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The Thief’s Story

by Ruskin Bond

Introduction to Chapter

Ruskin Bond is a famous Indian writer. ‘The Thief ’s Story’ is one of his well-known stories. In this story, the writer shows how the reformation of a criminal is best achieved through love and understanding rather than punishment. Hari Singh is a thief and a cheat. He comes into contact with Anil. Anil gives him work in his house. One day Hari Singh steals Anil’s money and runs away. But the kindness and love of Anil makes him come back and return the money.

Summary In English

‘The Thief’s story’ is an in-depth study of human mind. It shows that love can transform even a thief. The narrator is a thief. He wants to work for Anil. In fact, he wants to rob Anil. He finds Anil simple and easy-going. Anil agrees to give him work. Anil teaches him to read and write sentences. Anil knows his intention. But still he trusts him. Anil was a writer. He made money by fits and starts. One day, the thief steals Anil’s money. He had every chance to run away. But he listens to his conscience. In his short career as a thief, he had made a study of men’s faces when they were robbed. The rich men showed anger. The greedy men showed fear. The poor men showed acceptance. He knew that Anil’s face will show a touch of sadness, not for the loss of money, but for the loss of trust. He wanted to be an educated person. So, he decides to come back to Anil.

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Summary In Hindi

अनिल 25 साल के लेखक थे। वह बहुत लापरवाही से अपना जीवन व्यतीत कर रहा था। वह अपना जीवन चलाने के लिए पैसा कमाने के लिए लिखने के लिए संघर्ष कर रहा था। एक दिन अनिल कुश्ती मैच देख रहा था। वह हरि को प्रणाम करता है। हरि ने व्यक्ति की चापलूसी करने के लिए अपने पुराने फॉर्मूले का इस्तेमाल किया। अनिल ने प्रभावित किया और उससे वादा किया कि वह उसे लिखना सिखाएगा, संख्याओं को जोड़ना और स्वादिष्ट भोजन कैसे बनाना है। अब दोनों खुशी से साथ रह रहे थे।
एक दिन हरि ने देखा कि अनिल नोटों का एक बंडल लेकर आया है। उसने देखा कि वह उन्हें गद्दे के नीचे रखता है। जैसा कि हरि ने नोटों के बंडल को देखा था, इसलिए उसकी बुरी भावना उसके मन में पैदा हुई। उसने उस रात अनिल को लूटने का फैसला किया। रात का खाना लेने के बाद अनिल शांत होकर सो गया। हरि बिस्तर पर लेट गया और गद्दे के नीचे हाथ खिसका दिया।



उसने नोट लिए और वहां से भाग गया। वह ट्रेन में सवार होने के लिए रेलवे स्टेशन से लखनऊ के लिए रवाना हुआ। लेकिन, वह चूक गया। वह बाज़ारों में घूमता रहा। बारिश हो रही थी और हरि सिंह पूरी तरह से भीग चुका था। उनके मन में एक द्वंद था। वह अनिल के विश्वास को धोखा नहीं देना चाहता था। इसके अलावा, अनिल उसे पढ़ाने और संख्याओं को जोड़ने का तरीका सिखा रहा था जो उसके जीवन को बदल सकते थे। इसलिए उन्होंने रेलवे स्टेशन छोड़ दिया। वह मैदान में आया और बेंच पर बैठ गया। तभी तेज बारिश हो रही थी। सर्द हवा चल रही थी। उसने अपराधबोध महसूस किया क्योंकि उसने एक निर्दोष व्यक्ति को धोखा दिया था। उसकी कमीज और पजामा उसके शरीर पर गिर गया क्योंकि वह बारिश के कारण गीला था।
हरि सिंह का हृदय परिवर्तन हुआ था। उसने अनिल के पास लौटने और पैसे तकिये के नीचे रखने का फैसला किया। वह कमरे में पहुंचा और रुपये वापस कर दिए। अगली सुबह, वह थोड़ी देर से उठा और अनिल ने पहले ही अपनी चाय बना ली थी। अनिल ने हरि सिंह को यह कहते हुए 50 रुपये की पेशकश की कि उन्होंने इसे अर्जित किया है। उसने उससे कहा कि अब उसे नियमित रूप से भुगतान किया जाएगा। हरि ने नोट अपने हाथ में रखा। उन्होंने महसूस किया कि नोट कल रात बारिश से भीगे हुए थे। हरि को पता चल गया था कि अनिल को उसके दुष्कर्म के बारे में पता चल गया था, लेकिन उसके मन में कोई दुख, गुस्सा या अपराध नहीं था।

Word Meanings

No.	Word	Meanings
1	Lean	thin
2	Easy-going	carefree
3	Confidence	faith
4	Flattery	praising too much
5	Modestly	softly
6	Grunting	making a low sound
7	Misjudged	misunderstood
8	Terrible	fearful
9	Stray of the streets	To be off run off
10	Patted	tapped gently
11	Fits and starts	irregularly
12	Queer	strange
13	Tuck	put
14	Afford	bear
15	Beam	ray
16	Crept up	went slowly
17	Scars	marks
18	Slid	put slowly
19	Startled	surprised
20	Crawled out	moved slowly with body close to the ground
21	String	cord
22	Dashed straight	went speedily straight
23	Carriages	compartment
24	Deserted	left out, alone
25	Curious	eager
26	Chilly	very cold
27	Drizzle	a light shower
28	Stuck	clung
29	Damp	wet
30	Hurried	went hastily
31	Nervous	afraid, uneasy
32	Undetected	without being found out
33	Stretched out	extended
34	Appealing (here)	pleasing

Exercises

Q:1. Who does ‘I’ refer to in this story? Why did he change his name every month?
A: ‘I’ in this story is Hari Singh, the narrator. He was a thief by profession. To rob someone was his profession. He used to change his name every month to keep himself ahead of police and his former employers.

