Class 10 English Chapter 2 | The Thief’s Story

The Thief’s Story | Question and Answer |
 NCERT | Class 10 | English | Footprints without Feet

 

Read and Find Out

Question 1 Who does ‘I’ refer to in this story? 

Answer ‘I’ refers to Hari Singh, the narrator of the story.

Question 2 What is he “a fairly successful hand” at? 

Answer He was a fairly successful hand at stealing and robbing people.

Question 3 What does he get from Anil in return for his work?

Answer Hari and Anil made an agreement that if he would cook, then Anil would feed him. However Hari lied to Anil that he could cook and he soon found out that he did not know how to cook. He taught him how to cook and later how to write his name. He promised to teach him how to write whole sentences and how to add number.

 

Question 4 How does the thief think Anil will react to the theft? 

Answer The thief knew that the Anil’s face would show a touch of sadness. The sadness would be not because of the loss of money but because of the loss of trust he had in Hari.

Question 5 What does he say about the different reactions of people when they are robbed? 

Answer Hari said that in his career as thief, he had made a study of men’s faces when they lost their goods. He said that greedy men showed fear, rich man showed anger and poor men showed acceptance. He knew that Anil’s face would show a touch of sadness.

Question 6 Does Anil realise that he has been robbed?

Answer Yes, Anil realised that he had been robbed. He knew this because all the notes were wet and damp due the rain. He did not say anything to the thief and behaved normally.

 

Think About it

Question 1 What are Hari Singh’s reactions to the prospect of receiving an education? Do they change over time? (Hint: Compare, for example, the thought: “I knew that once I could write like an educated man there would be no limit to what I could achieve” with these later thoughts: “Whole sentences, I knew, could one day bring me more than a few hundred rupees. It was a simple matter to steal — and sometimes just as simple to be caught. But to be a really big man, a clever and respected man, was something else.”) What makes him return to Anil?

Answer Hari Singh’s reactions to the prospect of receiving an education changes over times. Hari was very happy and grateful when he learned to write his name. He was very excited when Anil promised to teach him to write whole sentences as well. He knew that being an educated man will add to his abilities and he could achieve anything. But when he left Anil’s house, he realised that stealing was simply a crime to indulge himself but being educated was an entirely different thing. He knew the respect, reputation and possibilities that would come to him once he was educated. And so his urge to receive education compelled him to return to Anil.

Question 2 Why does not Anil hand the thief over to the police? Do you think most people would have done so? In what ways is Anil different from such employers?

Answer Anil does not handover Hari to the police on theft charges. He knew about the theft but he did not thrash him nor even mentioned it in front of Hari. He was glad that Hari had realised his mistake and the importance of education in life. Anil wanted Hari to become a literate man and lead a respectful life.

No, in today’s world most people would not have done He is different from other such employers because he is very understanding. Hari’s return gave him the hope of a change in him.

Talk About it

Question 1 You think people like Anil and Hari Singh are found only in fiction, or are there such people in real life?

Answer No, I don’t think that people like Anil and Hari Singh are found only in fiction. We find such people in everyday life or real life also. Such people are hardly ever found in today’s society who are actually good. If one is caught stealing , people punish him on their own or he will be handed over to the police. One chance for changing oneself must be given to everyone. Anil was a kind and considerate person who was concerned, about Hari’s education and future. And Hari was a thief whose heart changes after realising the importance of education for his future. People like these are imaginary in today’s world.

Question 2 Do you think it a significant detail in the story that Anil is a struggling writer? Does this explain his behaviour in any way?

Answer Yes, it is a significant detail in the story that Anil is a struggling writer. Hari Singh observed that Anil lifestyle was simple and used to spend according to his pocket at all time , he is getting irregular incomes and statement about his sale of a book to a publisher indicates that he is a struggling writer. When he is having less money than he does not accept paying salary to Hari Singh.

Question 3 Have you met anyone like Hari Singh? Can you think and imagine the circumstances that can turn a fifteen-year-old boy into a thief?

Answer Yes, once I was travelling with my family in a train. In my compartment , some young boys were sitting. After some time I realised that my small bag was missing. I got worried because my purse and other valuable were in that bag. I did not lose my temper and told them the story that how a thief transformed himself into a good person. One of the boy, who was culprit started crying and told me the truth and the reason behind his act. After listening to his situation i decided to help him. Similarly Hari Singh was an uneducated person belonging to a poor family. It was his circumstances that compelled him to become a thief. Its the circumstances that can turn a fifteen-year-old boy into a thief.