Chapter 11

                                                        The Three Cries


1. What did the old woman receive one day and from whom?

Answer: The old woman received a letter one day from her son, who lived far away from her. She could not read, so she waited for someone to help her.


2. Why could the old woman not read the letter herself?

Answer: She could not read the letter because she was illiterate and did not know how to read or write.


3. Where did the old woman wait to get help with reading the letter?

Answer: She waited in front of her house, hoping that someone would pass by who could read the letter for her.


4. Who came first to help the old woman with the letter?

Answer: A warrior came first, and the old woman called him to read the letter for her.


5. What was the warrior’s initial reaction on seeing the letter?

Answer: The warrior took the letter, looked at it, and immediately tears welled up in his eyes. He began to cry bitterly.


6. How did the old woman react when she saw the warrior crying?

Answer: The old woman was shocked and worried. She began to fear that something dreadful had happened to her son.


7. Why did the old woman begin to cry herself?

Answer: She began to cry because she was convinced that her son had faced some misfortune, as the warrior was crying after reading the letter.


8. Who came after the warrior and the old woman were crying?

Answer: A pedlar came by, saw the two crying, sat next to them, and joined in their crying.


9. What did the man do when he saw the three of them crying?

Answer: The man asked, “What’s the matter?” trying to understand why all three were crying loudly.


10. Why did the pedlar say he was crying?

Answer: The pedlar explained that a year ago, he had a bad day when all his valuable earthen pots broke. He had no time to cry then due to work, but seeing the others cry reminded him to cry now.


11. What did the old woman say to explain her crying?

Answer: The old woman said she was crying because she received a letter from her son, which the warrior read and cried over. She assumed the letter had sad news.


12. What was the real reason the warrior was crying?

Answer: The warrior confessed that he was crying because he could not read the letter himself. He felt ashamed of being illiterate.


13. How did illiteracy cause the warrior to feel ashamed?

Answer: The warrior was ashamed because he could not read the letter due to not studying well when he was young, making him feel embarrassed in front of others.


14. What lesson does this story give about literacy?

Answer: The story teaches that literacy is very important. Being able to read and write helps us understand information and prevents feelings of shame and helplessness.


15. How did misunderstanding play a role in the story?

Answer: Misunderstanding occurred when the old woman and pedlar thought the letter contained sad news, but in reality, it was the warrior’s illiteracy causing the crying.


16. Why did the pedlar cry after seeing the old woman and the warrior crying?

Answer: The pedlar remembered that he had postponed his own sorrow from a year ago, so seeing others cry reminded him to release his pent-up feelings.


17. What is the role of empathy in the story?

Answer: Empathy is shown when the pedlar joins in crying with the old woman and warrior, understanding their emotions and connecting with their feelings.


18. How does the story reflect human emotions?

Answer: It reflects how humans share joy and sorrow, how emotions are contagious, and how people respond to situations even without full knowledge.


19. Why did the old woman depend on others to read the letter?

Answer: She depended on others because she could not read and write herself, highlighting the challenges faced by illiterate people.


20. How did the warrior react when asked about the reason for crying?

Answer: He admitted the truth, saying he could not read the letter and was ashamed, showing honesty after initial confusion.


21. Who are the main characters in the story?

Answer: The main characters are the old woman, the warrior, and the pedlar.


22. What problem does the story highlight about illiteracy?

Answer: The story highlights that illiteracy can lead to misunderstandings, embarrassment, and dependency on others for simple tasks like reading a letter.


23. How did the misunderstanding increase the emotional impact of the story?

Answer: The misunderstanding caused all three to cry unnecessarily, showing how lack of knowledge or literacy can amplify emotions.


24. What type of person was the old woman?

Answer: The old woman was patient and careful, waiting for someone to help her read the letter instead of trying to guess its contents.


25. How did the pedlar explain the delay in his crying?

Answer: He said that he had wanted to cry when his pots broke a year ago but was too busy. He cried now because seeing the others reminded him.


26. What does the story teach about expressing emotions?

Answer: It teaches that suppressing emotions can burden us, and expressing them at the right time is healthy.


27. How does the story emphasize the importance of studying well?

Answer: The warrior’s inability to read the letter due to poor study habits demonstrates that education is essential for independence and confidence.


28. What feelings did the old woman have when the warrior cried?

Answer: She felt worried, fearful, and shocked, assuming something terrible had happened to her son.


29. How did the man who came later respond to the three crying?

Answer: He asked politely what had happened, trying to understand the reason for their crying.


30. What role does memory play in the pedlar’s crying?

Answer: The pedlar remembered the loss of his pots from the past, which triggered his delayed emotional release.


31. What lesson can be learned about assumptions from this story?

Answer: The story teaches that assumptions can lead to misunderstandings, as the old woman assumed bad news about her son when it was the warrior’s illiteracy that caused the crying.


32. How did the story show human interdependence?

Answer: It shows that people often depend on others, like the old woman relying on someone to read the letter for her.


33. What is the significance of the title “The Three Cries”?

Answer: The title refers to the three individuals—the old woman, the warrior, and the pedlar—crying due to different reasons, highlighting misunderstanding, illiteracy, and delayed sorrow.


34. How did the story illustrate honesty?

Answer: The warrior admitted the truth about his illiteracy, showing honesty despite the earlier confusion.


35. How does literacy prevent feelings of shame?

Answer: Being able to read and write allows a person to understand messages independently, avoiding embarrassment like that of the warrior.


36. How did the pedlar’s cry differ from the others?

Answer: His cry was delayed and triggered by memory, while the old woman and warrior cried immediately due to current events.


37. What does the story say about facing past mistakes or losses?

Answer: It shows that unresolved feelings from past mistakes can resurface and need to be addressed, as the pedlar’s delayed crying illustrates.


38. How is emotional intelligence reflected in the story?

Answer: The pedlar and warrior show self-awareness and the ability to express emotions appropriately once they recognize their feelings.


39. How does the story highlight the value of education?

Answer: The warrior’s shame demonstrates that education and literacy are essential tools for independence, confidence, and social participation.


40. What moral lesson can we learn from “The Three Cries”?

Answer: The story teaches the importance of literacy, honesty, understanding emotions, avoiding assumptions, and expressing feelings appropriately.

Answer by Mrinmoee