CBSE Class 10 English The Thief’s Story Worksheet Set B

The Thief's Story — Ruskin Bond

Later, he patted me on the head and said never mind, he’d teach me to cook. He also taught me to write my name and said he would soon teach me to write whole sentences and to add numbers. I was grateful. I knew that once I could write like an educated man there would be no limit to what I could achieve.

Question. Who does "I" refer to in the story?
(a) Anil
(b) Hari
(c) an old man
(d) None of these
Answer: (b)

Question. What kind of work was the narrator doing before he met Anil?
(a) He was a professor
(b) He was a writer
(c) He was a petty thief
(d) None of these
Answer: (c)

Question. What did Anil promise him to teach?
(a) to write his name
(b) to cook
(c) to add numbers
(d) All of these
Answer: (d)

Question. Why was the narrator grateful?
(a) Because Anil would give him money
(b) Because Anil would teach him how to read and write
(c) Because Anil would do all his work
(d) None of these
Answer: (b)

Question. What qualities did Anil possess?
(a) simplicity
(b) kindness
(c) easy-going attitude
(d) All of these
Answer: (d)

When I reached the station I did not stop at the ticket office (I had never bought a ticket in my life) but dashed straight to the platform. The Lucknow Express was just moving out. The train had still to pick up speed and I should have been able to jump into one of the carriages, but I hesitated — for some reason I can’t explain — and I lost the chance to get away.

Question. Why is the narrator at the train station?
(a) to say goodbye to a friend
(b) to run away after stealing Anil’s money
(c) to steal from the passengers
(d) None of these
Answer: (b)

Question. Choose the option that lists the set of statements that are NOT TRUE according to the given extract.
1. The narrator is at the train station to say goodbye to a friend.
2. The narrator is at the train station to run away after stealing Anil’s money.
3. To steal from the passengers.
4. None of these
5. The narrator was hesitant.
6. The narrator was unable to leave with the train.
7. The narrator is at bus stop.
(a) 1, 3, 7
(b) 1, 2, 3
(c) 4, 5, 6
(d) 1, 4, 7
Answer: (a)

Question. Pick the option that correctly classifies fact/s (F) and opinion/s (O) about the narrator.
1. The narrator hesitated because he was scared of trains.
2. His conscience made him realize he is guilty.
3. He didn’t know where the train was going.
4. He was at the train station to run away after stealing Anil’s money.
(a) F – 2, 4 and M – 1, 3
(b) F – 2, 3 and M – 1, 4
(c) F – 1, 4 and M – 2, 3
(d) F – 1, 2 and M – 3, 4
Answer: (a)

Question. Was the narrator able to leave with the Lucknow Express?
(a) Yes
(b) No
(c) Maybe
(d) None of these
Answer: (b)

Question. Where did the narrator go from the platform?
(a) to Anil’s home
(b) to Lucknow
(c) to his home
(d) None of these
Answer: (a)

Later, he patted me on the head and said never mind, he’d teach me to cook. He also taught me to write my name and said he would soon teach me to write whole sentences and to add numbers. I was grateful. I knew that once I could write like an educated man there would be no limit to what I could achieve.

Question. Who are these characters in the passage? Why would “he” teach “me” to cook?
Answer: The two people in the passage are the narrator and Anil. The narrator is a boy of 15 who asks Anil to give him a job and lies to Anil about having culinary skills. But being a good man, Anil assures him he would teach him how to cook.

Question. Why was the narrator grateful?
Answer: The narrator was uneducated. He was grateful to Anil for teaching him how to read and write. The narrator feels that being literate would give him better life opportunities.

And that is why it was so difficult to rob him. It’s easy to rob a greedy man, because he can afford to be robbed; but it’s difficult to rob a careless man — sometimes he doesn’t even notice he’s been robbed and that takes all the pleasure out of the work.

Question. Why is it so difficult to rob Anil?
Answer: For the narrator, it was difficult to rob Anil because he thought it wrong to rob a man who trusted him. Anil’s trust in the narrator made him careless with his possessions around him.

