Question

Though the hermit did not say anything to the king for some time, he did not ignore the king or treat him rudely in any way. Do you agree? What evidence of his politeness can you point out? What shows that he listened and responded to the king’s words?

Answer 1

Yes, I do agree that though the hermit didn’t say anything to the king for some time, he didn’t ignore the king or treat him rudely in any way, especially as he responded to his questions through his actions. The fact that he stopped digging to listen to the king and willingly gave the spade to the king when the king suggested he dig for a while shows that the hermit was polite. Moreover, it shows that he was responding to the king’s words, as he knowingly continued to dig so that the king would offer his help and later realise the meaning behind his actions. Even when the king lost his patience, the hermit calmly replied and asked the king to look at the wounded man running towards them. These instances are evidence that not only was the hermit polite to the king, but he also responded to the king’s words.