The Thief’s Story Extra Questions and Answers Class 10 English
The Thief’s Story Class 10 Extra Questions & Answers are available here. Class 10 English The Thief’s Story extra questions and answers are prepared by our expert teachers. All these questions are divided into two or three sections. They are short type questions answers, long type question answers and extract based questions. Learning these questions will help you to score excellent marks in the board exams.
The Thief’s Story Extra Questions and Answers
Short Answer Type Questions
1. Why did Hari Singh not make many friends?
Answer: Hari Singh did not have friends as he believed that friends were more trouble than help. Moreover, he did not want to make anyone curious.
2. Why did Hari Singh decide to come back to Anil?
Answer: Had Singh decided to come back to Anil because he felt that when Anil would come to know about the theft, he would feel sad, not for the loss of money but for the loss of trust. He did not want to lose his trust.
3. Why did Hari Singh choose Anil to be his next victim?
Answer: Hari Singh was an experienced thief. He found Anil, a wrestler an easy-going, kind and simple man, the correct person for his purpose. He found him an easy target to win confidence.
4. Why did Had Singh not go to his friend’s house or a hotel just after he missed the train?
Answer: Hari Singh did not have any friends and he did not want to make anyone curious about staying at one of the small hotels near the station.
5. Why was it difficult for Han Singh to rob Anil?
Answer: It was difficult to rob Anil because he was the most trusting person Hari Singh has ever met. According to Hari Singh, it’s easy to rob a greedy man because he can afford to be robbed but it’s difficult to rob a careless man because he doesn’t even notice that he’s been robbed and that takes all the pleasure out of the work.
6. Why did Hari Singh tell lies about cooking?
Answer: Hari Singh said that he could cook but when he cooked the meal at night, it was so terrible that Anil gave it to a stray dog and told him to be off. But then Anil patted him and said that he would teach him to cook.
7. Why was the thief able to steal from Anil easily?
Answer: Anil was a person who trusted Hari Singh easily. Also, he seemed to be a slightly careless person. Thus, his gullibility and trusting nature made it easy for Hari to rob him.
8. Why did Had Singh tell lies about cooking?
Answer: Hari Singh knew that Anil would hire him only if he could cook. However, Hari did not know how to cook. Still, as he wanted to somehow rob Anil, he told the lie to gain entry into Anil’s house.
9. Why did Hari Singh feel bad after stealing the money?
Answer: Anil had trusted Hari Singh completely and also taught him how to cook. Anil also) started teaching him how to read and write. Thus, when Hari stole money from Anil, conscience pricked him as he had broken Anil’s trust.
10. What are the different reactions of the people when they are robbed?
Answer: According to Had Singh, different people react differently upon being robbed. The greedy man displays fear, the rich man shows anger, and the poor man shows acceptance. However, a trusting man like Anil would be sad due to the loss of trust.
11. Why did Anil decide to pay Hari Singh regularly?
Answer: Anil handed Hari Si h fifty-rupee note as payment for his services. He went on to that since he had started making money, he would pay Hari regularly. However, I knew about Hari and did not want him to be tempted again for want of money.
12. Describe Had Singh, the young and successful thief.
Answer: Had Singh was a fifteen-year-old boy who had already gained much expertise in the field of thievery. He knew how to find prospective victims, and used his intelligence to get close to them. Even when he was being taught how to read and write, his first thought was how he could use it to his benefit while thieving.
13. Why did Anil hire Hari Singh?
Answer: Anil hired Had Singh because Had Singh himself expressed his desire to work for him. When Anil told him that he could not pay him, Had Singh asked him if he could feed him. Anil replied that if he knew how to cook, then he may work for him.
14. How did Had Singh realize that Anil knew about his theft?
Answer: Anil gave him a fifty rupees note in the morning, which was still damp from the night’s rain. Anil told him that he would start teaching him how to write full sentences and smiled at him. This made Had Singh realize that Anil knew everything.
15. What was Anit’s job? What did he usually do with the money he earned?
Answer: Anil was a writer. He wrote articles for magazines. He had no regular source of income. He earned by fits and starts. When he earned some money, he would go out to celebrate.
