NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English (Footprints Without Feet) Chapter 2: The Thief’s Story (NCERT 2026–27)

Complete solutions for Class 10 English Footprints Without Feet Chapter 2 – “The Thief’s Story” by Ruskin Bond: an original summary, theme, word meanings and every textbook exercise (Read and Find Out, Think about it, Talk about it) answered in full. Questions are reproduced exactly as in the NCERT book; all answers are written originally in CBSE exam-ready style.

Class: 10 Subject: English Book: Footprints Without Feet Type: Story (Chapter 2) Author: Ruskin Bond Session: 2026–27
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About the author

Ruskin Bond (born 1934 in Kasauli) is one of India’s most loved English-language writers. Known for his simple, warm prose and his deep affection for the hills of northern India, he has written hundreds of short stories, novels and essays for both children and adults. His best-known works include The Room on the Roof (which won the John Llewellyn Rhys Prize when he was only seventeen), The Blue Umbrella and many gentle tales set in small Indian towns. He was awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award (1992) and the Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan. “The Thief’s Story” reflects his typical strengths – a believable young narrator, light humour and a quiet faith in human goodness.

Summary

The story is narrated by a fifteen-year-old boy who, despite his youth, is an experienced and fairly successful thief. He spots Anil, an easy-going, kind young man of about twenty-five, at a wrestling match and decides he would be an easy target. Using a little flattery, the boy – who calls himself Hari Singh (a false name he changes every month to stay ahead of the police) – befriends Anil and offers to work for him. Anil cannot pay him but agrees to feed him in return for cooking, even though Hari’s first meal is so bad that it is fed to a stray dog.

Anil takes the boy into his room above the Jumna Sweet Shop. He teaches him to cook, to write his name and promises to teach him whole sentences and numbers. Hari makes a small daily profit by cheating on the shopping money, which Anil seems to notice but does not mind. Anil earns irregularly by writing for magazines. One evening he comes home with a bundle of notes after selling a book, and tucks the money under his mattress.

Tempted, Hari steals six hundred rupees one night and runs to the station to catch the Lucknow Express. But at the last moment he hesitates and lets the train go. Standing alone in the rain, he realises that Anil’s face would show not anger but a touch of sadness – sorrow for the loss of trust, not money. Remembering that learning to read and write could make him a respected man, he returns and quietly slips the damp notes back under the mattress. Next morning Anil hands him a fifty-rupee note, still wet from the rain, promising regular pay. Anil clearly knows, yet says nothing, and the boy smiles a genuine smile for the first time.

Theme & message

The central theme is that trust, kindness and the chance to learn can transform a person more powerfully than punishment can. Anil’s quiet faith and his offer of education touch the young thief’s conscience, awakening a desire to become “a clever and respected man” rather than a petty criminal. The story also explores honesty, redemption and the idea that human relationships and self-respect are worth more than easy money.

Word meanings

WordMeaning
fairly successful handquite skilled (here, at thieving)
easy-goingrelaxed; not strict or anxious
flatteryinsincere praise to please someone
modestlywithout boasting; in a humble way
gruntingmaking low, rough sounds
appealingattractive; pleasant
stray doga homeless dog
by fits and startsirregularly; in an unsteady way
queerstrange; odd
tuckto push or hide something snugly
trustingready to believe and rely on others
careless(here) not watchful about possessions
beam of moonlighta ray of light from the moon
creptmoved slowly and quietly
startledsuddenly surprised or frightened
desertedempty; with no people
drizzlelight, fine rain
maidanan open ground or field
undetectedwithout being noticed
unlined(here) showing no sign of worry
spirits rosebegan to feel cheerful again

Read and Find Out

(Page 1)

1. Who does ‘I’ refer to in this story?

ANSWER‘I’ refers to the young narrator of the story – a fifteen-year-old thief who calls himself Hari Singh. He tells the whole story in the first person.

2. What is he “a fairly successful hand” at?

ANSWERHe is a fairly successful hand at stealing. Though only fifteen, he is already an experienced and quite skilful thief.

3. What does he get from Anil in return for his work?

ANSWERAnil does not pay him in cash. In return for his work, the boy gets food and a place to sleep, and Anil also teaches him to cook, to write his name and promises to teach him whole sentences and how to add numbers.

(Page 2)

1. How does the thief think Anil will react to the theft?

ANSWERThe thief believes that Anil’s face will not show fear or anger like that of a greedy or rich man. Instead it will show only a touch of sadness – not for the loss of money but for the loss of trust.

2. What does he say about the different reactions of people when they are robbed?

ANSWERFrom studying men’s faces, the narrator observes that a greedy man shows fear, a rich man shows anger, and a poor man shows acceptance. Anil, however, would show only sadness because he valued trust over money.

3. Does Anil realise that he has been robbed?

ANSWERYes. Next morning Anil hands the boy a fifty-rupee note that is still wet from the night’s rain, proving he knew the money had been taken and returned. Yet his lips and eyes show nothing, and he simply says they will start writing sentences that day.

