The Thief’s Story Summary:
The Thief’s Story is a story about a boy named Hari Singh who impressed Anil and got appointed by him as his cook. He didn’t know how to cook and was about to be dismissed, but Anil was a kind-hearted fellow and didn’t throw him out readily. He not only taught Hari how to cook but also taught him how to write his name and promised to teach him to write whole sentences. Hari used to do shopping and earned some extra money by resorting to little mischiefs. Anil knew everything but ignored it. Hari’s sole intention was to steal money. Once he noticed Anil to bring sufficient amount of money and kept it under his mattress.
It was easy for Hari to rob a greedy man or a rich man because the former deserves to be robbed and later can afford to be robbed. But it was much difficult for him to rob a poor man and it was extremely difficult for him to rob a man like Anil who didn’t care if he was robbed.
But his worse or lesser self and instinct compelled him to steal the money and somehow he stole the money and left the house.
When he reached the station, the train was about to leave the station. He could have boarded the train easily. But he was subjected to a strange dilemma and could not board the train. There was a great struggle in him between his goodness and his bad instinct. He found himself helpless. He knew that after losing something while a greedy man becomes panicked, a rich man becomes angry. But after losing anything, Anil would not show any sign of emotion. He might get sad for betrayal of his trust.
Something was needed to stimulate him to return to the house. Suddenly, he remembered that Anil promised to him to teach him to write whole sentences. Then the goodness in him won and it prevailed and took control of him. He frantically rushed back to the house and kept the money at its usual place.
Next day, Anil paid him much more than what he expected and told him that he would pay him regularly. He also said to him that he would teach him. He became extremely happy. He knew that Anil in spite of knowing everything didn’t accuse him. His generosity and heartiness affected his emotion tremendously. He felt indebted to Anil for ever.
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The Thief’s Story Short Questions Answers:
1. Who is the writer of the Short story, “The Thief’s Story”?
Ans: Ruskin Bond is the writer of the story, “The Thief’s Story”.
2. How old was Hari Singh when he met Anil?
Ans: Hari Singh was only fifteen years old when he met Anil.
3. What was Hari when he met Anil?
Ans: Hari was a thief by profession when he met Anil.
4. Describe Anil when he was noticed by Hari?
Ans: Anil was twenty years old. He was a tall and lean man and he looked kind and simple.
5. Why was Hari interested about Anil?
Ans: Hari thought that he might be able to win Anil’s confidence. So he was interested about Anil. He wanted to exploit him later.
6. How did Anil watch the wrestling bout?
Ans: Anil was fascinated by the wrestling bout. He was intently watching the well-oiled wrestlers who were grunting and slapping their thighs and sliding on the soft mud.
7. How did Anil speak to Hari at first?
Ans: Hari approached Anil and started conversation with him. Anil spoke to him freely and didn’t seem to realize that Hari was a stranger to him.
8. When did Hari meet Anil and what did he say to him?
Ans: Hari met Anil when he was watching a wrestling bout intently. Hari said to him that he looked like a wrestler himself.
9. How did Anil outsmart Hari?
Ans: Hari said to Anil that he looked like a wrestler. Anil readily replied that Hari also looked like a wrestler. Hari was thin and bony. So he got puzzled. Thus, Anil was able to outsmart him.
10. How many names were used by Hari earlier?
Ans: Four names were used by Hari earlier. Those names were – Ranbir, Sudhir, Trilok and Surinder.
11. Was it possible for Hari to use his proper name?
Ans: Hari was a thief by profession and he needed to remain undetected. So it was not possible for him to use his proper name to avoid getting caught often.
12. How did Hari justify that Anil was the right person for whom he could work?
Ans: Hari said to Anil that after wandering throughout the day looking for the best person to work for he found Anil as the right person. Thus he justified that Anil was the right person for whom he could work.
13. Why did Anil say that he could not work for him?
Ans: Anil said to Hari that he could not work for him because it was not possible for Arun to pay him.
14. What did Hari ask Anil when he knew that he could not pay him?
Ans: Hari asked Anil if he could feed him when he knew that Anil could not pay him.
15. Did Hari know how to cook? Why didn’t he say the truth to Anil?
Ans: No, Hari didn’t know how to cook. He didn’t say the truth to Anil because he wanted the job urgently.
16. Why did Anil agree to get Hari appointed?
Ans: Anil could not pay Hari but he could feed Hari if he could cook. So, when Hari said to him that he could cook, Anil agreed to get him appointed.
17. Why was Hari going to be dismissedon the very first night of his appointment?
Ans: Hari was supposed to cook food but he did not know how to cook and the meal which he cooked was awful and inedible. So, Anil gave it to the neighbouring cat and asked Hari to be off. Thus, he was going to be dismissed.
18. Why couldn’t Anil dismiss Hari finally?
Ans: Anil said to Hari to leave the room but Hari smiled most appealingly and hung around. Anil considered his helplessness and couldn’t dissmiss him finally.
19. What did Anil teach Hari?
Ans: Anil not only taught Hari how to cook, but also he taught him how to write their names.
20. What was Hari’s job in Anil’s room?
Ans: Hari made tea every morning and then had to go out for shopping. He could earn extra money by resorting to a little mischiefs. He enjoyed working for Anil.