16. What does the thief say about the reactions of different types of people when they were robbed?
Answer: Hari Singh had found that a greedy man’s face showed panic. The rich man showed anger and the poor man showed a sense of resignation.
17. How did he think Anil would react when he discovered the theft? Why did he think so?
Answer: Hari Singh thought that when Anil would come to know of the theft, his face would show a touch of sadness. It would not be for the loss of money but for the loss of trust.
18. What made him come back to Anil?
Answer: Anil had been teaching Hari Singh to read and write. He thought that without education, he would remain only a thief. But with education, he would become a big, clever and respected man. This made him come back to Anil.
19. What did Anil give him in the morning? In what condition was it?
Answer: Anil gave him a fifty-rupee note in the morning. It was still wet from the night’s rain.
20. How did the thief realised that Anil knew that it had been stolen?
Answer: Anil gave a fifty rupee note to the thief. It was still wet from the night’s rain. So, the thief realised that And knew that it had been stolen.
21. How did the thief know that Anil had forgiven him?
Answer: And did not express in any way that he knew about the stealing. Moreover, he promised to pay him regularly. He also promised to continue with his leaching hint full sentences.
22. Why did the thief smile without any effort towards the end of the story
Answer: The thief was under tension that his master would be angry with him for stealing the money. But Anil did not express any anger. He said that he would pay him regularly and would remain to continue teaching him full sentences. This made him tension free and he smiled without any effort.
23. Why. according to Hari, is it difficult to rob a careless man?
Answer: Hari thinks that it is difficult to rob a careless man. Sometimes he does not even notice that he has been robbed. This takes out the joy of robbing him.
24. Why did Hari Singh think of doing some real work?
Answer: By ‘real work’ Hari Singh means stealing. He wants to steal Anil’s money because he has not stolen anything for a long time. Secondly, Anil is a careless mail. If Han Singh did not steal his money, he would waste it on useless things.
25 What made him think that he could live like an oil-rich Arab for some time?
Answer: Hari Singh was a poor boy. He stole Anil’s bundle of notes. It was a sum of 600 rupees. Hari Singh thought that he could live in luxury like an oil-rich Arab for some time on this stolen money.
26. Why should he find friends to be more trouble than help?
Answer: Hari Singh was a very poor boy. Those whom he knew were also poor like him. So, he thought that friends would be troublesome.
27. Why did he feet’ nervous about going back to Anil’s room?
Answer: Hari Singh decided to go back to Anil and replace the stolen money under the mattress. But he felt nervous about going there. He thought that it was much easier to steal something than to return it undetected.
28. How was Hari Singh’s ‘appealing smile’ at the end different from similar smiles of his on earlier occasions?
Answer: On earlier occasions, Hari Singh’s ‘appealing smile’ had been artificial. It was full of flattery. But in the end, his smile was real. It was natural and appealing.
29. Who is ‘I’ in this story? Why did he change his name every month?
Answer: In this story ‘I’ is a boy thief of 15 years. He often changed his name every month to avoid being caught by the police and his former employers. This time he tells that his name is Han Singh.
30. Why did Hari Singh smile in his most appealing way?
Answer: Hari Singh cooked food for Anil. He did not know anything about cooking. Anil could not eat it. He threw it to a stray dog. He asked the boy to go away from his house. But the boy did not want to leave him. So, he smiled in his most appealing way.
31. Why was the thief grateful to Anil?
Answer: The thief was grateful to Anil because he gave him a job. Secondly, he promised to teach him to read and write.
32. Why did he want to become an educated man?
Answer: He was an uneducated person. He made his living by stealing and cheating others. He thought if he were educated there would be no limit to what he would achieve.
33. Who was the narrator or the boy thief, Had Singh?
Answer: Hari Singh was a thief. Even at the age of fifteen, he was a seasoned, experienced and a successful thief. He used to change his name every month to avoid the police and his former employers. He knew all the tricks of his trade. He knew how to steal money even when the money was tucked under the victim’s bed.
