The Emperor Three Questions
by Leo Tolstoy
It once occurred to a certain king, that if he always knew the right time
to begin everything; if he knew who were the right people to listen to, and
whom to avoid; and, above all, if he always knew what was the most important
thing to do, he would never fail in anything he might undertake.
And this thought having occurred to him, he had it proclaimed throughout
his kingdom that he would give a great reward to any one who would teach him
what was the right time for every action, and who were the most necessary
people, and how he might know what was the most important thing to do.
And learned men came to the King, but they all answered his questions
differently.
In reply to the first question, some said that to know the right time for
every action, one must draw up in advance, a table of days, months and years,
and must live strictly according to it. Only thus, said they, could everything
be done at its proper time. Others declared that it was impossible to decide
beforehand the right time for every action; but that, not letting oneself be
absorbed in idle pastimes, one should always attend to all that was going on,
and then do what was most needful. Others, again, said that however attentive
the King might be to what was going on, it was impossible for one man to decide
correctly the right time for every action, but that he should have a Council of
wise men, who would help him to fix the proper time for everything.
But then again others said there were some things which could not wait to
be laid before a Council, but about which one had at once to decide whether to
undertake them or not. But in order to decide that, one must know beforehand
what was going to happen. It is only magicians who know that; and, therefore,
in order to know the right time for every action, one must consult magicians.
Equally various were the answers to the second question. Some said, the
people the King most needed were his councillors; others, the priests; others,
the doctors; while some said the warriors were the most necessary.
To the third question, as to what was the most important occupation: some
replied that the most important thing in the world was science. Others said it
was skill in warfare; and others, again, that it was religious worship.
All the answers being different, the King agreed with none of them, and
gave the reward to none. But still wishing to find the right answers to his
questions, he decided to consult a hermit, widely renowned for his wisdom.
The hermit lived in a wood which he never quitted, and he received none but
common folk. So the King put on simple clothes, and before reaching the
hermit's cell dismounted from his horse, and, leaving his body-guard behind,
went on alone.
When the King approached, the hermit was digging the ground in front of his
hut. Seeing the King, he greeted him and went on digging. The hermit was frail
and weak, and each time he stuck his spade into the ground and turned a little
earth, he breathed heavily.
The King went up to him and said: "I have come to you, wise hermit, to
ask you to answer three questions: How can I learn to do the right thing at the
right time? Who are the people I most need, and to whom should I, therefore,
pay more attention than to the rest? And, what affairs are the most important,
and need my first attention?"
The hermit listened to the King, but answered nothing. He just spat on his
hand and recommenced digging.
"You are tired," said the King, "let me take the spade and
work awhile for you."
"Thanks!" said the hermit, and, giving the spade to the King, he
sat down on the ground.
When he had dug two beds, the King stopped and repeated his questions. The
hermit again gave no answer, but rose, stretched out his hand for the spade,
and said:
"Now rest awhile-and let me work a bit."
But the King did not give him the spade, and continued to dig. One hour
passed, and another. The sun began to sink behind the trees, and the King at
last stuck the spade into the ground, and said:
"I came to you, wise man, for an answer to my questions. If you can
give me none, tell me so, and I will return home."
"Here comes some one running," said the hermit, "let us see
who it is."
The King turned round, and saw a bearded man come running out of the wood.
The man held his hands pressed against his stomach, and blood was flowing from
under them. When he reached the King, he fell fainting on the ground moaning
feebly. The King and the hermit unfastened the man's clothing. There was a
large wound in his stomach. The King washed it as best he could, and bandaged
it with his handkerchief and with a towel the hermit had. But the blood would
not stop flowing, and the King again and again removed the bandage soaked with
warm blood, and washed and rebandaged the wound. When at last the blood ceased
flowing, the man revived and asked for something to drink. The King brought
fresh water and gave it to him. Meanwhile the sun had set, and it had become
cool. So the King, with the hermit's help, carried the wounded man into the hut
and laid him on the bed. Lying on the bed the man closed his eyes and was
quiet; but the King was so tired with his walk and with the work he had done,
that he crouched down on the threshold, and also fell asleep--so soundly that
he slept all through the short summer night. When he awoke in the morning, it
was long before he could remember where he was, or who was the strange bearded
man lying on the bed and gazing intently at him with shining eyes.
"Forgive me!" said the bearded man in a weak voice, when he saw
that the King was awake and was looking at him.
"I do not know you, and have nothing to forgive you for," said
the King.
"You do not know me, but I know you. I am that enemy of yours who
swore to revenge himself on you, because you executed his brother and seized
his property. I knew you had gone alone to see the hermit, and I resolved to
kill you on your way back. But the day passed and you did not return. So I came
out from my ambush to find you, and I came upon your bodyguard, and they
recognized me, and wounded me. I escaped from them, but should have bled to
death had you not dressed my wound. I wished to kill you, and you have saved my
life. Now, if I live, and if you wish it, I will serve you as your most
faithful slave, and will bid my sons do the same. Forgive me!"
The King was very glad to have made peace with his enemy so easily, and to
have gained him for a friend, and he not only forgave him, but said he would
send his servants and his own physician to attend him, and promised to restore
his property.
Having taken leave of the wounded man, the King went out into the porch and
looked around for the hermit. Before going away he wished once more to beg an
answer to the questions he had put. The hermit was outside, on his knees,
sowing seeds in the beds that had been dug the day before.
The King approached him, and said:
"For the last time, I pray you to answer my questions, wise man."
