Chapter 1.2 - The Thief’s Story
The narrator, who is a thief, meets Anil, a simple, kind, and compassionate struggling writer. The thief earns Anil’s trust and becomes friends with him, eventually landing up in his home as a cook. The narrator’s intention is obviously to rob Anil and flee. However, he cannot cook, so Anil teaches him to cook and write and feeds him without a salary.
As the saying goes ‘Old habits die hard’ and the thief makes small profits by cheating Anil while shopping for his daily supplies. One night, the thief finally decides to rob Anil of his money and escape. Although he is successful in stealing money, he can’t really bring himself to escape as his conscience pricks him and he feels guilty for robbing a trusting man like Anil. He returns and puts the notes, which are damp due to the rain, back in their place. The next morning, Anil pays the thief some money and promises to pay him regularly and also to teach him to write sentences. Along with the thief, we are moved by Anil’s kind and compassionate gesture of not getting the thief arrested, although he had a hint of the event of the previous night. The story successfully establishes the fact that love, compassion, and kindness have the potency to turn a thief’s life around and reform him.
flattery : insincere praise
modestly : without boasting, in a humble way
grunting : making low guttural sounds
appealing : attention-getting attractive
by fits and starts : in short irregular intervals
unlined : showing no sign of worry or anxiety
heart sank : felt depressed
spirits rose : became very hopeful
Warming up!
1. Read the following incident.
Lokesh had always been a class-topper in tests and examinations. However, invariably, he used foul means during exams to gain those high marks.
Once, on the day of the History examination, Lokesh realized that his classmate and friend Farhan came all prepared for Maths instead of History. Farhan had become desperate. So Lokesh offered to let him copy from his answer-sheet, since Farhan sat just behind him.
Farhan refused. He said, ‘‘It’s all right even if I get a zero, but I can call it my own zero. I do not want to score a single mark, unearned. Cheating in exams is for cowards. Not me!’’
These words were a turning point in Lokesh’s life. He gave up cheating forever. He worked hard for what he desired and never, ever used false measures to acquire anything.
(a) In the given story, which words/phrases can be replaced by the following ones?
(i) became aware
Ans: realized
(ii) always
Ans: invariably
(iii) very upset and helpless
Ans: desperate
(iv) cheating
Ans: foul means
(v) without working for it
Ans: unearned
(vi) a sudden change
Ans: a turning point
(vii) gain/achieve
Ans: acquire
(b) Summarize the incident in 6 to 8 lines making Lokesh, the narrator :
Begin with : ‘I was always a class topper.
Ans: I have always been a class-topper in tests and examinations. However, I used foul means during exams to gain those marks. Once, on the day of the history examination, I realized that my classmate and friend Farhan had come all prepared for mathematics instead of history. Seeing his anxiety, I offered to help him by allowing him to copy from my answer sheet as he sat just behind me.
Farhan refused. He said, “Lokesh, it’s alright even if I get a zero; but I can call it my own zero.” He added that he didn’t want to score a single mark that was not earned by him. He told me that cheating in exams is for cowards.
These words were the turning point in my life. I gave up cheating forever, and now I work hard for what I desire. I never use false measures to acquire anything.
In Between The LESSON
Q1. What is the narrator quite successful at?
Ans: The narrator is a fairly successful hand at robbing.
Q2. Who does ‘I’ refer to in this story ?
Ans: ‘I’ refers to the narrator who is a thief.
Q3. Why did the narrator change his name every month ?
Ans: The narrator changed his name every month as that kept him ahead of police and his employers.
Q4. What favours did Anil do for the narrator?
Ans: Anil taught the narrator to cook and write his name. He also promised to teach him to write sentences.
Q5. What proves that the narrator still practiced deceit?
Ans: The narrator made a profit of about a rupee a day while buying the day’s supplies thus cheating Anil. This proves that the narrator still practiced deceit.
Q6. What could have caused the scars on Hari’s face?
Ans: Hari was a small-time thief. Escaping the police and his former employers or small fights with others must have caused the scars on his face.
Q7. Why did Hari hesitate to board the train?
Ans: Anil was a simple, kind and trusting man. The narrator hesitated to run away with his money as he would have felt guilty of robbing such a man. Somewhere his conscience pricked him for betraying Anil. Thus he hesitated to board the train.
Q8. Why does Hari believe that friends were more trouble than help?
Ans: The narrator believed that friends were more trouble than help as they would either turn out to be the link for the police to reach the narrator or he must have been cheated by his friends in the past.