34. How and when did Hari Singh meet Anil?
Answer: Hari Singh met Anil during a wrestling match. He found Anil easy going, kind and simple enough to suit his purpose. Anil’s trusting nature could help him with stealing. Therefore, he offered himself to work for Anil. Anil had no regular income and couldn’t afford to pay him. But still Had Singh exploited Anil’s generosity and he forced Anil to keep him in his house.
35. Anil couldn’t afford to pay Hari Singh. Why did he allow Hari Singh to stay with him?
Answer: Hari Singh offered himself to work for Anil. Anil didn’t have a regular income and couldn’t afford to pay him regularly. Hari Singh wanted to exploit such a kind-hearted and simple man like Anil. He lied that he knew how to cook. Anil was forced to allow Hari Singh to stay with him in his house.
36. Why was it so difficult for Had Singh to rob a trusting and unsuspecting person like Anil?
Answer: The fifteen-year-old thief, Han Singh was an experienced and a fairly successful hand. It was easy to rob a greedy man because he could afford to be robbed. But it was very difficult to rob a careless and unsuspecting man like Anil. The unsuspecting Anil didn’t even notice that he had been robbed. That could take all the pleasure out of the work of theft.
37. Why did Had Singh justify himself to rob Anil?
Answer: No doubt, Han Singh was experienced and clever enough to justify his actions. He justified the robbing of a careless and unsuspecting man like Anil. Hari Singh told himself that he was out of practice. He must rob. If he didn’t take the money, Anil would waste it on his friends. Moreover, Anil didn’t pay him.
38. Why did Hari Singh lie that he knew how to cook? Why did Anil have to throw the food cooked by Hari to the stray dogs?
Answer: Hari Singh had carefully chosen a kind, careless and unsuspecting target in Anil. When Anil asked if he knew how to cook, Hari Singh replied that he did. He deliberately lied. The food he prepared was really terrible. Anil had to throw it away to the stray dogs.
39. How did Hari Singh feel working for Anil? Did Anil know that Hari Singh was making a little money from purchases?
Answer: Hari Singh felt quite pleasant working for Anil. He would make tea for him in the morning. He would take his time for the day’s supplies. Usually, Hari would make a profit of about a rupee a day. Anil; mew about the stealing. But he allowed Had to do so because he couldn’t afford to pay him regularly. He didn’t mind it.
40. How did Anil get that substantial money that he brought home in a bundle? How did it tempt Hari Singh?
Answer: Anil had no regular income. He wrote for magazines. One day he came home with a small bundle of notes. He had just sold a book to a publisher. Hari saw Anil tuck the money under the mattress of his bed. Such a large amount of money and his unsuspecting master made Had Singh decided to steal it.
41. How did Hari Singh steal the money that Anil got from selling his book to a publisher?
Answer: Had Singh saw with his own eyes how Anil tucked the bundle of money under the mattress of his bed. When Anil was asleep, Had Singh crept up to the bed. He slid his hand under the mattress and drew the money out of the bundle without making a sound. Anil sighed in his sleep and turned on his side, towards him. Han Singh got startled and quickly came out of the room.
42. Describe Had Singh’s dilemma at the station. Why didn’t he jumped into a compartment of the Lucknow Express when he could?
Answer: When he reached the station, Hari Singh did not stop at the ticket office because he never bought a ticket earlier. The Lucknow Express was just moving out. He could have jumped into one of the carriages. But he hesitated. Perhaps, he had not made a final decision in this regard.
43. What did Hari Singh think when he was standing alone on the deserted platform?
Answer: The train had gone. Had Singh was in a dilemma. He was standing alone on the deserted platform. He had no idea where to spend the night. He had no friends. Nor did he want to go to a hotel. The only person whom he knew and who could perhaps help him was the man whom he had robbed a few hours ago.
44. What did Hari Singh do in the ‘maidan’ and how did the notes become damp?
Answer: From the station, Had Singh found himself in the ‘maidan’. He sat down on a bench. The November night was chilly. The heavy rain added to Han Singh’s discomfort. His shirt and pajamas stuck to his skin. He sat down in the shelter of the clock tower. He felt for the notes. They were damp from the rain.
