Here is a comprehensive study guide for the SEBA Class 10 English Supplementary Reader chapter, “The Thief’s Story,” by Ruskin Bond. This guide includes a summary, complete textual question answers, previous years’ HSLC questions, and a list of most important questions in both English and Assamese,
Chapter: “The Thief’s Story”
by Ruskin Bond
Summary Note (পাঠটোৰ সাৰাংশ)
In English: “The Thief’s Story” is a sensitive story about a 15-year-old thief, Hari Singh, who befriends a struggling writer named Anil with the intention of robbing him. Anil is a kind, trusting, and easy-going man of about 25. Hari Singh, using a false name, asks Anil for work. Although Anil cannot afford to pay him, he agrees to feed Hari if he can cook.
Hari’s cooking is terrible, but Anil patiently teaches him to cook and also promises to teach him how to read, write, and add numbers. This prospect of education gives Hari a new hope for a respectable life. Hari starts working for Anil, doing daily chores and buying supplies, often making a small profit for himself, which Anil seems to know but ignores. One day, Anil comes home with a bundle of notes from selling a book to a publisher and tucks the money under his mattress.
Seeing the opportunity, Hari decides to steal the money and run away. He successfully steals the 600 rupees and rushes to the railway station to catch the Lucknow Express. However, at the last moment, he hesitates and misses the train. He realizes that robbing a trusting man like Anil has left him with sadness, not pleasure. He understands that with this stolen money, he would lose the chance to get an education, which could make him a truly big and respected man. His conscience pricks him, and he decides to return. He quietly slips the damp notes (from the rain) back under the mattress. The next morning, Anil gives him a 50-rupee note, saying he had earned it and would now be paid regularly. The note is still wet, and Hari understands that Anil knows everything but has forgiven him. This act of kindness and trust deeply touches Hari and marks a true change in his heart.
In Assamese: “The Thief’s Story” হৈছে হৰি সিং নামৰ এজন ১৫ বছৰীয়া চোৰৰ এক সংবেদনশীল কাহিনী, যিয়ে অনিল নামৰ এজন সংগ্ৰামী লেখকৰ লগত তেওঁক লুট কৰাৰ উদ্দেশ্যে বন্ধুত্ব কৰে। অনিল প্ৰায় ২৫ বছৰ বয়সৰ এজন দয়ালু, বিশ্বাসী আৰু সহজ-সৰল ব্যক্তি আছিল। হৰি সিঙে এটা মিছা নাম ব্যৱহাৰ কৰি অনিলৰ ওচৰত কাম বিচাৰে। যদিও অনিলৰ তাক দৰমহা দিবলৈ সামৰ্থ্য নাছিল, তেওঁ হৰিক ৰান্ধিব জানিলে খোৱাৰ যোগান ধৰিব বুলি কথা দিয়ে।
হৰিৰ ৰন্ধন অতি বেয়া আছিল, কিন্তু অনিল ধৈৰ্য্যৰে তাক ৰান্ধিবলৈ শিকায় আৰু লগতে পঢ়িবলৈ, লিখিবলৈ আৰু সংখ্যা যোগ কৰিবলৈ শিকোৱাৰ প্ৰতিশ্ৰুতি দিয়ে। শিক্ষা লাভৰ এই সম্ভাৱনাই হৰিক এক সন্মানীয় জীৱনৰ নতুন আশা দিয়ে। হৰিয়ে অনিলৰ বাবে কাম কৰিবলৈ লয়, দৈনিক কাম-কাজ কৰে আৰু বজাৰ কৰে, আৰু প্ৰায়ে নিজৰ বাবে অলপ লাভ ৰাখে, যিটো অনিল জানিও আওকাণ কৰা যেন লাগে। এদিন, অনিল এজন প্ৰকাশকক এখন কিতাপ বিক্ৰী কৰি এমুঠি টকা লৈ ঘৰলৈ আহে আৰু টকাখিনি তুলিৰ তলত থৈ দিয়ে।