Question. Do you infer that the narrator is an honest thief?
Answer: The narrator says clearly that it was easier and more fun to rob a ‘greedy man’ and not satisfying to rob a person who trusts you and is careless with his belongings.

When I reached the station I did not stop at the ticket office (I had never bought a ticket in my life) but dashed straight to the platform. The Lucknow Express was just moving out. The train had still to pick up speed and I should have been able to jump into one of the carriages, but I hesitated — for some reason I can’t explain — and I lost the chance to get away.

Question. Why is the narrator at the train station?
Answer: The narrator was at the train station to board a train and run away after stealing Anil’s money.

Question. ‘I hesitated — for some reason’: Why do you think the narrator hesitated?
Answer: The narrator hesitated because he had a conscience. He was not a malicious boy. He knew he had done something wrong. Thus, he hesitated.

I awoke late next morning to find that Anil had already made the tea. He stretched out his hand towards me. There was a fifty-rupee note between his fingers. My heart sank. I thought I had been discovered. “I made some money yesterday,” he explained. “Now you’ll be paid regularly.” My spirits rose. But when I took the note, I saw it was still wet from the night’s rain.

Question. Why had he come back from the platform?
Answer: The narrator had come back from the platform because he did not want to cheat a man who trusted him so much. He also wanted an education to become a respected man.

Question. Do you think Anil really knew? If yes, then why did he not say anything?
Answer: Yes. Anil knew what had happened the previous night. He did not say anything because the boy had returned and he deserved a second chance.

Short Answers Type Questions  

Question. What was the thief’s immediate reaction on stealing the money?
Answer: On stealing the money from under the mattress, Hari Singh ran through the streets to the railway station hoping to board the 10:30 express to Lucknow. He tucked all the money into the string of his pyajamas and ran towards the train without buying a ticket.

Question. Why did Hari Singh decide to return the stolen money?
Answer: Hari Singh decided to return the stolen money because he did not want to break Anil’s trust. Also, he realised that by learning to write and add, he would have a brighter future than in continuing to rob people.

Question. ‘He was the most trusting person I had ever met.’ Why does Hari Singh say so?
Answer: Anil overlooked the little money that Hari stole the very day. He had also given him the key to his house to come and go as he pleased. This made Hari realise that Anil was the most trusting person he had ever met.

Question. In which queer way did Anil make a living?
Answer: Anil made money by fits and starts. He would borrow one week, lend it the next. As soon as his cheque arrived, he would go out to celebrate. He also made a living by writing for magazines.

Question. What made the thief come back to Anil?
Answer: The thief had a change of heart. He thought about something. He thought that if he learnt reading and writing, he could earn more money. He would also be a respectable person.

Question. Why did the thief smile without any effort towards the end of the story?
Answer: The thief smiled without any effort in his most appealing way. It was because he wanted to please Anil. He wanted to win his favour and trust. Secondly, he did so because he felt that he had been forgiven by Anil for him being a thief.

Question. How did the thief win the heart of Anil?
Answer: The thief told Anil that he wanted to work for him. Anil told him that he couldn’t pay him. The thief asked him if he could feed him. Anil told him that if he could and would cook, he could feed him to which the thief replied in affirmative. Anil let the thief work for him as he had told him that he could cook. This way, the thief had won Anil’s heart.

Question. What made the thief return to Anil’s room even though he had stolen Anil’s money and escaped?
Answer: The thief thought that six hundred rupees were nothing in front of an educated life. He wanted to lead a respectable life. He could become educated in the company of Anil. So, he didn’t run away with that money. In fact, he returned to Anil’s room and put the money back under Anil’s mattress.

Question. What work did the thief do for Anil?
Answer: The thief made tea for Anil and for himself in the morning. Then he would go to the market to buy various things of daily need. He would save about a rupee per day and pocket it daily.