Q9. What is face reading?
Ans: Face reading is an ancient art of analyzing a person’s character based on their facial features.
Q10. What were Hari’s regrets as he pondered over his theft?
Ans: As he pondered over his theft, Hari regretted that he would never be able to cook Anil’s meals, run to the bazaar or learn to write whole sentences anymore. He felt sorry that he would never be able to become a clever, respected man by learning to read and write.
Q11. Why did Hari feel nervous?
Ans: The thief had robbed Anil who had trusted him of his money. But he changed his mind about escaping and decided to return. It was easier for him to steal the money but keeping it back without getting caught by Anil was difficult. This made him nervous.
Q12. Does Anil realise that he has been robbed ?
Ans: Yes, Anil realises he has been robbed because the notes are still damp from the rain when he touches them in the morning.
Q13. Why did Hari give a genuine appealing smile?
Ans: Hari gave a genuine, appealing smile to Anil for having forgiven him for the attempt to rob him and for giving him an opportunity to start life anew.
ENGLISH WORKSHOP
1. Complete the web diagram.
1.
Ans:
2.
Ans:
2. Insert the appropriate word/phrase given below, in the sentences that follow.
(flattery, appealing, by fits and starts, dashed to, undetected, spirits rose )
(a) I _____ the school gate when I heard the school-bell ring.
Ans: dashed
(b) After the death of my pet dog, my _____ when dad got me a new pup.
Ans: spirits rose
(c) Do not stoop _____ to just to gain something from someone.
Ans: flattery
(d) The artist completes his paintings _____.
Ans: by fits and starts
(e) The crime went _____ for 11 years.
Ans: undetected
(f) When the baby saw its mother it gave an _____ smile.
Ans: appealing.
3. (a) Find from the text the collocation for the following.
(i) _____ dog
Ans: stray
(ii) _____ man
Ans: careless
(iii) ticket _____
Ans: office
(iv) _____ slowly
Ans: walked
(v) _____ drizzle
Ans: light
(vi) _____ sentences
Ans: whole
(vii) _____ spirits
Ans: risen
(b) Complete the compound words from the story.
(i) oil
Ans: rich
(ii) fifty
Ans: rupee
(iii) easy
Ans: going
(iv) tower
Ans: clock
(v) moon
Ans: light
(c) Pick out from the story 3 or 4 examples of Code-mixing (Indian words used in English).
Ans: bazaar, maidaan, pyjamas.
4. Read the story carefully and complete the table.
| Total no. of characters | Names | Age | Physical appearance | Earned money by | Qualities |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
.......... | .......... | .......... | .......... | .......... |
Ans:
| Total no. of characters | Names | Age | Physical appearance | Earned money by | Qualities |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Two | Hari | 15 Years | Thin | Robbing/ Stealing | grateful, eager to learn, sharp, opportunist, ambitious |
Anil | 25 Years | Tall and Lean | Writing | kind, simple, forgiving, compassionate |
5. Complete the given sentences.
(a) Anil kept Hari as a cook because _____
Ans: Hari needed a job and Anil thought he would be able to teach Hari to read and write in return for the food Hari would cook for him.
(b) Hari was grateful _____
Ans: for teaching him to cook and write his name.
(c) Hari continued making money _____
Ans: by making small profits everyday while shopping for supplies.
(d) Anil didn’t hand Hari over to the police _____
Ans: he believed that kindness and compassion would reform Hari.
(e) The moral of the story is _____
Ans: love, kindness and trust have the power to change a criminal into a gentleman.
6. Think and write in your own words, in your notebook.
(a) Why did Anil employ Hari as a cook, although he could not afford to pay him?
Ans: Although Anil could not afford to pay Hari, he employed him as a cook as he must have thought that Hari is a needy person. Moreover, he was planning to pay Hari in kind by teaching him to cook, write his name, add numbers and write whole sentences.
(b) What did Hari learn from Anil in the beginning?
Ans: Hari learnt to cook and write his name from Anil at the beginning.
(c) Why didn’t Anil hand over Hari to the police? What effect would it have had on Hari?
Ans: Anil did not hand Hari over to the police because that would result in Hari transforming into a criminal from a small-time thief. Besides, it would have left a permanent scar on Hari’s mind at the tender age. Moreover, Anil decided to be different and reform Hari through kindness and sympathy by forgiving him. Hari had also chosen to return the money by coming back although he could have easily fled.
(d) Do you feel Anil’s way of handling a thief like Hari was effective? Justify your answer.