Think about it

1. What are Hari Singh’s reactions to the prospect of receiving an education? Do they change over time? (Hint: Compare, for example, the thought: “I knew that once I could write like an educated man there would be no limit to what I could achieve” with these later thoughts: “Whole sentences, I knew, could one day bring me more than a few hundred rupees. It was a simple matter to steal – and sometimes just as simple to be caught. But to be a really big man, a clever and respected man, was something else.”) What makes him return to Anil?

ANSWERAt first, Hari Singh sees education mainly as a tool for cleverer, bigger crime – he thinks that once he can write like an educated man, there will be no limit to what he can “achieve”. His reaction, however, deepens over time. After stealing the money, he realises that whole sentences could one day bring him far more than a few hundred rupees, and that being a really big, clever and respected man is something quite different from being a thief.What makes him return is this changed understanding together with his memory of Anil’s kindness. He values the chance to learn to read and write – and to earn respect honestly – more than the stolen six hundred rupees. So he goes back and quietly returns the money.

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?

ANSWERAnil does not hand the thief over to the police because he is a kind, forgiving and trusting person who believes in giving the boy a second chance. He understands that Hari has already chosen to return the money on his own, and that punishment would not help him as much as education and trust would.Most ordinary employers would probably have reported the theft, dismissed the boy, or even had him beaten. Anil is different because he responds with understanding instead of anger: he never accuses Hari, continues to teach him and promises him regular pay. His quiet acceptance shows his faith in the boy’s ability to reform.

Talk about it

1. Do you think people like Anil and Hari Singh are found only in fiction, or are there such people in real life?

ANSWERSuch people are certainly found in real life, not only in fiction. There are many kind, generous individuals like Anil who help others and forgive their mistakes, and there are many young people like Hari Singh who turn to crime out of poverty or lack of guidance but can be reformed through care and opportunity. Stories like this feel believable precisely because they mirror real human behaviour.

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?

ANSWERYes, it is a significant detail. As a struggling writer who earns money irregularly “by fits and starts”, Anil himself knows what hardship and uncertainty feel like. This makes him more understanding and sympathetic towards the poor boy. Because money does not come easily to him either, he is relaxed about it and values human relationships over wealth – which helps explain why he forgives Hari and chooses to educate him rather than punish 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?

ANSWER(Sample) I have seen young boys begging or working at tea-stalls and railway stations who could easily slip into petty crime. Several circumstances can turn a fifteen-year-old into a thief: poverty and hunger, the early loss of parents, lack of schooling, bad company, unemployment, and the absence of anyone to guide or care for him. Without education or support, stealing may seem the only way to survive – which is why the chance to learn, as Anil offers, can change such a life.

4. Where is the story set? (You can get clues from the names of the persons and places mentioned in it.) Which language or languages are spoken in these places? Do you think the characters in the story spoke to each other in English?

ANSWERThe story is set in a small town in northern India. Clues such as the names Hari Singh and Anil, the Jumna Sweet Shop, the river Jumna, the maidan, the bazaar and the Lucknow Express suggest a Hindi-speaking region of the country.The people there would mainly speak Hindi (and perhaps other local languages). It is unlikely that Anil and Hari actually spoke to each other in English; they most probably conversed in Hindi. Ruskin Bond has simply written their conversation in English for his readers.

Extra questions

Short answer

1. Why did the narrator keep changing his name every month?

ANSWERHe took a new name every month to stay ahead of the police and his former employers, so that he would not be recognised or caught.

2. Why was it so difficult for Hari to rob Anil?

ANSWERIt was difficult because Anil was a careless, trusting man who might not even notice the theft. According to Hari, robbing such a man takes away all the pleasure of the work, unlike robbing a greedy man.

3. Why did Hari hesitate and miss the Lucknow Express?

ANSWERFor a reason he could not fully explain, he hesitated at the platform. His conscience and his attachment to Anil held him back, and he lost the chance to jump into the moving train.

4. How did Hari make a little money while working for Anil?

ANSWERHe cheated on the daily shopping, making a small profit of about a rupee a day. Anil seemed to know but did not mind.

5. What was wet about the fifty-rupee note Anil gave Hari, and why did it matter?

ANSWERThe note was still damp from the night’s rain. This proved that Anil knew the money had been stolen and secretly returned, yet he chose to say nothing about it.

Long answer

6. Trace the change in Hari Singh’s character through the course of the story.

ANSWERAt the start, Hari Singh is a cunning, experienced young thief who befriends Anil only to rob him, using flattery and lies to win his confidence. Living with the kind, trusting Anil, however, gradually softens him. Anil’s generosity – feeding him, teaching him to cook and to write – awakens new feelings of gratitude. Although he does steal the six hundred rupees, his conscience troubles him: he hesitates at the station and reflects that being a respected, educated man matters more than easy money. He returns the notes undetected, choosing honesty and self-improvement over crime. By the end he smiles a genuine, effortless smile, showing that trust and kindness have begun to reform him.