সুযোগ দেখি, হৰিয়ে টকাখিনি চুৰি কৰি পলাই যোৱাৰ সিদ্ধান্ত লয়। সি সফলতাৰে ৬০০ টকা চুৰি কৰে আৰু লক্ষ্ণৌ এক্সপ্ৰেছ ধৰিবলৈ ৰেল ষ্টেচনলৈ দৌৰ মাৰে। কিন্তু, শেষ মুহূৰ্তত, সি দ্বিধাবোধ কৰে আৰু ৰেলখনত নুঠে। সি অনুভৱ কৰে যে অনিলৰ দৰে এজন বিশ্বাসী মানুহক ঠগোৱাৰ পিছত তাৰ মনত দুখহে হৈছে, আনন্দ নহয়। সি বুজি পায় যে এই চুৰি কৰা টকাৰে সি শিক্ষা লাভৰ সুযোগ হেৰুৱাব, যি শিক্ষাই তাক এজন ডাঙৰ আৰু সন্মানীয় ব্যক্তি বনাব পাৰিলেহেঁতেন। তাৰ বিবেকে তাক দংশন কৰে, আৰু সি ঘূৰি যোৱাৰ সিদ্ধান্ত লয়। সি মনে মনে বৰষুণত তিতা নোটখিনি পুনৰ তুলিৰ তলত থৈ দিয়ে। পিছদিনা ৰাতিপুৱা, অনিল তাক এটা ৫০ টকীয়া নোট দি কয় যে সি এই টকা উপাৰ্জন কৰিছে আৰু এতিয়াৰ পৰা তাক নিয়মীয়াকৈ দৰমহা দিয়া হ’ব। নোটখন তেতিয়াও তিতা আছিল, আৰু হৰিয়ে বুজি পায় যে অনিল সকলো কথা জানে কিন্তু তাক ক্ষমা কৰি দিছে। এই দয়া আৰু বিশ্বাসৰ কাৰ্যই হৰিৰ হৃদয় গভীৰভাৱে স্পৰ্শ কৰে আৰু তাৰ মনত এক প্ৰকৃত পৰিৱৰ্তন আনে।
Textual Question Answers (পাঠ্যপুথিৰ প্ৰশ্নোত্তৰ)
Read and Find Out (পঢ়া আৰু বিচাৰি উলিওৱা)
1. Who does ‘I’ refer to in this story?
(এই কাহিনীটোত ‘I’ (মই) বুলি কাক বুজোৱা হৈছে?)
Answer: In this story, ‘I’ refers to Hari Singh, the 15-year-old thief who is the narrator of the story.
2. What is he “a fairly successful hand” at?
(তেওঁ কি কামত “এজন মোটামুটি সফল ব্যক্তি” আছিল?)
Answer: He was “a fairly successful hand” at stealing.
3. What does he get from Anil in return for his work?
(তেওঁ অনিলৰ পৰা তেওঁৰ কামৰ বিনিময়ত কি পাইছিল?)
Answer: In return for his work, he gets food and shelter from Anil. Anil also teaches him how to cook, read, write his name, and add numbers.
4. How does the thief think Anil will react to the theft?
(চোৰটোৱে ভাবে যে চুৰি কাৰ্যৰ প্ৰতি অনিলৰ প্ৰতিক্ৰিয়া কেনেকুৱা হ’ব?)
Answer: The thief thinks that Anil’s face would show only a touch of sadness when he discovered the theft—not for the loss of money, but for the loss of trust.
5. What does he say about the different reactions of people when they are robbed?
(মানুহক লুটাৰ পিছত তেওঁলোকৰ বিভিন্ন প্ৰতিক্ৰিয়াৰ বিষয়ে তেওঁ কি কয়?)
Answer: He says that from his experience, a greedy man shows fear, a rich man shows anger, and a poor man shows acceptance when they are robbed.
6. Does Anil realise that he has been robbed?
(অনিল বুজি পাইছিলনে যে তেওঁক লুটা হৈছে?)
Answer: Yes, Anil realises that he has been robbed. He knows this because the 50-rupee note he gives to Hari the next morning is still damp from the previous night’s rain.
Think about it (ভাবি চোৱা)
1. What are Hari Singh’s reactions to the prospect of receiving an education? Do they change over time? What makes him return to Anil?
(শিক্ষা লাভৰ সম্ভাৱনাৰ প্ৰতি হৰি সিঙৰ প্ৰতিক্ৰিয়া কি? সময়ৰ লগে লগে সেইবোৰ সলনি হয়নে? কিহে তাক অনিলৰ ওচৰলৈ ঘূৰি আহিবলৈ বাধ্য কৰে?)
Answer: Initially, Hari Singh is grateful for the prospect of education because he knows that being an educated man would open up limitless opportunities for him. Over time, this desire for education becomes stronger than his desire for stolen money. He realizes that while stealing could only give him a few hundred rupees, education could make him a “really big man, a clever and respected man.” This realization and his inner conscience make him return to Anil.
2. Why does not Anil hand the thief over to the police? Do you think most people would have done so? In what ways is Anil different from such employers?
(অনিল চোৰটোক পুলিচৰ হাতত কিয় গতাই নিদিয়ে? তুমি ভাবানে যে বেছিভাগ মানুহে তেনেকুৱা কৰিলেহেঁতেন? অনিল তেনেকুৱা নিয়োগকৰ্তাসকলৰ পৰা কেনেকৈ বেলেগ?)