45. How did Hari Singh forget about his education in the excitement of his theft? What did he think about it in the end?
Answer: Anil taught Had Singh to write his name. He also promised to teach him making complete sentences and adding numbers. In his excitement of the theft, he forgot all about his education. But good sense prevailed and in the end, he realised that education could give him respect and much more money.
46. Did Hari Singh understand the value of education? How can you prove it?
Answer: Hari Singh clearly understood the value of education. Education could bring him respect, status and money. If he learned how to write like an educated person, the sky would be the limit for him. In the heat and excitement of the theft, he forgot all about it. He decided to have an education at any cost and went back to Anil.
47. How and when did Hari Singh put the stolen money back at the same place from where he had stolen? Did Anil know it?
Answer: Hari Singh came back to Anil’s room. He was feeling quite nervous. He crept to the head of the bed. His hand found the edge of the mattress. He slipped the notes under the mattress. Yes, Anil was aware of everything that was taking place in the room.
48. Why didn’t Anil hand Had Singh over to the police even when he knew all about the theft?
Answer: Anil was careless and unsuspecting but not a fool. He knew how the boy stole money out of daily shopping. He also knew all about the theft of his 600 rupees. He could have easily handed him over to the police. However, he didn’t want to ruin Had Singh’s life. He wanted to give an education to the unfortunate boy. So, he gave a fifty rupee note and promised to pay him regularly. Neither his lips nor his eyes showed anything about the theft.
Long Answer Type Questions
1. Anil plays a major role in the transformation of Hari Singh. Comment on the statement by highlighting the values possessed by Anil which touched Hari’s heart and made him return to his honest ways of earning his livelihood. Write in about 100-120 words.
Answer: Anil was a struggling writer who befriended Had Singh. Hari Singh was an experienced, 15-year-old thief. He found Anil an easy target to steal. Anil offered him to stay with him and to teach how to read and write. Gradually, Anil develops trust in Hari Singh. But Hari Singh was waiting for the right opportunity to do what he was best at. After stealing money, he tried to go away forever but some inner voice stopped him from doing so. He returned to Anil because he wanted to live a life of respect. Anil did not show that he knew the incident and accepted Hari with open hands. Thus, a well-intentioned person, Anil changed Had Singh and brought him on the right path. The story shows that trust and spirit to forgive someone can bring big changes in someone’s life.
2. Hari Singh didn’t confess that he robbed Anil. Did he lack the courage to do so or he really wanted to maintain his relationship with Anil at any cost? Explain the values Had needed to imbibe in about 100-120 words.
Answer: Hari Singh was a teenager, of 15. He was good at stealing. He chose Anil to be his next target as he was a struggling author and a simple person. Had Singh started living with Anil who in turn, started teaching him how to read and write? Hari Singh, one day got the opportunity to steal Anil’s money. He left out with the money to go away forever but his inner “ice stopped him. He returned back and kept the money in place. Next morning he started with his routine work and didn’t tell anything about the incident to Anil. He was a teenager and lacked the courage to face Anil with his truth. He did not want to lose Anil’s trust. He wanted to maintain the relationship with Anil, wanted to get an education and become a respected man. So, he hid the incident from Anil.
3. “But to be a really big man, a clever and respected man was something else.” Hari 11311 finally accepted the importance of education and honest living. What do you think about the role of education in changing peeps I like Hari / Comment on it by highlighting the values one imbibes through education.
Answer: Hari Singh finally realized the significance of education in life. He understood that g would only provide him money temporarily. Also, there was the risk of being caught. Education provides one with respectability and Had finally seen that. Educating people, rather heels like the wrongly talented rant on sin tea Elion north duet open the speed rerate mine. They fail Hari, can help them immensely. Children’s Thematic dittoed see the difference between right and enables them to see this difference. It leads them on the path of truth and rational thinking. Thus, education is an essential aspect of any child’s life and can help culminate an honourable way of living.
4. Hari Singh believed that it was difficult to rob a man like Anil. Do you think that he really appreciated kind people? Why do you think he found it difficult to cheat a man like Anil? Discuss the values that stop a person from doing something wrong.
