him the shelter
and protected from the army. The king washed and covered the wound of the man with
his handkerchief, but the blood would not stop flowing. The king re-dressed the wound
until it stopped bleeding. They took him to hut for taking rest and king also gave him
fresh water after being relaxed.
6. (i) Who was the bearded man?
(ii) Why did he ask for the king’s forgiveness?
Ans: (i) Bearded man was the enemy of the king who swore to revenge him for seizing
of his property and putting his brother to death.
(ii) He asked for the king’s forgiveness as the king had saved his life. He came there for
taking revenge from the king but instead the king helped him to get better.
7. The king forgave the bearded man. What did he do to show his forgiveness?
Ans: The king showed his forgiveness by sending his servants and his own doctor to
look after him, and he promised to give back the wounded man his property.
8. What were the hermit’s answers to the three questions? Write each answer
separately. Which answer do you like most, and why?
Ans: In answer to king’s first question, the hermit said that there is only one important
time ‘Now’. It is the only time when you have power to act. In answer to king’s second
question, the hermit said that the most important person is the one with whom we are
at the present. In response to king’s second question, the hermit answered that the
most important thing to do is to do that person good. I like the answer of the first
question the most because time has the supreme power. It can take you to height if you
do something good and can also make you fall on ground if you won; t act in presence.
One should live and act according to present.
Ans: (i) wounded : severely injured
(ii) awoke : got up from sleep
(iii) forgive : pardon
(iv) faithful : loyal
(v) pity : feel sorry for
(vi) beds : small patches of ground for plants
(vii) return : give back
I will ask my parents to forgive for my bad behaviour.
Dog is faithful animal of man.
I am feeling pity for my shameful act.
2. Each of the following sentences has two blanks. Fill in the blanks with appropriate
forms of the word given in brackets.
Ans: (i) The judge said that only fresh evidence would make him change his judgement.
(ii) I didn’t notice any serious difference of opinion among the debaters, although
they differed from one another over small points.
(iii) It’s a fairly simple question to answer, but will you accept my answer as final?
(iv) It isn’t necessary that necessity should always be the mother of invention.
(v) Hermits are wise men. How they acquire their wisdom no one can tell.
(vi) The committee has decided to make Jagdish captain of the team. The decision is likely to
please everyone.
(vii) Asking for forgiveness is as noble as willingness to forgive.
The Squirrel
You may have seen a squirrel sitting on the ground eating a nut. What did it look like?
Ans: The squirrel is a rodent. His colour is grey with brown strips on its body. It looks like a baby
rabbit as it is very small in size with fur on its body. He generally lives in trees and is very quick.
Squirrel likes to eat nuts. It has very bushy tail. It is an cute and naughty animal.
1. Why does the poet say the squirrel “wore a question mark for tail”? Draw a squirrel, or
find a picture of a squirrel sitting on the ground. How would you describe its tail?
Ans: The poet said the squirrel “wore a question mark for tail” because the shape of the tail of
squirrel sitting on the ground looks very similar to question mark.
I would describe it as fur of clothes clutched together or bushy shaped.
2. Do we usually say that an animal ‘wears’ a tail? What do we say? (Think: Does an
animal wear a coat? Consult a dictionary if you like, and find out how ‘wear’ is
used in different ways.)
Ans: No, we do not usually say that an animal ‘wears’ a tail. We usually say that animal
‘has’ a tail.
3. “He liked to tease and play”. Who is teasing whom? How ?
Ans: The squirrel is teasing the poet and his friends. When poet and his friends ran
around the tree on which the squirrel is sitting, it went the other way teasing and
playing with them.
