The Thief’s Story by Ruskin Bond explores the transformation of a young thief, Hari Singh, who attempts to rob a trusting writer named Anil. Set against the backdrop of a wrestling match, the narrative delves into themes of trust, redemption, and the value of education. As Hari learns to cook and read, he grapples with his conscience after stealing from Anil. Ultimately, he returns the stolen money, realizing that genuine human compassion is more valuable than quick riches. This story is ideal for readers interested in moral dilemmas and character development.

Key Points

  • Explores the transformation of a young thief named Hari Singh.
  • Highlights the themes of trust, redemption, and the value of education.
  • Set against the backdrop of a wrestling match, adding cultural context.
  • Illustrates the internal conflict faced by Hari after stealing from Anil.
Astha Desai
Author:Ruskin Bond
6 pages
Language:English
Type:Book Summary
Novels and Short Stories
Astha Desai
Author:Ruskin Bond
6 pages
Language:English
Type:Book Summary
Novels and Short Stories
94
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CH-2 ‘The Thief’s Story’
‘The Thief’s Story’ from the Footprints Without Feet book, Ruskin Bond narrates a story of
transformation through kindness and trust. The story centers on a fifteen-year-old
seasoned thief who calls himself Hari Singh and his encounter with Anil, a struggling writer.
Hari Singh approaches Anil with the intention of robbing him, but Anil’s simple, trusting
nature begins to change him. Anil offers Hari a place to stay, teaches him how to cook, and
promises to teach him how to read, write, and add numbers. The conflict arises when Hari
Singh finally gets the chance to steal a large bundle of notes from Anil. After running away,
he stands at the railway station and experiences a crisis of conscience. He realizes that while
money is easy to steal, the trust and education Anil offers are far more valuable. In a rare
act of redemption, Hari returns the money and chooses the path of honesty, proving that
even a criminal can be reformed by genuine human compassion.
• Fairly Successful Hand: This is the phrase the narrator uses to describe his
expertise and experience as a professional thief at the young age of fifteen.
• Easy-going and Kind: These adjectives describe Anil’s personality, which makes him
a perfect target for a thief but also the only person capable of reforming one.
• Un-sporting: Hari Singh uses this word to describe the feeling of robbing someone
as trusting as Anil, suggesting that it takes the thrill out of his ‘work.’
• Damp Notes: This refers to the currency notes that became wet in the rain, which
Anil discovers the next morning but chooses to ignore to protect Hari’s dignity.
• Conscience: This is the internal moral sense that prevents Hari Singh from boarding
the train and forces him to return to Anil’s house.
DETAILED SUMMARY
The story is about two different people. One is a thief of 15 years of age and the other is a
man of approximately 25 years, watching a wrestling match somewhere. The name of the
person watching the match is Anil. The thief approaches Anil and starts talking to him
because he feels that he had not robbed anyone in the past few days and thought that it
would be easy to rob a simple person like Anil. They both start talking and Anil asks the thief
his name. The thief introduces himself as Hari Singh. This is not his real name as he changes
his name every month to escape his ex-employers or police. Then they started talking about
the wrestlers and Anil was leaving when Hari called him again and asked him if he could
work for Anil. Anil said that he wouldn’t be able to pay him but could feed him if he knew
how to cook. Hari lied that he knew how to cook. Anil took Hari to his room which was above
a sweet shop. Hari cooked a meal which was really bad because Anil did not eat it. Anil
asked Hari to leave but he tried to please Anil. Hari smiled in his most attractive way and
Anil could not stop laughing looking at him. Anil agreed to teach Hari how to cook, write full
sentences and add numbers. Hari was grateful as he knew that there would be no limit to
robbing people once he learnt how to read and write.
The narrator used to like working for Anil as he used to make him tea in the morning and
then go out to buy the groceries for the day. He also used to steal 1 rupee from the money
that was given to him to buy the groceries every day. Anil knew that he used to steal but did
not mind.
Anil used to make money by irregular works. Sometimes he used to borrow money and the
other day, when he had money, he would be lending it to other people. Whenever he used
to get money, he would go out with his friends to celebrate.
One day, Anil came in with a bundle of notes and told Hari that he had sold a book to a
publisher. At night he kept the money safely under the mattress of his bed. Hari realized
that he had been working for Anil for more than a month and had not stolen anything apart
from the 1 rupee that he kept every day from the grocery money. Hari had many chances to
steal as he had the key to the room as well. But he was surprised with the amount of trust
Anil had on him as he had never seen such a trusting person in his life. This trust thing was
preventing him from robbing Anil as Hari thought that robbing a careless person like Anil
didn’t make much difference because he might not even notice that he had been robbed
and that took out all the fun from the work. Then he thought of stealing Anil’s money and
justified himself that if he didn’t steal money from Anil then also he would waste it on his
friends and also, Anil didn’t pay him for the work that he did.
Hari then woke up at night and quietly crawled to Anil’s bed. He steals the money and
decides to leave the city by Lucknow Express that departed at 10:30. When he reached the
station, the train had slowly started moving from the platform. He could have easily caught
the train, but he hesitated and he himself did not know the reason for it. Before he had
reached the station he counted the money and it was 600 rupees in 50 rupee notes. He
could live a lavish life for 2 – 3 weeks with so much money. After the train had left, Hari was
all alone at the train station. He was left with no place to sleep at night. The only person he
knew was Anil and he had looted him as well. He sat on a bench in a park and as it started
to rain, he sat down under the clock tower. Then he realized that the notes had got wet. He
realized that learning how to read and write would help him to get a much more
respectable and honest job which would pay him much more than these few hundred
rupees. Then he decided to go back to Anil’s house.
He reached the room and placed the money back. Next morning, he woke up a bit late and
Anil had already made his tea. Aniul gave a 50 rupee note to Hari as he had got paid for
some work and he would be paid regularly. Hari took the note in his hand and realized that
the note was still wet from the rain last night. Hari realized that Anil had come to know
about his misdeed but there was no sadness, anger or guilt in his mind. The narrator smiled
in a beautiful way and it was genuine happiness as he knew that he had saved himself from
the wrong road.
Word meanings
Lean– thin
Flattery– excessive and insincere praise
Modestly– in an unassuming manner; without vanity or arrogance.
Employers– a person or organization that employs people.
Grunting- make a low, short guttural sound.
Appealing- attractive or interesting.
Lean– thin
Misjudged– form a wrong opinion or conclusion about.
Balcony– a platform enclosed by a wall or balustrade on the outside of a building, with
access from an upper-floor window or door.
Terrible- extremely bad or serious.
Patted- touch quickly and gently with the flat of the hand.
Pleasant– giving a sense of happy satisfaction or enjoyment.
Supplies– a stock or amount of something supplied or available for use.
Fits and Starts- not working on something consistently
Borrow– take and use (something belonging to someone else) with the intention of
returning it.
Lend– grant to (someone) the use of (something) on the understanding that it will be
returned.
Queer– strange; odd.
Bundle- a collection of things or quantity of material tied or wrapped up together.
Tuck– push, fold, or turn (the edges or ends of something, especially a garment or
bedclothes) so as to hide or secure them.
Line of work– the principal activity in your life that you do to earn money
Beam– a ray or shaft of light.
Crept– move slowly and carefully in order to avoid being heard or noticed.
Drew- pull or drag
Sighed- emit a long, deep audible breath expressing sadness, relief, tiredness.
Startled- feeling or showing sudden shock or alarm.
Dashed- Quickly ran towards something
Carriages– any of the separate sections of a train that carry passengers.
Hesitated- pause in indecision before saying or doing something.
Deserted- (of a place) empty of people.
Curious– eager to know or learn something.
Robbed- take property unlawfully from (a person or place) by force or threat of force.
Bazaar– market
Maidan- a park
Drizzle- light rain falling in very fine drops.
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FAQs