Answer: Hari did appreciate kind people as is evident from the story. In the descriptions that he gives about various people, Anil stands apart. Perhaps it was the first time that anyone had done so much for Hari. Later, as he was running away after robbing Anil, his conscience kept pricking him. He was unable to betray the trust of the kind Anil. It was perhaps also because Hari was not a hardened criminal. He had probably become a thief due to circumstance, not by choice. His innate goodness and natural capacity to distinguish right from wrong stopped him from doing further wrong. These values help others too.
5. “I couldn’t cook his meals, run to the bazaar or learn to write whole sentences anymore.” Hari Singh could not at once come out of the idea of working for Anil. Do you think he accepted the joy of earning money by following the path of honesty? Explain the values highlighted through Hares character in 100-120 word.
Answer: When Hari Singh saw Anil for the first time, he found him to be simple, easy-going, kind and easy to fool around. He thought he would be the right person to rob. He offered himself to work for him. When Anil said that he could not pay him, he said if he could feed him. Anil replied that if he knew how to cook, then he would let him work in his house. When he stayed there for a month, he realized Anil was the most difficult person to rob as he was the most trusting person. Although, one night he stole six hundred rupees but returned back to Anil as he realized that getting an education would be far more important in life than money. Hence, he accepted the joy of earning money by following the path of honesty.
6. “You look a bit of a wrestler yourself.” I said. A little flattery helps in making friends. Hari Singh believed that a little flattery can help in making friends. Did he lack love and empathy? Was his attitude towards friendship acceptable or not? Explain the values one must have to win over true friends in 100-120 words.
Answer: Hari Singh was an experienced thief. He knew how to win others’ trust. He saw Anil who was watching a wrestling match, he was a slim, lean man of 25. He found him an easy target to rob. He started talking to him by saying that he looked like a wrestler. Then he told Anil that he wanted to work for him. When Anil told him that he could not pay him-he, in order to win his confidence asked Anil if he could feed him. This kind of attitude is not acceptable to win over true friends. True friends show love, empathy and true care for theirs. friends.
7. The chapter shows Hari Singh’s journey from a thief to an honest man who value friendship and other human values. Do you think it was Anil’s selfless friendship that he Hari to redeem himself? Give reasons in support of your answer in 100-120 words.
Answer: The chapter reveals Hari Singh’s transformation from a thief into an honest It was Anil’s selfless friendship that helped Hari to redeem himself. Gradually the Hari Singh began to understand human values such as friendship and trust. When robbed Anil, he felt guilty of having violated the trust that Anil had reposed in him. He could not board the train and missed his chance to getaway. Moreover, he and kand even valued Anil’s friendship feelings toward him as he knew that after discovering the theft, Anil would not be sad for the loss of money, but for loss of trust.
8. Write a character sketch of the thief boy.
Answer: The thief was a fifteen years old boy. But in this story, he has been presented as a well experienced and skillful thief. He had a great knowledge of human behavior. He knew that simple-looking persons could be robbed easily. He had an understanding that a little flattery could help in making friends. He was clever enough to change his name to keep himself away from the police and his former employers. He was perfect in telling lies. He had a desire to become a big man in life. He robbed Anil of his six hundred rupees. But in one corner of his heart, there was a sense of trust and goodness. He thought that he should not betray Anil. He had the ambition of becoming a big man and he knew that he could realise his ambition only when he is educated. Thus, he was an interesting character.
9. Draw a character-sketch of Anil.
Or
Who was Anil? How did he treat Hari Singh and how did it influence Hari’s life?
Answer: Anil was a young man of 25 years. He was a tall and lean fellow. He looked easy going and kind. A small boy met him. The boy wanted to rob him. He found him fit for his purpose. The boy told him that he wanted to do a job for him. He said that he could cook the food. Anil gave him a job. The food cooked by the boy was very terrible. He told the boy to run away but later he taught him to cook the food and to learn reading and writing. Anil earned money by fits and starts. He wrote articles for magazines. One day he earned 600 rupees. In the night the thief boy stole the money and ran out in the rain. Later his heart changed and he decided to put the money back under the mattress. Anil discovered all this. But he was so large-hearted that he said nothing to the boy. Instead, he promised to pay him regularly.
