*Ch. - 2 The Thief's Story: (Ruskin Bond)*
*1. Who is the author of ‘The Thief’s Story’?*
Ans. Ruskin Bond
*2. Who is ‘I’ in the story?*
Ans. Hari Singh
*3. Who was Hari Singh?*
Ans. a thief
*4. Who is the master?*
Ans. Anil
*5. What was Anil?*
Ans. a writer
*6. What was the timing of the train to Lucknow?*
Ans. 10.30 p.m. (The Lucknow Express)
*7. How much money did he steal?*
Ans. 600 Rupees
*8. How much money did Anil give to Hari Singh in the end?*
Ans. Rs. 50
*9. What was the age of Hari Singh?*
Ans. 15 years
*10. How old was Anil?*
Ans. 25 years
*11. Who is the narrator of the story ‘The Thief’s Story?*
Ans. Hari Singh
*12. What did Anil do for a living?*
Ans. He wrote articles for magazines
*13. What was Anil doing when the thief boy met him?*
Ans. He was watching a wrestling match
*14. Where did Anil live?*
Ans. Above Jumna Sweet Shop
*15. What promise did Anil make to the thief boy?*
Ans. to teach him reading and writing
*2. The Thief’s Story (Ruskin Bond)*
Textual Questions
*1. What does he get from Anil in return for his work?*
Ans. In return for his work, Anil gives him food and a place to live in. Anil also teaches him how to cook and how to write. He teaches him to write his name.
*2. Who is ‘I’ in this story? Why did he change his name every month?*
Ans. ‘I’ refers to Hari Singh, the narrator of the story. He is 15 years old. He is an experienced thief. He changed his name every month so that he could escape from the police and his former employers.
*3. Why did Hari Singh want to work for Anil?*
Ans. Hari Singh wanted to work for Anil. Anil had no regular income. He wrote for magazines. He asked Hari Singh if he could cook, Hari Singh lied that he knew how to cook. Actually he wants to work for Anil so that he could steal his money.
*4. What was Anil’s job? What did he usually do with the money he earned?*
Ans. Anil was a writer. He used to write articles for magazines. He was a spendthrift and used to spend money on his friends. He would borrow money one week and lend the next.
*5. Why, according to Hari, is it difficult to rob a careless person?*
Ans. 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 has been robbed. It takes all the pleasure out of the work.
*6. Does Anil realize that he has been robbed?*
Ans. Yes, Anil realised that he had been robbed, as he gave a fifty rupee note to Hari Singh which was still damp due to the night’s rain. But he didn't say anything.
Long-Answers
*1. Give a brief character sketch of the thief in Ruskin Bond’s ‘The Thief’s Story’.*
Ans. The Thief is a fifteen year old boy. He is intelligent for his age. He knew the art of winning the confidence of others. He is a good judge of human nature. He says that a greedy man showed fear when he was robbed, a rich man showed anger and the poor men accepted it calmly. The thief steals Anil’s money, but he soon begins to repent. He thinks he can't rob a person who was so trustworthy. He comes back to Anil, he wants to learn how to read and write. He wants to become a big man. We can say that he is a noble hearted thief.
*2. What is the character sketch of Anil in the thief's story?*
Ans. Anil was a kind, simple and easy going young man. He was tall and lean, and interested in sports like wrestling. He was not very rich and could not offer to employ Hari as a cook. He wrote for magazines. He made money by fits and starts. One week he would borrow and the next week lend. He teaches Hari Singh to read, write and add numbers. He wanted Hari to have a bright future and hence taught him to write his name and small sentences.
*3. Compare in your own words the characters of Anil and the thief in the story.*
Ans. Hari Singh is a thief. His real name is not Hari Singh, he keeps on changing names to escape from police. He is only 15 years old. He earns the trust of people, then robs them and flees. When he sees Anil, he thinks of robbing him and asks for any work. Anil, being a simple person lets him work and even starts teaching him how to cook. Hari steals a little money daily when he goes to buy the daily groceries and one day when he gets a chance he steals money from Anil and runs away. But at the station he has a change of heart and comes back. Anil gave him a 50 rupee note in the morning. Hari is now happy and content to live with Anil.