Voicing & Answering Concerns..

Last night, after tea, we were reading out loud the next chapter of a children's fantasy story (from a hundred years ago) in the lounge, with desert, and came upon a question within our company:
What is meant by that statement: "..no one ever gives anything to another properly & really without keeping it."? I don't get it!
I answered by saying something like "think about it as we go, & you'll get it." After finishing the chapter, the person who asked the question again afirmed that they didn't "get it"... and we talked about two possible meanings of it together, especially looking at the context of the quote in the story... I think we all enjoyed it.
After though, while we were still sitting there, just before we were about to head off severally, someone boldly spoke up & commented that she thought the original questioner may have felt "put down" by the tone/wording of my answer. Then together we brain-stormed about options for the answerer & the questioner, this is the outcome, the next morning over breakfast:

4 important lessons 
that we did learn last night
in our story sessions 
They gave us lots of light:

when we’re asked a question
Return a question back, 
then, Affirm the person,
so they can stay on-track*

don’t explain the whole thing 
just Give a hint instead,
and for when I’m asking:
Request a hint to tread...

and a fifth next morning 
came as we forged this rhyme:
When someone is “gnawing”
(at the process, or time), 

their “gnawing” might be a
creative “questioning”,
so we could use today 
those 4 lessons (and sing)!

Paul, Katrina, & Milly Walker, & David Breen.

* "on-track" in terms of the relationship/friendship moving forward, not just the argument.