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प्रश्न
Why didn’t Anil hand over Hari to the police? What effect would it have had on Hari?
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उत्तर
Anil did not hand Hari Singh over to the police because he believed in giving him a second chance. Anil understood that Hari had realised his mistake and felt genuinely remorseful after stealing the money. Instead of punishing Hari Singh and involving the police, Anil chose to forgive him, hoping that this act of kindness and trust would reform Hari and encourage him to lead an honest life. Anil’s decision reflects his compassion and belief in people’s potential to change when shown understanding and empathy.
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संबंधित प्रश्न
Who does ‘I’ refer to in this story?
Does Anil realize that he has been robbed?
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?
Complete the web diagram.

Anil kept Hari as a cook because ______.
Why did Anil employ Hari as a cook, although he could not afford to pay him?
‘And the smile came by itself without any effort.’ Say why. When do people give fake smiles?
Read the following passage and do the activities.
A1. Relate the following qualities with the two characters of the story:
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| Narrator | Anil | |
| (1) | ||
| (2) |
| He took to his room over the Jumna Sweet shop and told me I could sleep on the balcony. But the meal I cooked that night must have been terrible because Anil gave it to a stray dog and told me to be off. But I just hung around, smiling in my most appealing way, and he couldn't help laughing. 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 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. It was quite pleasant working for Anil. I made the tea in the morning and then would take my time buying the day's supplies, usually making a profit of about a rupee a day. I think he knew I made a little money this way but he did not seem to mind. Anil made money by fits and starts. He would borrow one week, and lend the next. He kept worrying about his next cheque, but as soon as it arrived he would go out and celebrate. It seems he wrote for magazines a queer way to make a living! One evening he came home with a small bundle of notes, saying he had just sold a book to a publisher. At night, I saw him tuck the money under the mattress. |
A2. State whether true or false:
- Anil liked what the narrator cooked.
- Anil taught the narrator to write his name.
- Anil was a wealthy person.
- Anil made money by fits and starts.
A3. Match the words to their meanings.
| (1) Pleasant | Strange |
| (2) Fits and starts | Satisfactory |
| (3) Queer | Give |
| (4) Lend | Irregular bursts of activities |
A4. Do as directed:
Frame 'Wh' questions with reference to the phrases underlined below. (Change the first person pronouns to second person)
- He taught me to write my name.
- I think he knew I made a little money this way but he did not seem to mind.
A5. Give a brief description of Anil and the narrator's characters.
Fiction writers prefer creating grey characters rather than black and white. Analyse this in detail, with reference to both the characters of The Thief’s Story.
Why did Hari Singh smile in his most appealing way towards the end of the story?




