Very Short Questions

Question 1 : Why did Ernest wish to speak to the Great Stone Face?

Answer : Ernest wished to speak to the Great Stone Face because it looked very kind and gentle. Ernest wanted to hear its voice; he thought its voice would be pleasant too.

Question 2 : From whom did Ernest’s mother hear the story about the Great Stone Face?

Answer : Ernest’s mother had heard the story from her own mother.

Question 3 : Describe the immediate reaction of Ernest on hearing the story.

Answer : Ernest was overwhelmed on hearing the story and knowing that there would be some day a real man like the Great Stone Face . He hoped to be alive by the time the prophecy was fulfilled.

Question 4 : What was the manner in which Ernest spent his childhood?

Answer : Ernest spent his entire childhood in the log cottage where he was born, helping and assisting his mother. He was a dutiful and loving son to his mother.

Question 5 : How many times did the native people believe that the prophecy had come true?

Answer : In the story,  twice did the native people believe that the prophecy had finally come true. Mr Gathergold and General Blood-and-Thunder were mistakenly believed to be a likeness of the Great Stone Face.

Question 6 : What were the distinctions that Ernest noticed between the faces of Gathergold and the Great Stone Face?

Answer : Ernest observed that the wrinkled and shrewd face of Gathergold bore no likeness to the gentle and kind face of the Great Stone Face.

Question 7 : Why did Mr Gathergold and the general Blood-and-Thunder return to the valley?

Answer : Both Mr Gathergold and General Blood-and-Thunder had been away from their native land for their respective works. They had now become old. They had returned to their native valley to spend their remaining days in their hometown.

Short Questions

Question 1 : Write a note describing the appearance of Gathergold.

Answer : Mr Gathergold was a sharp businessman, who had gone away from the valley on business. He was a very wealthy man and when he came back to the valley he had become old. His face had wrinkled and had a yellowish skin. To Ernest, his face appeared shrewd and unpleasant.

Question 2 : Why did Ernest and the other people leave their works on the day of the general’s arrival?

Answer : Ernest and the other people of the valley left their respective works to be a part of the general banquet that had been prepared for the General Blood-and-Thunder. The banquet comprised of soldiers who were on guard and the flags that waved to honour the general. Ernest and the other people had gathered to see the likeness of the Great Stone Face in the general.

Question 3 : What was the nature of Ernest as he grew up?

Answer : As Ernest grew to become a young man, he did not attract much attention from the local people except for the fact that he was a very hard working and laborious person. He can continued to fondly gaze at the General Stone Face and imbibed the gentle character of the Great Stone Face. His young heart was also filled with sympathies for all.

Long Questions

Question 1 : Did the prophecy come true?

Answer : The prophecy related to the Great Stone Face was yet to come true. According to the native people the prophecy had come true twice. But, in both the cases it appeared to be a mistaken fulfilment as both the people, who had appeared to be the “likeness” of the Great Stone Face neither carried the resemblance of the Great Stone Face nor the nobility of the Great Stone Face.

Question 2 : In which way did the Great Stone Face become a teacher to Ernest?

Answer : Ernest did not have any teacher. So, the Great Stone Face became one to him. At the end of the day, he would spend his time looking and gazing at the Great Stone Face.

Soon, he began to imagine that the Great Stone Face too recognised him and gave him a smile of kindness and encouragement. The gentle features emanated by the Great Stone Face were soon imbibed by Ernest in his personality.