Question. What was Anil’s job? How did he spend the money when he got it?
Answer: Anil was a freelance writer. He wrote for various magazines. His income was not regular. However, he spent with an open heart when he got money more than he needed. But in the absence of money, he would have to borrow it.

Question. What made this thief successful?
Answer: He always changed his name after stealing. He even managed to change the place and tried his best to appear pleasing and innocent so the employers never suspected him of being a thief or stealing.

Question. Why was he about to be dismissed? What made Anil reinstate him?
Answer: He cooked a very terrible meal which infuriated Anil. He gave the food to the stray dog and asked the thief to go away. The thief however, was a good flatterer so, he got his job back by flattering Anil who was a simple and large-hearted man.

Question. Why does Anil not hand Hari Singh over to the police?
Answer: Anil does not hand Hari Singh over to the police because he realises that beyond his identity as a thief, Hari Singh is a good person and has learnt a lesson. Anil understands that Hari Singh has changed now otherwise he wouldn’t have put the stolen money back in its place. Anil has a humble nature so he wants to give Hari Singh a chance and forgives him for stealing money.

Long Answers Type Questions 

Question. Hari Singh says- “He knew it but neither his lips nor his eyes showed anything.” Anil successfully addressed the situation by not addressing it at all. Elaborate based on your reading of The Thief’s Story.
Answer: Anil successfully addressed the situation by not addressing it at all. Despite knowing that the money had been taken, which he could have realised with the dampness of the notes, Anil chose to remain silent on the matter and pretended that all was normal. He was a smart man and had realised that Hari Singh’s honesty had prevailed over his temptation. He was touched by the honesty of the teen and wanted to encourage him by rewarding him. He realised that discussing the theft would have been counterproductive. He also made sure that the teen knew his worth and how his future was in his hands to mould the way he wanted to.

Question. What impression do you form of Hari Singh after reading ‘The Thief’s Story’?
Answer: Hari Singh is a small boy who has had a rough life. The experience of life that he had from close quarters had made him rigid about survival. He had not one to guide or correct him and hence, he chose whichever path he felt was appropriate. He had to resort to robbing to make ends meet. Despite this, when he got an opportunity to change his ways, he did so. He realised that being educated and earning money would bring him respect which robbing and stealing won’t. He was a boy of strong character and was one who knows right and wrong. He was ready to learn from his mistakes and take the right path to success.

Question. Write a character sketch of the thief.
Answer: The narrator of the story is a young thief. He would pass his time by stealing or working at different places. He needed a place to live in. So he made friends with Anil. He worked for Anil. He buys things for Anil from the market. He made about a rupee a day from this. But the company of Anil brought a change in his mind. The thief stole Anil’s money but the narrator wanted to go to Lucknow. But he did not go. He found his heart completely changed. He wanted to be an educated person. He came back to Anil’s room. He put the money back.

Question. How did the narrator find Anil as man and as an employer?
Answer: Anil finally agreed to let the narrator work for him provided he did all the cooking. The narrator had lied as he couldn’t cook but wanted to stay with Anil. When he cooked, Anil had to give the cooked meal to a stray dog because it was so poorly cooked. Anil asked him to get away, but later agreed to let him live in the room. Anil told him that he would teach him how to cook. He also taught him to write his name. He also tought him to add numbers. The narrator found Anil to be a kind-hearted and generous person. That’s why, he accepted that it was very difficult to rob a trusting person.

Question. What made the narrator steal Anil’s six hundred rupees? What did he do after this?
Answer: Anil had got six hundred rupees. The narrator saw him putting that money under his mattress. So, he couldn’t help stealing the amount. He thought that Anil would waste this money on his friends as he had not been paying him also. So, he stole the money.
After stealing the cash, the narrator thought that he would live like a Sheikh. He went to the railway station. The Lucknow Express was just leaving the platform. He could jump into one of its compartments but he missed it intentionally. Then he walked through the bazaar and sat down in a park. It started raining. So, he took shelter under the clock tower and at last, he returned to Anil as he realised that it was really hard for him to cheat Anil.