10. How did Hari Singh rob Anil of his six-hundred rupees? What stopped him to rush away?
Or
What made the narrator steal Anil’s six hundred rupees? What did he do after that? Why did he put the money back under the mattress?
Answer: The thief boy met Anil. He found him an easy going person. In his mind, he decided to rob him. He said that he would cook food for him. He told Anil that his name was Hari Singh. Anil engaged him on work. He taught him to cook the food and to read and write. Anil had no regular income. One day he brought a small bundle of 600 rupees. He put the bundle under his mattress, When he was fast asleep, the boy drew out the bundle under the mattress and ran to the station to catch the Lucknow Mail at 10:30 p.m. The train had just steamed off. But something stopped his feet to jump into the train compartment. It was Anil’s goodness and carelessness. He realised his folly and decided to go back to Anil. So he went back and placed the money under the mattress.
11. Why did Hari Singh decide to return the stolen money? What light does it throw on his character?
Answer: After stealing the money when Hari Singh reached the station, he could not board the Lucknow Express though he could easily get on it. He stood alone on the deserted platform and thought about Anil who he knew would feel only sadness for the loss of trust when he discovered the theft. He felt that he should go back to Anil if only to read and write. So he decided to return to Anil feeling very nervous. The thief was very grateful to Anil and quite liked working for him. Since Anil was the most trusting man he had met. Anil’s confidence had awakened his conscience. He wanted to become a good man. Anil could only make him a good man. So he decided to come back to Anil and return the money that he had stolen.
12. What kind of a life was Hari Singh leading with Anil?
Answer: Anil engaged had Singh as a house-servant. His duty was to cook food and prepare tea for Anil. He was not an expert in cooking. But Anil taught him how to cook food. He went to the market to buy vegetables and other things of daily necessity. For the thief, it was quite pleasant working for Anil. Anil had told him that he would teach him reading and writing. The thief was grateful to Anil for giving him a job and for his promise to make him an educated man. He knew that once he could write like an educated man then there would be no limit to what he could achieve.
13. ‘The Thief’s Story’ is an in-depth study of the human mind. Discuss.
Answer: The human mind is a very complex thing. It is a mixture of opposite opinions. Sometimes a man fails to understand his own mind. In this story, the same thing has been presented by Ruskin Bond through the character of a thief boy Hari Singh. The boy starts working for Anil. His primary aim was to rob him. Anil’s carelessness wins his heart. But the boy’s bad mind provokes him to rob Anil of his money. One day he robs his six hundred rupees and runs away to the station. But his good mind stops him boarding the train. He decides to come back to Anil and return his money. So this story is an in-depth study of the human mind.
14. Give a character-sketch of the thief, Hari Singh. Highlight the gradual changes that come in him.
Answer: The narrator of ‘The Thief’s Story’ is a thief. He is just fifteen but an experienced and fairly successful hand. He used to change his name every month. This he did to avoid being arrested by the police. He worked for many employers. He used to run away after cheating them. This time he introduced himself as Had Singh. Had Singh was a clever thief He knew how to humour a person like Anil. He called Anil a bit of a wrestler. He was an expert in telling lies. He lied that he knew how to cook. He was a good judge of men and the situation. He exploited Anil’s generosity and made money by keeping aside a rupee for him from buying the day’s supplies.
In the heat and excitement, Hari Singh forgot his love for education. He knew that if he were educated, he could earn respect, name and money. No doubt, he breached Anil’s trust by stealing his money. Soon, he realised that he had no friends and well-wishers. The only person who knew and could help him was Anil whom he had robbed a few hours ago. Anil’s large-heartedness and his love for education transformed him in the end. He came back to Anil and put the stolen money back to the place from where it was stolen. Anil knew everything but he rewarded Hari Singh. He gave him a fifty-rupee note and promised to pay him regularly.
