{Asked} (ep(8872)(9374)(936e)). Imperfect of eper(9374)a(935c) (epi and
er(9374)a(935c)) where  Mr 4:10  has (8872)(9374)(936e) (uncompounded imperfect),
both the tense and the use of epi indicate eager and repeated
questions on the part of the disciples, perhaps dimly perceiving
a possible reflection on their own growth. {What this parable
might be} (	is haut(8820)ei(8820)h(8820)parabol(885c)). A mistranslation, What
this parable was (or meant). The optative ei(885c) is merely due to
indirect discourse, changing the indicative estin (is) of the
direct question to the optative ei(885c) of the indirect, a change
entirely with the writer or speaker and without any change of
meaning (Robertson, _Grammar_, pp. 1043f.).