Q:2. What is he ‘a fairly successful hand’ at?
A: Though just 15, but he was experienced and fairly successful in winning someone’s confidence, theft and stealing.

Q:3. What does he get from Anil in return for his works?
A: Hari Singh cooks and buys supplies for Anil. In return, he gets nothing except food and accommodation. He also teaches him how to read and write. As Anil does not have regular income, he does not give any wages to Hari Singh.

Q:4. How does the thief think Anil will react to the theft?
A: Hari Singh has made a study of men’s faces in theft. As he has complete faith in Hari Singh, he knows that Anil will be sad and hurt. Not because of loss of goods but loss of trust. As he finds Anil a kind person who trusts him as no one else showed in his life.

Q:5. What does he say about the different reactions of people when they are robbed?
A: In his short career as a thief, Hari Singh has made studies of men’s faces. A greedy man shows fear when robbed, a rich man shows anger, poor man shows just acceptance and a kind person if he is cheated, becomes sad and hurt.

Q:6. Does Anil realise that he has been robbed?
A: Yes, Anil realises that he has been robbed. He sees the bundle of notes is wet. He knew that it had rained last night. He knew that someone had taken out the bundle in the rain. And it was put back under the mattress.

Q:7. Why does Anil not hand the thief over to the police?
A: As Anil is kind, simple and different from others. His purpose was to reform Hari Singh. He can read human mind. He knows the real purpose of Hari Singh. Finally, he succeeds in his objective. He transforms Hari Singh in a good person. So does not think it proper to hand Hari Singh over to police.

Q:8. Why was the thief grateful to Anil?
A: Anil was giving him food and accommodation. He was teaching him how to read and write. At first night he came to know that Hari Singh does not know cooking, still Anil does not fire him. All that was enough for Hari Singh to be grateful.

Q:9. Why did Hari Singh want to become an educated man?
A: Hari Singh knew that an educated man is respected by the people in society. By education that Anil was giving him, he could earn money and respect both. That was why he came back to Anil. He reformed himself in the company of Anil.

Q:10. Write the character Sketch of Hari Singh.
A: 1. Fraud & Deceitful: He was just 15, thin in looks, a thief with experience and successful hand named Hari Singh, but he was not Hari Singh. He was a fraud who changed his name every new month. He had an appealing but deceitful smile on face to win confidence of his next target cleverly.

2. Good Judge of Human Nature: He could read faces accurately, knew how a person would react once robbed. He knew how to impress people. He knew that flattery helps in making friends. He knew what will be the reaction of Anil on loss, he will be sad not because of loss of money but loss of trust. Through observation he had mastered the art of human behaviour.

3. Clever & Cunning: He planned to rob a simple and kind man. He was clever to change his name every month so as to keep himself ahead of police. He made a profit of one rupee out of daily purchases. Clever enough that he did not like friends thinking they were more trouble than help.

4. Cheater & Liar: From the very beginning he was a liar. Time and again he lied. Firstly, he told his name as Hari Singh who he was not, he was a fake. Secondly, he told Anil that he knew cooking but actually he did not. He made money out of daily purchases, never told to Anil about. He never bought railway ticket. All this proves he was.

5. Transformed & Awakened: Good is there in every man. So is with Hari Singh. In the end, he was awakened that he had robbed a kind person who was educating him, who gave him food and shelter. He regretted that he was losing chance of getting education. He wanted to be respected in society and this opportunity was going to be missed by him. He decided to go back to Anil. He mended his ways. By the end he was a transformed person. All is well that ends well.
Watch this character sketch on our YouTube channel:



Q:11. Write the character sketch of Anil.

A: 1. Kind & Helpful: Anil was 25 years, tall, thin and lean fellow. He was so simple that Hari Singh found him easy going and fit for his purpose. He helped Hari Singh with food and accommodation. When he robs him, he does not hand him over to police.

2. Struggling Writer & Careless: He made money by fits and starts. His income was not consistent. He got on irregular intervals. He writes for magazines. Waits for the cheque to come. He was always busy in borrowing now and lending then. He had no savings even; what he gets he spends it in party with friends. He wastes money on friends’ parties.

3. Credulous & Forgiving: He was always ready to believe things easily. He believed the boy to be Hari Singh. Hari Singh’s appealing smile impressed him. Hari Singh said, he knew cooking, he believed this also. He was modest and large hearted in nature. He forgave Hari Singh so that he could become a good man. He trusted Hari Singh, as Hari Singh himself said he was the most trusting person he had ever had.