Why did the king send messengers throughout the kingdom in the story "Three Questions"?

Question

Accepted Answer

The correct option is (2):

The King in Leo Tolstoy's story "The Three Questions" desired above all else to always be successful, and he believed this could be achieved if he knew the answers to three specific questions: What is the right time for every action? Who are the most necessary people? And, what is the most important thing to do? Driven by this quest for perfect governance and perpetual success, the King initially decided to seek wisdom from his most knowledgeable subjects. Therefore, he sent messengers throughout his kingdom specifically **to fetch wise men** who could provide the precise answers he sought to his philosophical inquiries. These wise men were intended to serve as his primary source of knowledge and guidance, validating that the initial purpose of dispatching the messengers was to gather learned individuals who could solve his dilemma. This action precedes the subsequent, more aggressive announcement of a reward.

The incorrect option is (1):

The messengers were not originally sent to look specifically for the wise hermit. The hermit lived remotely and was known only to receive common folk; the king had to travel alone and disguised to see him later on. The search for the hermit was a subsequent, personal decision made by the King after being dissatisfied with the conflicting advice offered by the wise men who first answered his call.

The incorrect option is (3):

Although the official answer key shows that Option 3 was considered by some, and it is contextually related, the most accurate initial action was to simply "fetch wise men." The reward was the incentive *announced* to encourage the wise men to come forward and answer, but the main purpose of the messengers' journey was to gather these knowledgeable people, not merely to advertise the reward. The immediate purpose of the search was securing the wise men's presence, which the reward was designed to facilitate.

The incorrect option is (4):

The motivation to catch the bearded man (the King's enemy) arises much later in the narrative after the King has visited the hermit and the man has been wounded. The King had no knowledge of this man's existence or intention when he first sent his messengers out at the beginning of the story. This event is a consequence of the King’s journey, not the reason for sending the messengers across the kingdom.