15. Give a character-sketch of Anil. Did he know all about the theft? If so, why did he keep Had Singh again to work for him?
Answer: Anil is a thorough gentleman. He is generous, large-hearted and understanding. He is twenty-five years old and unmarried. He doesn’t have a regular income. He writes for magazines. When he receives a cheque, he goes out and celebrates. Anil is a simple man who is ever-ready to help even a worthless boy like Hari Singh. He knows that Had Singh lied that he knew how to cook. Still, he allows him to work for him. Anil is a progressive young man. Being a writer himself, he knows the value of education. He teaches Had Singh to write his name. He promises to teach him to write whole sentences and to add numbers.
Anil knew all about the theft. He knew how and when Had Singh stole the money and put it back under the mattress. Neither his lips nor his eyes showed anything about it. He didn’t want to hand Had Singh over to the police. It would have mined him. The thief had no option but to return to such a generous and large-hearted person. The reformer, Anil rewarded the boy-thief by giving him a fifty-rupee note. He also promised to pay him regularly.
16. How did Hari Singh come into contact with Anil? He breached Anil’s trust in him but why did Anil not only forgive him but also promised to pay him regularly?
Answer: Hari Singh was still a thief when he met Anil. He was just fifteen but was an experienced and fairly successful hand. Hari humoured Anil and wished to work for him. Anil had no regular income and couldn’t afford to pay him. He asked Hari Singh if he knew how to cook. Hari Singh lied that he knew it. The boy was totally worthless and Anil asked him to go away. But the boy didn’t budge and Anil retained him and also promised to teach him writing sentences and adding numbers.
They say old habits die hard. After all, Han was a thief. He made a rupee every day from buying the day’s supplies. Trusting Anil gave him a key to the door. The boy-thief saw him tuck the money under the mattress. Hari Singh stole the money and went away. He counted them and found that they were 600 in the fifties. Anil knew everything about the theft. He even knew how the money was placed back under the mattress by Hari Singh. But the reformer, Anil prevailed over him. He didn’t hand the boy-thief over to the police. Nor did he punish him by throwing him out of the job. Love for education transformed Hari Singh from a thief to a reformed young man. Anil rewarded him by giving a fifty-rupee-note and promising to pay him regularly.
17. Love, human sympathy and education can transform even a thief. How could Anil bring such a change in Hari Singh?
Answer: Man is a product of circumstances and environment. Hari Singh was just a boy of fifteen but was an experienced and fairly a successful hand. Circumstances made him a thief. In spite of being no use to Anil, he was retained to work for him. They say old habits die hard. After all, a thief couldn’t leave stealing and cheating. He made a rupee every day from the buying of the day’s supplies. However, Anil was not a fool. He knew everything and also all about the theft. But he was kind, large-hearted and full of human sympathy. He taught the unfortunate boy to write his name. Ile also promised him to write sentences and add numbers. This left a deep impression on the boy-thief. lie started realising that education could bring him respect and money.
Hari Singh breached Anil’s trust but Anil was all-forgiving and compassionate. In the heat and excitement of theft, Hari Singh forgot about education. Then came the true realisation and transformation. The boy-thief realised that the only man who could help him was the man he had robbed a few hours ago. Then he realised the value of education that could give him respect and more money than he could get by stealing. He realised where he should go. Large-hearted Anil not only forgave him but also gave him a fifty-rupee note, and promised to pay him regularly.
18. ‘He was the most trusting person I had ever met.’ Justify this statement of Had Singh about his benefactor, Anil. Did he breach Anil’s trust?
Answer: After his first introduction, Had Singh understood Anil’s nature and his character rather well? He lied that he knew how to cook. Still, Anil allowed Hari to work for him. Even at the age of 15, Hari Singh was an experienced and successful hand. He knew all the tricks of his trade. He made one rupee every day from buying the day’s supplies. Anil knew it but didn’t mind. Anil was really a trusting person. He had given Hari a key to the door and he could come and go as he pleased. But it was `so difficult to rob him’. It is easy to rob a greedy man. It was difficult to rob a careless and trusting man like Anil. Sometimes, he didn’t even notice that he had been robbed. That took all the pleasure out of Hari Singh’s work.
