LMOIS Aca year 2020-21

Class 10
English Study Material
Footprints Without Feet
Chapter 2
The Thief’s Story
Chapter Sketch
The Thief’s Story is about a 15 year old boy, Hari Singh, whose life changes when
he meets Anil, a 25 year old writer, Anil’s unspoken words and kind gestures
leaves a very positive impact on Hari Singh’s life.

Summary
A Hari Singh is the narrator of this story. He is an artful thief. One day, he met a
young man of twenty- five named Anil at a wrestling match. He gave him an
artificial smile. He desired to have an acquaintance with him in order to make him
his next victim. Anil avoided him. Hari Singh followed Anil after the match was
over. He asked Anil for work. He was ready to work for Anil if he could feed him.
Anil agreed to engage Hari Singh if he could cook food for both. The thief lied that
he was a good cook as Anil had to throw the bad meal, prepared by Hari Singh to
dogs, on the first day.
Anil took upon himself to teach him how to cook and read and how to write. The
thief made the morning tea and bought the daily supplies. Anil was aware of the
fact that Hari Singh made a profit from the purchases.
Anil was not a rich man. He borrowed money sometimes but repaid the loan
whenever he earned money through his writings for magazines. The thief thought it
a strange way of making money.
One day, Anil sold a book to a publisher and brought home a bundle of notes. He
put the money under his mattress. The thief had not stolen anything since a month
of his working there. He had no desire to rob a careless person who trusted him
blindly. However, he could not resist the temptation of getting the bundles of notes.
The thief got up quietly when Anil had gone to sleep. He took the money and
slipped out of the room. He had six hundred rupees in his possession. He reached
the railway station just as the Lucknow Express was picking up speed. He could
have boarded it but something held him back. The train was soon out of his sight.
Hari Singh was left alone on the platform. He was in a dilemma where to go. He
had no acquaintance there. He did not like to go to a hotel lest he should be
suspected.
The thief thought that Anil would be sad not for the loss of money but for the loss
of trust he had reposed in him. It was a cold night. It was drizzling when he went to
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the maidan and sat down on a bench. His clothes got drenched. He went back to the
bazaar. There he took shelter under the clock tower. It was midnight. He thought
and realized that he had let go a chance of being a respectable man. Anil was
taking pains to teach him reading and writing. He decided to go back to Anil and
reached his home. Anil was still asleep. He slipped the money at its usual place. He
slept till late hours.
Anil had made tea before Hari Singh woke up. Anil offered him a fifty rupee note.
He also promised him to pay him regularly. The note was still wet. Anil understood
everything but he did not expose the thief’s doing. Instead, Anil said that they
would start writing sentences that day. Hari Singh felt guilty and smiled feeling
embarrassed.

About the Characters

Hari Singh He is a 15 year old, fair handed thief. He is keen on learning how to
read and write. He is so experienced robber that he knows how different people
will react when they are robbed. Anil He is a 25 years old, tall and lean man. He
earns his living by writing. He is a kind, simple and an easy-going person.

Chapter Highlights
1. A small-time 15 year old thief, who calls himself Hari Singh, befriends a
struggling writer. Anil. Hari’s purpose is to steal Anil’s money.
2. Anil is a good fellow who wants to teach Hari Singh how to read and write.
3. Gradually, Anil develops trust in Hari Singh. But Hari Singh has been
waiting for the right moment to make a killing by doing what he is best at, i.e.
stealing.
4. After stealing the money which Anil had earned by selling a book to a
publisher, Hari Singh tries to run away forever.
5. But some inner voice stops him from doing so. He returns to Anil because he
realises that he wants to live a life of respect.
6. Anil does not show that he knows about the theft and accepts Hari Singh with
open arms.
7. Thus, a well intentioned person tries to reform a teenager who has strayed
from the correct path

Short Answer Type Questions

1.Why did Hari Singh approach Anil?
Hari Singh was a thief who had not much luck in his work recently. So he
approached Anil with the intention of robbing him, as he seemed to be an
easygoing and simple man. According to Hari, winning Anil’s confidence was an
easy task.
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2.Anil walked away. I followed casually’. Why do you think the narrator followed
Anil?
The narrator’s purpose of robbing Anil had not yet been served. He followed Anil
to gain his trust and look for an opportunity that may help him give shape to his
plans.

3.Was Hari Singh successful in robbing Anil? Was Anil the only one who was
robbed or did Hari also rob himself of something?
Yes, Hari Singh was successful in robbing Anil. But Anil was not the only one who
was robbed at that time. Hari had robbed himself as well. He had lost the chance of
receiving education and being literate. He had robbed Anil monetarily but he had
robbed himself of the chance for a better and brighter future, which was much
more valuable.

