Three Questions — Important Questions

He was digging the ground in front of his hut

Step 1: When the King arrived at the hermit's cell, the text clearly describes: 'the hermit was digging the ground in front of his hut.' Step 2: The hermit was frail and weak, and each time he dug, he breathed heavily. Step 3: Note: The hermit was sowing seeds the NEXT morning (Section V), not when the King first arrived. Step 4: This distinction is important. Option D is a common confusion because sowing seeds happens later in the story. The correct answer refers to the King's arrival scene.

He gave no answer and simply continued digging

Step 1: When the King posed his three questions, the hermit 'listened to the King, but answered nothing.' Step 2: He 'just spat on his hand and recommenced digging' – showing he chose to ignore the verbal questions. Step 3: The hermit did not explicitly ask for help; it was the King who offered. Option D misrepresents this – the hermit did not make helping a condition for answering. Step 4: The hermit's silence is a key literary device – his answer came through the events of the day, not through words. This makes Option C the correct answer.

An enemy of the King who had vowed revenge

Step 1: The bearded man reveals his identity the next morning when he wakes up and sees the King. Step 2: He tells the King: 'I am that enemy of yours who swore to revenge himself on you, because you executed his brother and seized his property.' Step 3: He had come to kill the King but was wounded by the King's bodyguard when he came out of hiding. Step 4: This revelation is a crucial turning point in the story, connecting the King's act of kindness to a deeper consequence. Options A, B, and D are not supported by the text.

They washed and bandaged his wound repeatedly until he revived

Step 1: The text describes how 'The King and the hermit unfastened the man's clothing' and found a large wound. Step 2: 'The King washed it as best he could, and bandaged it with his handkerchief and with a towel the hermit had.' Step 3: The process was repeated – 'Again and again the King washed and rebandaged the wound' – showing persistence and care. Step 4: Eventually the man 'revived and asked for something to drink.' This act of selfless care is central to the story's moral. Options A, C, and D do not match the text.