Anil was no fool. He knew all about the theft, when and how it was committed. Neither his lips nor eyes showed that he saw Hari placing the money back under the mattress.
Trust begets trust. Ultimately, the boy-thief realised that the only person who could help him was the man whom he had robbed a few hours ago. Naturally, Anil was the most trusting man Han Singh had ever met in his life. And forgot the Tut Chase’s grow breach of his trust but rewarded Had by giving a fifty-rupee-note and promising to pay him regularly.
19. How did Hari Singh steal the money? Describe the circumstances that brought him back to work for Hari Singh. What was the main motivating factor that forced him to take that decision?
Answer: Anil had sold a book to a publisher. He got a good sum of money in return. Hari Singh saw him tuck the money under the mattress of his bed. The boy-thief was an experienced hand. He breached Anil’s trust and stole the money. He counted and found a sum of 600 in the fifties. He realised that with that money he could live like a rich Arab at least for a week or two.
Hari Singh tried to run away with the money but failed. He was actually struggling with himself. He deliberately missed the Lucknow Express. He sat thinking about himself on a bench on a chilly night. He came to a conclusion. He had no friends. The only person who could help him was Anil and he had robbed him a few hours earlier. Then came the realisation what Anil was doing for him. He promised to give him an education. Had Singh realised that education could bring respect and money to him? In the heat and excitement of the theft, he had forgotten about the education. Getting an education was the main motivating force that brought the boy-thief Hari Singh back to Anil.
20. Describe the sequence of events that took place after Had Singh stole the money. Evaluate Hari Singh as a thief and as a human being.
Answer: Hari Singh was a seasoned thief even at the age of fifteen. He knew all the tricks of his trade. As a thief, he knew how to hoodwink his master and make one rupee every day out of buying of the day’s supplies. And he, a seasoned thief, stole 600 rupees from under the mattress. With that money, he could live like a rich Arab for a week or two. He came to the station but deliberately missed the Lucknow Express. He was struggling with himself. He came to the ‘maiden’ and was drenched in the rain on a chilly November night. He had no friends and did not like to go to a hotel either. He was in a dilemma. Then good sense prevailed and he decided to go back to the man whom he had robbed a few hours earlier. His love for education was the motivating force that led him to this decision.
So, as a thief, he was quite an experienced and fairly a successful hand. But love, generosity and human compassion of Anil helped in transforming him into a better human being. He realised the value of education. Only education could give him respect, status and money.
21. Hari Singh could have lived like a rich Arab for a week or two. Why did he choose to go back to Anil in the end?
Answer: Hari Singh definitely had a bumper catch. The money he stole from under Anil’s bedroom’s mattress was perhaps the largest amount he had ever stolen in life. When he was on the road, he counted the money. It was a sum of rupees six hundred, in the fifties. With that money, Hari Singh could live in luxury like a rich Arab, at least for a week or two. He decided to run away with the money and came to the station. He found that the Lucknow Express had just moved. He could have jumped into one of the compartments but couldn’t do so. Perhaps something troubled him. He hesitated and remained standing alone on a deserted platform. He had no friends. The only man he knew was Anil whom he had robbed only a few hours ago.
The thing that motivated Had Singh to go back to Anil was his love for getting an education. He realised that education could give him respect, status and much more money than he could get from stealing. Anil had promised him to teach writing and adding numbers. Han Singh’s urge to get an education brought him back to Anil.
Self-Assessment Test
Short Answer Questions
1. Why did Hari Singh smile in his most appealing way?
2. What did Hari Singh find strange about the way Anil made his living?
3. What kind of life was Hari Singh leading with Anil?
4. Why did Hari Singh’s heart sink when Anil met him in the morning?
5. Where did Anil meet Hari Singh? What did they talk about?
Long Answer Questions
1. What made the narrator steal Anil’s six-hundred rupees? What stopped him to rush away?
2. Who was Anil? How did he treat Hari Singh and how did it influence Hari’s life?
3. The story, ‘The Thief’s Story’ is the study of human mind. Comment.