what is The Thief's Story about

The Thief's Story is a narrative by Ruskin Bond that explores themes of trust and redemption.

  • It centers on a young thief named Hari Singh who attempts to rob a kind-hearted writer named Anil.
  • As the story unfolds, Hari's perception of trust changes due to Anil's generosity.
  • Ultimately, Hari experiences a moral dilemma that leads him to return the stolen money, highlighting the transformative power of kindness.

The Thief's Story summary

The Thief's Story follows the journey of a 15-year-old thief named Hari Singh and his encounter with Anil, a struggling writer.

  • Hari initially plans to rob Anil but ends up working for him instead.
  • Throughout their interactions, Anil teaches Hari valuable life skills, including cooking and reading.
  • When Hari finally steals a large sum of money, he grapples with guilt and ultimately returns it, choosing honesty over theft.

The Thief's Story characters

The Thief's Story features two main characters: Hari Singh and Anil.

  • Hari Singh: A seasoned thief at just 15, he is clever but morally conflicted.
  • Anil: A kind and trusting writer who becomes a mentor to Hari, teaching him important life skills.

what are the themes in The Thief's Story

The Thief's Story explores several important themes, including trust, redemption, and the impact of kindness.

  • Trust: Anil's unwavering trust in Hari serves as a catalyst for change.
  • Redemption: Hari's journey illustrates that even those with a troubled past can choose a better path.
  • Education: The story emphasizes the importance of learning and personal growth.

The Thief's Story ending explained

The ending of The Thief's Story reveals Hari Singh's internal conflict and ultimate decision to return the stolen money.

  • After stealing from Anil, Hari is overwhelmed by guilt and the realization that trust and education are more valuable than money.
  • He chooses to return to Anil, symbolizing his desire for redemption and a new beginning.
  • This act of returning the money signifies a pivotal moment in Hari's transformation.