Once upon a time these was a king who believed that he would be successful if he knew the answers to three questions: what was the right time to begin something, who were the right people to listen to and what was the most important thing to do.

So he announced that a great reward would be given to anyone who could satisfactorily answer these questions.

Wise men came to the king, but they all gave different answers.

In reply to the first questions, 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.

Others declared that it was impossible to decide beforehand the right time for every action. Hence, one should always do one's duty, instead of wasting time in idleness.

Others, again, said that the king should have a council of wise men, who would help him fix the proper time for everything.

Equally various were the answers to the second question. Some said that the councillors were the most important people; others, the priests; others, the doctors: while some said the warriors were the most necessary.

To the third question-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 were so different that the king could agree with none of them and gave the reward to none. But he still wished to find the right answers to his questions. He decided to consult a hermit, widely renowned for his wisdom.

The hermit lived in a forest which he never left and he welcomed only common folk. So, before reaching the hermit's cottage, the king put on simple clothes got off his horse and leaving his bodyguard behind, went on alone.

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. 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, with three questions. How can I learn to do the right thing at the right time? Who are the people I need the most? And what work is the most important and needs my attention first?'

The hermit listened to the king, but answered nothing and started digging again.

'You are tired,' said the king. 'let me take the spade and work awhile for you.'

'Thank you!' said the hermit and, giving the spade to the king, he sat down on the ground.

One hour passed and then 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 someone running.' said the hermit, 'let us see who it is.'

The king turned around and saw a man come running out of the forest. There was blood flowing from a wound on his leg. When he reached the king, he fell to the ground, moaning feebly. The king washed the wound as best he could and bandaged it with his handkerchief and with a towel the hermit had.

When at last the man felt better, 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. The king was so tired from his walk and the work he had done, that he crouched down on the threshold and fell asleep. When he awoke in the morning, he found that the wounded stranger was staring intently at him.

'Forgive me!' said the 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 an enemy of yours who swore to revenge himself on you as you wrongly took away my property. I know you had gone alone to see the hermit and I planned to ambush you on your way back.

'But you did not return. So I came out to find you. Your bodyguard recognized me. As I ran away I fell and I was wounded. I should have bled to death if you had not nursed me. I wished to harm you and you have saved my life. Now, if I live, and if you wish it, I will serve you most faithfully. Forgive me!'

The king was happy to have made peace with his enemy. He not only forgave him, but said would send his own physician to treat him and promised to restore his property.

The king went out and looked around for the hermit. He wished once more to beg an answer to his question before leaving. The hermit was outside, 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.

'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 stayed back to dig those beds for me, you would have been attacked by that man on your way back. So the most important time was when you were digging the beds. I was the most important person 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. If you had not bound up his wounds he would have died without having made peace with you. So he was the most important person and what you did for him was your most important work.

'Remember then: there is only one time that is right-now! It is the most important time because it is the only time when we have any power. The most important person is the one with whom you are at a particular moment. No one knows whether you will ever meet anyone else in future. The most important thing to do is to do good, because for that purpose alone are we sent into this life!'

Leo Tolstoy (1825-1910) is a famous Russian author. A master of realistic fiction and one of the world's greatest novelists, Tolstoy is best known for his two longest works, War and Peace and Anna Karenina.

beforehand : earlier; before something else happens or is done

council : a group of people chosen to give advice, make rules, do research, provide money, etc.

councillors : members of a council

warfare : the activity of fighting a war, especially using particular weapons or methods

hermit : a person who usually for religious reasons lives a very simple life alone

renowned : famous and respected

frail : (especially of an old person) physically weak and thin

crouched down : sat in a position with the body close to the ground and the legs bent under him

threshold : (here) the floor or ground at the bottom of a doorway, considered the entrance to a building or room

intently : with keen interest and attention

revenge himself on you : to punish or hurt somebody because they have made you suffer

ambush : the act of hiding and waiting for somebody and then making a surprise attack on them

physician : a doctor