7. How does Anil’s treatment of the thief reflect his philosophy of life?

ANSWERAnil’s behaviour reflects a deep faith in human goodness and the power of second chances. Though poor and earning irregularly as a writer, he is generous, relaxed about money and ready to help a stranger. He neither scolds the boy for a terrible first meal nor for cheating on the shopping. When he discovers the theft and its return, he refuses to involve the police or even speak of it; instead he promises regular pay and continues teaching. Anil clearly believes that education, trust and forgiveness can change a person far more effectively than anger or punishment – and his quiet kindness indeed sets Hari on the path to reform.

MCQs & Assertion–Reason

1. How old was the narrator when he met Anil?

(a) 12   (b) 15   (c) 18   (d) 25

2. What false name did the thief give to Anil?

(a) Hari Singh   (b) Anil Kumar   (c) Ram Singh   (d) Mohan Lal

3. How did Anil earn his living?

(a) He ran a sweet shop   (b) He was a wrestler   (c) He wrote for magazines   (d) He was a teacher

4. Where did Anil live?

(a) In a hotel   (b) In a room over the Jumna Sweet Shop   (c) At the railway station   (d) In the maidan

5. How much money did Hari steal from Anil?

(a) 100 rupees   (b) 50 rupees   (c) 600 rupees   (d) 1000 rupees

6. Which train did Hari plan to catch after the theft?

(a) The Delhi Mail   (b) The 10.30 Lucknow Express   (c) The Jumna Passenger   (d) The morning local

7. According to the narrator, how does a rich man react when robbed?

(a) He shows fear   (b) He shows acceptance   (c) He shows anger   (d) He shows sadness

8. Why did Hari miss the train?

(a) It was cancelled   (b) He hesitated and lost the chance   (c) He had no ticket   (d) The police stopped him

9. What told Anil that the money had been taken and returned?

(a) A note from Hari   (b) The wet fifty-rupee note   (c) A missing key   (d) Hari’s confession

10. What was Anil going to teach Hari the morning after the theft?

(a) To cook   (b) To wrestle   (c) To write whole sentences   (d) To add numbers

Answer key: 1-(b)   2-(a)   3-(c)   4-(b)   5-(c)   6-(b)   7-(c)   8-(b)   9-(b)   10-(c)

Assertion–Reason – choose: (a) A and R true, R explains A; (b) A and R true, R does not explain A; (c) A true, R false; (d) A false, R true.

1. Assertion (A): Hari Singh used flattery when he first spoke to Anil.

Reason (R): A little flattery helps in making friends and in winning a person’s confidence.

2. Assertion (A): Hari found it easy and satisfying to rob Anil.

Reason (R): It is difficult to rob a careless, trusting man because the pleasure goes out of the work.

3. Assertion (A): Hari returned the stolen money to Anil.

Reason (R): He valued learning to read and write, and becoming a respected man, more than the money.

4. Assertion (A): Anil reported the theft to the police.

Reason (R): Anil was a kind and forgiving man who gave Hari a second chance.

5. Assertion (A): The fifty-rupee note Anil gave Hari was wet.

Reason (R): The stolen notes had become damp in the night’s rain before being returned.

Answer key: 1-(a)   2-(d)   3-(a)   4-(d)   5-(a)
Note: 2-(d) – A is false (Hari himself says it is difficult to rob a careless man), R is true. 4-(d) – A is false (Anil did not report the theft), R is true.

Exam tips

Score full marks

• Remember the key figures: narrator is 15, Anil is about 25, the stolen sum is 600 rupees in fifties, and the return is proved by the wet fifty-rupee note.

• For value-based or character questions, always link Hari’s change to Anil’s trust and the offer of education – this is the heart of the story.

• Quote the three reactions to being robbed (greedy → fear, rich → anger, poor → acceptance; Anil → sadness) to add depth to long answers.

• Use the theme words “trust, kindness, redemption” and end answers with the message that reform works better than punishment.

FAQs

Who is the author of ‘The Thief’s Story’?

The story is written by Ruskin Bond, a well-known Indian author famous for his simple, warm tales set in the hills and small towns of northern India.

Why did Hari Singh return the stolen money?

His conscience troubled him, and he valued Anil’s kindness and the chance to learn to read and write – and so become a respected man – far more than the six hundred rupees. He quietly slipped the notes back under the mattress.

Did Anil know that he had been robbed?

Yes. The next morning he gave Hari a fifty-rupee note that was still wet from the night’s rain, showing he knew the money had been taken and returned, yet he chose to say nothing.

What is the moral of ‘The Thief’s Story’?

Trust, kindness and the opportunity to learn can reform a person far more effectively than anger or punishment.

Questions are taken verbatim from the NCERT Footprints Without Feet textbook; the summary and all answers are written originally by ClearStudy.

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