21. Why was Hai grateful to Anil?
Ans: Hari was grateful to Anil because he taught him how to write. Hari knew that if he could write like a true educated man, he could achieve anything. It was a stimulant for becoming honest.
22. Was Anil really concerned for money?
Ans: No, Anil was not much concerned about money. He would worry a little about his cheque but just after getting it he could celebrate with his friends lavishly.
23. What did Anil bring one evening? Where did he keep it?
Ans: One evening Anil brought a wad of notes. At night, he kept the bundles of notes under his mattress at the head of the bed.
24. Why couldn’t Hari rob Anil easily?
Ans: Though Hari had access to Anil’s room when he was out, he could not rob him because Anil was the most trusting person he had ever met and therefore he could not make up his mind to rob him.
25. Why was it difficult to rob Anil?
Ans: It was extremely difficult for Hari to rob a man like Anil who doesn’t care for his money. So he couldn’t rob Anil readily.
26. How did Anil keep his money?
Ans: Anil kept his money under his mattress carelessly and it would be child’s play for Hari to remove the money from there with utmost ease.
27. What did Hari think when he wanted to steal Anil’s money?
Ans: When Hari wanted to take away Anil’s money, he thought that if he didn’t take the money, Anil would spend it on his friends and he didn’t even pay him. So it was not wrong to rob him.
28. What did Hari want to do after taking the money?
Ans: After taking money, Hari wanted to leave the town by boarding the Express to Amritsar.
29. How did Hari remove the wad of notes?
Ans: Hari used his hand and fingers most efficiently to draw out the bundles of notes which were under the mattress noiselessly and without a crackle
30. What did Hari do immediately after leaving the room of Anil?
Ans: Immediately after leaving Anil’s room Hari came to the street and began to run. He ran along the bazaar road to the station.
31. Did Hari board the train?
Ans: Though the train was moving slowly enough for Hari to be able to board the train, but he didn’t board the train.
32. Why couldn’t Hari board the train?
Ans: Hari was in two minds and hesitated for some unknown, urgent and unexplainable reason. He hesitated so long that the train left and he couldn’t board the train.
33. Why did Hari hesitate?
Ans: Probably Hari was subjected to a dilemma. He wanted to leave but Anil’s goodness prevented him from leaving. He got undecided and therefore hesitated.
34. What compelled Hari most to return to Anil?
Ans: The thought of learning to write whole sentences compelled Hari most to return to Anil.
35. Why was it difficult for Hari to face Anil?
Ans: Hari tried to steal Anil’s money and betray hus trust but Anil helped him properly. So it was difficult for Hari to face Anil in harsh light of the day.
36. How did Hari learn that Anil knew everything?
Ans: When Hari took the five-rupee note from Anil, he felt that Anil knew everything because the note got wet last night when it was with Hari and it was still wet from last night’s rain.
37. What is the moral of the story, “The Thief’s Story“?
Ans: The story, “The Thief’s Story” conveys a beautiful moral at the end. The story depicts how the goodness prevails over bad and ultimately becomes the winner. Everybody is good at heart and it is necessary to kindle the flame of goodness in him.
The Thief’s Story Easy Type Questions Answers:
1. Sketch the character of Anil in the story, The Thief’s Story.
Ans: Anil is one principal character in the story, “The Thief’s Story”. He appointed Hari as his cook. But Hari didn’t know how to cook and Anil had to teach him how to cook. He also taught him to write their names and wanted to educate him further. Hari once stole Anil’s money and left his room.
But he could not go away. Anil’s goodness, his concern and affection towards Hari, his sense of sympathy and desire to get Hari educated and become a good man brought him back to Anil. Anil inspite of knowing everything didn’t express anything and provided him another opportunity to get reformed. Anil was kind-hearted and generous and wanted Hari to become a good, honest and competent man. So it is Anil who helped Hari to get transformed from a thief to an honest man.
2. Comment on the title of the story, “The Thief’s Story”.
Ans: “The Thief’s Story” is the story about Hari Singh who is a thief by profession. He is young but experienced and successful in his profession. He meets Anil who appoints him as his cook. But he didn’t know how to cook and Anil had to teach him how to cook. He also taught him to write their names. Once Hari removed Anil’s money and left his room.
But he could not go away leaving him. Anil’s goodness, concern and affection towards him, his sense of sympathy and most of all his desire to learn to write whole sentences and become a good man brought him back to Anil.Hari who is a thief gets transformed to a good, lawful and honest man due to the kindness, generosity and goodness of Anil. This story is all about him and his transformation. So the title is justified.
3. Comment on the ending of the story, “The Thief’s Story”.
Ans: “The Thief’s Story” ends with Hari, smiles most appealingly to Anil but the smile seems to come without his knowing it.Anil appoints Hari Singh, teaches him how to cook and to write their names. Hari is grateful to Anil for teaching him to write. But once he took his money and tries to go away. But Anil’s goodness and his desire to get educated brought him back to Anil. Anil became able to know that Hari stole his money but forgave him and provided him another opportunity to get reformed. So Hari smiles to express his gratitude towards Anil.
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