Answer: Anil does not hand the thief over to the police because he is a kind, understanding, and forgiving person. He wants to give Hari Singh a chance to reform and become a better person.
No, I do not think most people would have done so; they would have likely called the police. Anil is different because instead of punishing Hari, he chooses to forgive him and continues to invest in his education. His aim is reformation, not retribution.
Talk about it (কথা পতা)
(These are open-ended questions for discussion, but here are model answers.)
1. Do you think people like Anil and Hari Singh are found only in fiction, or are there such people in real life?
(তুমি ভাবানে যে অনিল আৰু হৰি সিঙৰ দৰে মানুহ কেৱল কল্পকাহিনীতহে পোৱা যায়, নে বাস্তৱ জীৱনতো এনেকুৱা মানুহ আছে?)
Answer: People like Anil and Hari Singh can be found in real life, although they might be rare. There are kind and forgiving people like Anil who believe in giving others a second chance. Similarly, there are people like Hari Singh who, despite being on the wrong path, have an inner goodness and a desire to change, and can be reformed through trust and kindness.
2. Do you think it a significant detail in the story that Anil is a struggling writer? Does this explain his behaviour in any way?
(কাহিনীটোত অনিল এজন সংগ্ৰামী লেখক বুলি উল্লেখ থকাটো এটা গুৰুত্বপূৰ্ণ কথা বুলি তুমি ভাবানে? ই তেওঁৰ আচৰণক কোনো ধৰণে ব্যাখ্যা কৰেনে?)
Answer: Yes, it is a significant detail. The fact that Anil is a struggling writer explains why he is so understanding and compassionate. He doesn’t have a lot of money and lives a simple life, which makes him less attached to material possessions. His profession as a writer likely makes him more observant and empathetic towards human nature, which is why he understands Hari’s situation and chooses to help him instead of punishing him.
3. Have you met anyone like Hari Singh? Can you think and imagine the circumstances that can turn a fifteen-year-old boy into a thief?
(তুমি হৰি সিঙৰ দৰে কাৰোবাক লগ পাইছানে? কি পৰিস্থিতিয়ে এজন পোন্ধৰ বছৰীয়া ল’ৰাক চোৰলৈ পৰিণত কৰিব পাৰে বুলি তুমি ভাবিব পাৰানে?)
Answer: Circumstances like extreme poverty, lack of parental guidance, bad company, and the absence of educational opportunities can turn a fifteen-year-old boy into a thief. When a young boy has no one to care for him and no means to earn a living, he might be forced to resort to stealing for survival.
4. Where is the story set? Which language or languages are spoken in these places?
(কাহিনীটো ক’ত ৰচনা কৰা হৈছে? এই ঠাইবোৰত কি ভাষা বা ভাষাবোৰ কোৱা হয়?)
Answer: The story is set in a town in North India. We can guess this from the mention of the “Jumna Sweet Shop” and the “Lucknow Express.” The languages spoken in these places would likely be Hindi and Urdu, along with regional dialects. However, the characters in the story speak to each other in English as the story is written in English.
Previous Year HSLC Question Answers
1. Who was the narrator in the story “The Thief’s Story”? (HSLC 2023)
(কাহিনীটোৰ কথক কোন আছিল?)
Answer: The narrator in “The Thief’s Story” was Hari Singh, a fifteen-year-old thief.
2. What was Anil doing when Hari Singh met him? (HSLC 2023)
(হৰি সিঙে অনিলক লগ পাওঁতে অনিল কি কৰি আছিল?)
Answer: When Hari Singh met him, Anil was watching a wrestling match.
3. Why did Hari Singh hesitate to catch the train? (HSLC 2022)
(হৰি সিঙে ৰেলখন ধৰিবলৈ কিয় দ্বিধাবোধ কৰিছিল?)
Answer: Hari Singh hesitated to catch the train because his conscience was pricking him. He thought about Anil’s trust and kindness, and realized that by running away, he would lose the only person he truly knew and the opportunity to get an education.
4. What did Hari Singh do after missing the train? (HSLC 2022)
(ৰেলখনত নুঠাৰ পিছত হৰি সিঙে কি কৰিছিল?)
Answer: After missing the train, Hari Singh stood alone on the deserted platform. He then walked slowly through the bazaar and sat down on a bench in the maidan, feeling sad and regretful.
5. What did Anil do for a living? (HSLC 2019)
(অনিল জীৱিকাৰ বাবে কি কৰিছিল?)
Answer: Anil was a writer. He wrote for magazines and made money by “fits and starts.”
