Chapter 3
The Shepherd's
Short Questions and Answers
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Who was the main character of the story?
Answer: A poor shepherd. -
Where did the shepherd live?
Answer: In a village in Iran. -
Was the shepherd educated?
Answer: No, he was uneducated. -
Why did people come to the shepherd?
Answer: To seek advice and help with their problems. -
Who heard about the shepherd’s wisdom?
Answer: The king of the country. -
How did the king come to meet the shepherd?
Answer: He came in disguise as a shepherd riding a mule. -
How did the shepherd treat the traveller?
Answer: He welcomed him, gave him water and a share of his meal, and let him rest. -
How did the shepherd know the visitor was the king?
Answer: By observing his behavior and status. -
What position did the king give the shepherd?
Answer: Governor of a small district. -
How did other governors feel about the new governor?
Answer: They became jealous of him. -
What did the jealous governors accuse the shepherd of?
Answer: Being dishonest and secretly keeping taxes for himself. -
What did the shepherd always carry with him?
Answer: An iron chest. -
What did people think was inside the chest?
Answer: Gold, silver, or treasure. -
What was actually inside the iron chest?
Answer: An old blanket. -
Why did the shepherd value the blanket?
Answer: It was his oldest friend and his only true treasure. -
How did the king react to the chest being opened?
Answer: He was pleased and impressed. -
How did the jealous governors feel after seeing the blanket?
Answer: Embarrassed. -
What quality of the shepherd pleased the king most?
Answer: His humility and wisdom. -
Did the shepherd change after becoming a governor?
Answer: No, he remained humble. -
What reward did the king give the shepherd later?
Answer: He made him governor of a much bigger district.
Long Questions and Answers
-
Describe the shepherd’s character in the story.
Answer: The shepherd was poor, uneducated, humble, wise, and helpful. He understood people’s troubles and helped them with courage and common sense. -
Why did the king decide to visit the shepherd in disguise?
Answer: The king had heard of the shepherd’s wisdom and wanted to see him personally without revealing his identity. -
How did the shepherd treat the disguised king when he arrived at the cave?
Answer: He welcomed him warmly, offered water, shared his meager meal, and let him rest for the night. -
How did the shepherd realize that his visitor was the king?
Answer: The shepherd observed his demeanor, noticed his royal mannerisms, and understood his identity. -
What qualities made the king appoint the shepherd as governor?
Answer: The shepherd’s wisdom, humility, kindness, and fair judgment impressed the king. -
How did the other governors react to the shepherd’s promotion?
Answer: They became jealous and spoke against him, accusing him of dishonesty. -
Why did the shepherd always carry an iron chest?
Answer: To keep his old blanket, which he considered his only true treasure. -
How did the king react when he saw the contents of the iron chest?
Answer: The king was pleased and impressed by the shepherd’s humility. -
What lesson did the jealous governors learn after seeing the blanket?
Answer: They realized the shepherd was humble and wise, not dishonest. -
Explain the symbolic importance of the shepherd’s blanket.
Answer: The blanket symbolized simplicity, loyalty, and the value of true treasures like friendship and humility rather than wealth. -
How did the shepherd remain respected even after rising to power?
Answer: He continued to be humble, kind, just, and helpful, which earned him the love and respect of the people. -
What does the story teach about wealth and wisdom?
Answer: True wealth lies in wisdom, humility, and goodness, not in gold or material possessions. -
How did the king handle the reports from jealous governors initially?
Answer: He ignored them at first but later decided to investigate because the governors kept insisting. -
How did the people react when the iron chest was brought to the palace?
Answer: They eagerly waited, expecting to find treasure, but were astonished to see only a blanket. -
Describe the dialogue between the king and the shepherd about the blanket.
Answer: The king asked why he carried an ordinary blanket, and the shepherd replied that it was his oldest friend and would protect him if the king took away his new cloaks. -
Why did the king promote the shepherd to govern a bigger district?
Answer: He was impressed by the shepherd’s wisdom, humility, and integrity. -
How does the story highlight the theme of humility?
Answer: Despite becoming a governor, the shepherd remained simple and humble, valuing a blanket over wealth. -
What does the story suggest about jealousy and its consequences?
Answer: Jealousy leads to false accusations and embarrassment when the truth is revealed. -
How did the shepherd’s actions show his fairness and justice?
Answer: He treated everyone with kindness, helped people with their troubles, and remained honest as a governor. -
Summarize the moral of “The Shepherd’s Treasure.”
Answer: The story teaches that wisdom, humility, kindness, and integrity are more valuable than wealth, power, or material treasures.
Here are the questions with their answers:
-
The shepherd hadn't been to school because
(1) he was very poor.
(ii) there were very few schools in those days.
(iii) he wasn't interested in studies.
Answer: (i) and (ii) -
Who visited the shepherd one day and why?
Answer: The king of the country visited the shepherd in disguise to meet him and see his wisdom personally. -
Why did the other governors grow jealous of the shepherd?
Answer: They were jealous because the shepherd was made governor and became famous for his wisdom, fairness, and popularity among the people. -
Why was the new governor called to the palace?
Answer: He was called to the palace to explain why he always carried an iron chest with him. -
Why was everyone delighted to see the iron chest on the camel's back?
Answer: Everyone eagerly expected to see gold, silver, or treasure inside the chest. -
(i) What did the iron chest contain?
Answer: The iron chest contained an old blanket.
(ii) Why did the shepherd always carry it?
Answer: He carried it because it was his oldest friend and his only true treasure.
(iii) Is it an example of the shepherd's humility or wisdom or both?
Answer: It is an example of both humility and wisdom.
-
How did the king reward the new governor?
Answer: The king was pleased with the shepherd’s humility and wisdom and made him governor of a much bigger district.