Ans: Yes, I feel Anil handled a thief like Hari extremely effectively. By overlooking his small thefts and concentrating on equipping him with the skills of reading, writing and adding numbers, Anil was indirectly reforming Hari and teaching him the way to earn a living in a respectful manner. His decision of not handing Hari over to the police was also a wise one as that would have transformed Hari into a criminal forever. The results are seen in the fact that Hari returns to Anil even after stealing the money because somewhere he feels guilty for his deeds, of letting Anil down and the fact that he could earn more if he went along with Anil and was willing to be reformed.
(e) What tact had Anil used to change Hari’s dishonest ways?
Ans: Anil started teaching Hari to write his name and promised to teach him to write whole sentences and add numbers. This ushered a new hope in Hari that one day he would be able to earn more than what he did by robbing. He also decided to pay Hari for cooking as soon as he was able to. He did this so that he didn’t have to steal money. And above all he blindly trusted Hari which made it difficult for Hari to rob him and run away.
(f) ‘And the smile came by itself without any effort.’ Say why. When do people give fake smiles?
Ans: The smile came by itself because Hari realised that although Anil knew the truth, he had forgiven him and it was a load off his mind. He also knew that Anil was going to teach him to write whole sentences, so that he could earn more and give up his dishonest ways. And that was the reason he had returned to Anil in the first place. People give fake smiles either to impress others or to hide their true emotions.
7. Write a character sketch of ‘Hari Singh’ with the help of the following points, using the paragraph format.
Hari Singh’s background
His dishonesty
His aspirations
His courage to change himself
Ans:
Hari Singh is a seasoned small-time thief. He comes across as a manipulative young boy who had cheated his former employers and escaped the police. He tells lies and takes up new names to elude the police. He has a specific modus operandi to steal money. He is a perfect example of how old habits die hard. Although he meets a trusting simple employer like Anil, he doesn’t hesitate to rob him of his money by making a profit of a rupee daily while buying every day supplies. He even robs Anil of his money and decides to run away. However, deep down, inside this deceitful young robber is a boy, who is willing and open to corrections and who doesn’t mind being taught to cook. The eagerness to learn to read and write is what brings him back to Anil. No matter how hard he tries, he cannot bring himself to betray Anil’s trust and run away with his money. He misses the conversation with Anil and his friendship with him which comes across as more valuable to him than the money he steals. He is grateful to Anil for bringing about a change in him by educating him. He is courageous enough to change himself by returning to Anil knowing very well that if Anil discovered the robbery, he could get him arrested. Perhaps, these qualities are what makes him appear more human than criminal in our eyes as we feel happy to see him reformed in the end.
8. Frame ‘Wh’ questions to get the answers underlined below. (Change the first person pronouns to the second person where necessary.)
(a) I hurried back to the room.
Ans: Where did you hurry back?
(b) I had made a study of men’s faces.
Ans: What had you made?
(c) I drew them out, without a sound.
Ans: How did you draw them out?
(d) The poor man showed acceptance.
Ans: Who showed acceptance?
(e) I made tea in the morning.
Ans: When did you make tea?
9. Imagine that Anil catches Hari red-handed when Hari is stealing the money from under the mattress. Compose a short dialogue between the two, which reflects Anil’s shock and Hari’s repeated apologies.
Ans:
(Anil is fast asleep as Hari enters his room)
Hari (thinking to himself): I must hurry up, if I have to take the 10:30 Express to Lucknow.
(Hari checks whether Anil is asleep and then slides his hand under the mattress)
Anil (alarmed by the disturbance) : Hari? What are you doing here so late in the night?
Hari: No, nothing. I had just come to put the bedsheet.
Anil (switching on the light): I can’t believe my eyes, Hari. You were trying to steal my money.
Hari: No, I am sorry, I was just…
Anil: Don’t you speak a word. I have almost caught you red-handed. All this while I thought I would be able to pull you out of your wretched immoral ways but I was wrong!
Hari: No sir, I am sorry, I didn’t mean to betray you.
Anil: How ungrateful can you be? I am shocked. No, more than that, I am hurt. I had never imagined that you would pay me back for my kindness in this fashion.
Hari: Please forgive me. I couldn’t resist the temptation. I am extremely sorry I won’t do it ever again.
Anil: What makes you think I can trust you again? You have disappointed me. I learnt today that old habits die hard.
(Anil sits with his hand on his head while Hari sits by his feet pleading and sobbing.)