6. Why did Hari Singh want to become an educated man? (HSLC 2018)
(হৰি সিং কিয় এজন শিক্ষিত ব্যক্তি হ’ব বিচাৰিছিল?)
Answer: Hari Singh wanted to become an educated man because he knew that education would give him respect and open up limitless opportunities. He realized that being a clever and respected man was much better than being a simple thief.
7. Why was it difficult for Hari Singh to rob Anil? (HSLC 2017)
(হৰি সিঙৰ বাবে অনিলক লুট কৰা কিয় কঠিন আছিল?)
Answer: It was difficult for Hari Singh to rob Anil because Anil was a very trusting and careless person. Hari felt that robbing a man who was not even aware that he was being robbed took all the pleasure out of the work. Moreover, Anil’s trust had created a sense of guilt in him.
Most Important 10 Questions and Answers
1. Why did Hari Singh approach Anil?
(হৰি সিঙে অনিলৰ ওচৰলৈ কিয় গৈছিল?)
Answer: Hari Singh approached Anil with the intention of robbing him. He found Anil to be an easy-going, kind, and simple man, who would be an easy target.
2. How did Anil’s trust and kindness change Hari Singh?
(অনিলৰ বিশ্বাস আৰু দয়াই হৰি সিঙক কেনেকৈ সলনি কৰিলে?)
Answer: Anil’s trust and kindness had a profound effect on Hari. Anil’s decision to teach him to read and write made Hari dream of a respectable life. Even after robbing him, Hari could not bring himself to betray Anil’s trust and returned, proving that kindness is a powerful force for reformation.
3. What did Hari Singh realize after he had stolen the money?
(টকা চুৰি কৰাৰ পিছত হৰি সিঙে কি অনুভৱ কৰিলে?)
Answer: After stealing the money, Hari Singh realized that he had lost the chance to get an education. He understood that education could make him a respected man, which was far more valuable than the few hundred rupees he had stolen.
4. Why did Hari Singh smile “without any effort” in the end?
(শেষত হৰি সিং কিয় “কোনো চেষ্টা নকৰাকৈ” হাঁহিছিল?)
Answer: Hari Singh smiled without any effort because his heart was filled with genuine relief and happiness. Anil had forgiven him and offered to continue paying him regularly. It was a smile of gratitude and a sign of his true transformation.
5. Why did Hari Singh lie about his name and his ability to cook?
(হৰি সিঙে নিজৰ নাম আৰু ৰন্ধন-প্ৰণালীৰ বিষয়ে কিয় মিছা কৈছিল?)
Answer: He lied about his name to keep himself ahead of the police and his former employers. He lied about his ability to cook so that he could get food and shelter from Anil and find an opportunity to rob him.
6. What does the title “The Thief’s Story” signify?
(“The Thief’s Story” শিৰোনামটোৱে কি বুজায়?)
Answer: The title is significant because the story is narrated from the perspective of the thief, Hari Singh. It is his personal account of how he met Anil, planned to rob him, and how Anil’s trust and kindness ultimately led to his transformation.
7. “He knew. But neither his lips nor his eyes showed anything.” What did Anil know?
(“তেওঁ জানিছিল। কিন্তু তেওঁৰ ওঁঠ বা চকুৱে একোকে প্ৰকাশ কৰা নাছিল।” অনিল কি জানিছিল?)
Answer: Anil knew that Hari Singh had stolen the money and then returned it. He knew this because the note he gave Hari was still damp from the previous night’s rain.
8. What is the central theme of “The Thief’s Story”?
(“The Thief’s Story” ৰ কেন্দ্ৰীয় বিষয়বস্তু কি?)
Answer: The central theme of the story is that human values like trust, kindness, and forgiveness can transform even a hardened criminal. It shows that education and empathy are more effective tools for reformation than punishment.
9. Why did Hari Singh feel that friends were “more trouble than help”?
(হৰি সিঙে কিয় ভাবিছিল যে বন্ধুবোৰ “সহায়তকৈ বেছি সমস্যা”?)
Answer: As a thief, Hari Singh felt that friends were more trouble than help because if he were caught, friends might become witnesses against him or get him into trouble. He preferred to be alone to avoid complications.
10. How did Anil make a living? Why is it described as a “queer way”?
(অনিল কেনেকৈ জীৱিকা নিৰ্বাহ কৰিছিল? ইয়াক “অদ্ভুত উপায়” বুলি কিয় কোৱা হৈছে?)
Answer: Anil made a living by writing for magazines. It is described as a “queer way” because his income was not regular; he would borrow money one week and lend it the next, and would celebrate as soon as a cheque arrived.