4. What did Anil and Hari agree upon to be the mode of payment?
When Anil stated his inability to pay Hari, Anil questioned Hari if he could feed
Hari. Hari realised that he had misjudged his target and moulded the situation for
his benefit. Anil then agreed to feed him if he knew how to cook.

5.What made Hari Singh go back to Anil’s house?

Hari Singh realised the importance of education he was receiving from Anil. He
knew that learning how to read and write and being a literate person would open
doors to many opportunities. He was sure that he would then be able to earn more
than a few hundred rupees he had in hand at that time. This made him go back to
Anil.

6.Did Hari like working for Anil? Give reasons in support of your answer.
Yes, Hari liked working for Anil. He was happy to carry on the chores for him
and was grateful for the education he was receiving. He used to make profit of
about a rupee a day as well, which was a decent amount besides being fed.

7.Why was it difficult for Hari to rob Anil?

It was difficult for Hari to rob Anil because Anil was the most trusting person Hari
had ever met. He was really simple and kind. Hari knew that loss of money will not
affect Anil but the loss of trust will make him sad.

8.State the events that took place on the night of the theft.
The night of robbery vitas quite eventful for Hari Singh. After stealing Anil’s
money and leaving Anil’s house, Hari went to the railway station but didn’t board
the train to Lucknow. He walked slowly through the bazaar as he did i ot know
anyone who would provide him shelter except Anil, for he didn’t have any friends.
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He was forced to take shelter under the clock tower later when it started raining
heavily. That is where he realised the importance of education and decided to go
back to Anil.

9.How was the morning after the night of the theft?

The morning after the night of the theft was just like a normal one. Hari woke up
late and Anil had made tea by then. Anil gave a fifty rupee note to Hari and told
him that he will now be paid regularly. Hari was aware that Anil knew about the
theft but he didn’t show anything.

10.How do you think Anil may have come to know about the theft?
Anil may have come to know about the theft because of the dampness of the notes
because of rain. He was a kind but wise .man. It wouldn’t haye been difficult for
Anil to make out the series of events that would have taken place in the night.

11.Had Anil really forgiven Hari Singh? Support your answer with evidence.
Yes, Anil had forgiven Hari Singh. It is evident because Anil handed over to Hari a
fifty rupee note as soon as Hari woke up. Though he knew that Hari had robbed the
money at first but his subsequent actions gave him hope of change in Hari’s
character.

12.What conditions did Anil put forward before appointing Hari Singh as a
servant?
Before appointing Hari Singh as a servant, Anil told him that he would not give
Hari regular salary. He had to cook food for both and Anil could only feed him.

13. How did Hari Singh make money though he was not paid by Anil?
Hari Singh did all the market chores for Anil. He saved money from the things he
purchased as Anil never asked him to give the accounts.

Value Based Questions

1. Money can’t make a man as much as education can. Elucidate the statement.
The statement stands true in almost all the aspects of life. Money may buy us all
the luxuries and fulfil our needs but it cannot buy us knowledge, civilised thinking,
skills and abilities to achieve our dreams. Education lays the platform for all to act
upon our goals according to our abilities. Education enables us to keep up with the
fast moving world. It opens the door to opportunities we do not know even exist.
Money, on the other hand, can assist us to a certain level. It can buy us a plan but
education gives us the knowledge of its execution. Just as in the story ‘A Thief s
Story’, Hari Singh prioritised the chance of being literate over a few hundred
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rupees, we must understand that education can help us to achieve whatever we

desire.

2. Hari Singh didn’t board the express and returned to Amil. Why did he return?
On what values does this incidence put light on?
Hari Singh was a thief and he had stolen Anil’s money. After the theft, he realised
that he had robbed not only Anil but also himself of the chance of being literate
and having a bright future. His conscience pricked him to think what all he could
have got had he not done this. It was difficult for him to rob Anil but it was tougher
for him not to back. He realised that he could not make tea, buy daily supplies and
learn how to read and write then. His inner self did not agree to bypass this and
forced him to return.
Hari’s return to Anil shows that despite indulging in criminal acts, he still had a
practical and positive attitude towards life. It is the awakening of Hari’s conscience
and Anil’s love and care that reformed Hari’s character. It teaches us that love
alone can change a person. Anil’s understanding nature and care changed Hari’s
thinking to mend his ways for good.

3. “I was still a thief when I met Anil” says Hari Singh. “Today will start writing
sentences,” said Anil. Narrate Hari Singh’s journey of experience the two extreme
statements.
Anil could not afford a servant, but he took in Hari Singh out of compassion. Hari
did not know how to cook but Anil did not let him feel dejected. He also taught
him to read and write and did not seem to mind Hari’s holding back a rupee or two
when he went out to buy supplies. He trusted Hari and did not hide the money. Hari
stole the money but felt pangs of guilt. He could have boarded a train, but did not.
He decided to be with Anil and become a clever and respected man.

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