"You have already been answered!" said the hermit, still
crouching on his thin legs, and looking up at the King, who stood before him.
"How answered? What do you mean?" asked the King.
"Do you not see," replied the hermit. "If you had not pitied
my weakness yesterday, and had not dug those beds for me, but had gone your
way, that man would have attacked you, and you would have repented of not
having stayed with me. So the most important time was when you were digging the
beds; and I was the most important man; and to do me good was your most
important business. Afterwards when that man ran to us, the most important time
was when you were attending to him, for if you had not bound up his wounds he
would have died without having made peace with you. So he was the most
important man, and what you did for him was your most important business.
Remember then: there is only one time that is important-- Now! It is the most
important time because it is the only time when we have any power. The most
necessary man is he with whom you are, for no man knows whether he will ever
have dealings with any one else: and the most important affair is, to do him good,
because for that purpose alone was man sent into this life!"
The Analysis:
1.
Character
: The Emperor
·
Generous
There were 3
important questions. The Emperor wanted to find the answer. He was so generous.
” The emperor issued a decree throughout his kingdom
announcing that whoever could answer the questions would receive great reward.”
P. 3
·
Open-minded
He was also open minded and
never satisfied with the people’s answers.
“The emperor was not pleased with any of the answers,
and no reward was given.”P. 12
·
Helpful
He went to visit an old hermit in the mountain. The
Emperor disguised himself as a simple peasant to find the answer of his three
questions. The Emperor found the hermit digging a garden in front of his hut.
The Emperor showed his helpfulness by offering a help for the hermit.
“The hermit listened attentively but only patted the
emperor on the shoulder and continued digging.
The emperor said, "You must be tired. Here, let me give you a hand with that." The hermit thanked him, handed the emperor
the spade, and then sat down on the ground to rest.” P.16
He met an old man with white beard emerged from the
wood with the wound in his stomach. He cared the old man and he was helpful and
caring.
“Opening the man's clothing, the emperor and hermit
saw that the man had received a deep gash.
The emperor cleaned the wound thoroughly and then used his own shirt to
bandage it, but the blood completely soaked it within minutes. He rinsed the shirt out and bandaged the
wound a second time and continued to do so until the flow of blood had
stopped.” P. 19
“At last the wounded man regained consciousness and
asked for a drink of water. The emperor
ran down to the stream and brought back a jug of fresh water.” P. 20
·
Cruel
However the Emperor was very cruel in the past. There
is another side of him that isn’t showed to people. The old man with wound in
his stomach was the king enemy.
“You do not know me, your majesty, but I know
you. I was your sworn enemy, and I had
vowed to take vengeance on you, for during the last war you killed my brother
and seized my property.” P. 22
·
Forgiving
and kind-hearted
The old man intended to kill the king, but he was a
forgiving person and generous king.
“The emperor was overjoyed to see that he was so
easily reconciled with a former enemy.
He not only forgave the man but promised to return all the man's
property and to send his own physician and servants to wait on the man until he
was completely healed.” P. 21
2.
Setting:
·
Setting
of place:
The setting
took place in some places shown in the story.
·
Palace
“Many who
read the decree made their way to the palace at once, each person with a
different answer.” P. 3
·
Mountain
“So the emperor disguised himself as a simple peasant
and ordered his attendants to wait for him at the foot of the mountain
while he climbed the slope alone to seek the hermit.” P. 13
·
Garden
“Reaching
the holy man's dwelling place, the emperor found the hermit digging a garden
in front of his hut. “ P. 14
·
Hut
“Reaching
the holy man's dwelling place, the emperor found the hermit digging a garden in
front of his hut. “ P. 14
3.
Plot
·
Exposition
One day it occurred to a
certain emperor that if he only knew the answers to three questions, he would
never stray in any matter. The emperor issued a decree throughout his kingdom
announcing that whoever could answer the questions would receive great reward.
·
Rising
Action
The emperor was not pleased
with any of the answers, and no reward was given. After several nights of reflection, the
emperor resolved to visit a hermit who lived on a mountain and was said to be
an enlightened man. Then, the king met an old man form the wood in a wound. He
helped the man and cleaned the wound thoroughly and then used his own shirt to
bandage and gave the water to the man.
·
Climax
It turned out that the old
man was the king’s enemy in the past. He wanted to to take vengeance on him,
for during the last war he killed his brother and seized his property.
·
Falling
Action
However the king helped him
and forgave him. The emperor was
overjoyed to see that he was so easily reconciled with a former enemy. He not only forgave the man but promised to
return all the man's property and to send his own physician and servants to
wait on the man until he was completely healed.
·
Denouement
Finally the king
fond the answer from what he had done in his life.
"Yesterday, if you had
not taken pity on my age and given me a hand with digging these beds, you would
have been attacked by that man on your way home. Then you would have deeply regretted not
staying with me. Therefore the most
important time was the time you were digging in the beds, the most important
person was myself, and the most important pursuit was to help me."
"Later, when the wounded man ran up here,
the most important time was the time you spent dressing his wound, for if you
had not cared for him he would have died and you would have lost the chance to
be reconciled with him. Likewise, he was
the most important person, and the most important pursuit was taking care of
his wound."
"Remember that there is
only one important time and that is now.
The present moment is the only time over which we have dominion. The most important person is always the
person you are with, who is right before you, for who knows if you will have
dealings with any other person in the future?
The most important pursuit is making the person standing at your side happy,
for that alone is the pursuit of life.”
