Text Book Solutions All Class

Key Points of the Story

• Fowler, a writer, meets Ausable, a secret agent, expecting excitement and adventure.
• Ausable is overweight, speaks with an American accent, and seems unimpressive.
• Ausable tells Fowler about an important document that several people have risked their lives for.
• They enter Ausable’s room and find a man, Max, holding a gun, demanding the document.
• Ausable mentions a balcony used to access his room, frustrating Max.
• Ausable suggests the police are knocking on the door, making Max nervous.
• Max decides to hide on the balcony, but there is no balcony, and he falls to his death.
• The knocking is revealed to be a waiter bringing drinks Ausable had ordered.
• Ausable calmly explains to Fowler that there was no balcony.

Summary

Ausable was a secret agent. He was staying in a French hotel. A young and romantic writer named Fowler came to meet him. Fowler was disappointed to see Ausable. He was a sloppy fat fellow. His room was at the top and sixth floor of that musty and gloomy hotel. When they both entered the room and Ausable switched on they found that a man was standing in the center of the room. He hand a pistol in his hand. It was the first thrill of the day for Fowler.The name of the man with a gun was Max.
He said that he had come there to snatch the report from Ausable which he was expecting to receive. Ausable remained silent and cool. He seemed to be angry with the management of the hotel. He cocked-up a story about the balcony. He told him that there was a balcony just below the window of his room and last month an unknown person had entered the room through that balcony.
Max told Ausable that he had used a master key to enter the door. He wished that he should have entered through the balcony way. It would have been much easier. There was still half an hour for the report to arrive.
There was a sudden knocking at the door. Ausable smiled. He said it must be the police because he himself had called them for the protection of such an important report.
Max was nervous. He jumped through the window to the balcony. But there was no balcony as Ausable had told. He fell down to the ground from the sixth floor and was killed.

Then the door opened. The waiter entered the room with a tray a bottle of wine and two glasses. Ausable had ordered for them. The waiter left. Fowler did not know anything about the balcony. He feared that Max would return soon. But Ausable told him the fact that he would never return. Thus, Fowler was much impressed by his cleverness and presence of mind.

Try yourself:

What did Max come to Ausable’s room for?

• A.To meet Fowler
• B.To steal Ausable’s report
• C.To have a drink with Ausable
• D.To discuss secret agent missions

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Theme/ Message

Theme

• Appearance vs. Reality:
  • Ausable defies the typical image of a secret agent, showing that appearances can be deceptive.
  • The absence of the balcony is a twist, highlighting the gap between appearance and reality.
• Wit and Intelligence Over Physical Strength:
  • Ausable uses his intelligence and quick thinking to outsmart Max, demonstrating that wit can triumph over physical threats.

Difficult Words

1. Musty: Having a stale, moldy smell.
2. Gloomy: Dark or poorly lit, especially so as to appear depressing or frightening.
3. Passably: In an adequate or satisfactory manner.
4. Espionage: The practice of spying or using spies.
5. Prosaic: Having the style or diction of prose; lacking poetic beauty.
6. Disillusioned: Disappointed in someone or something that one discovers to be less good than one had believed.
7. Authentic: Of undisputed origin; genuine.
8. Wheezed: Breathed with a whistling or rattling sound in the chest.
9. Crafty: Clever at achieving one’s aims by indirect or deceitful methods.
10. Explanatorily: Serving to explain something.
11. Commanding: Having a position of authority.
12. Inflection: A change in the pitch or tone of a person’s voice.
13. Moodily: Given to unpredictable changes of mood, especially sudden bouts of gloominess or sullenness.
14. Menacing: Suggesting the presence of danger; threatening.
15. Prosaic: Lacking imaginativeness or originality.

Key Points of the Story

• Ruskin Bond’s ‘The Thief’s Story’ is more than just a tale about a thief. 
• The story highlights essential human values and relationships. 
• Even a thief finds it hard to steal from an honest and careless individual.
• A young boy becomes friends with Anil. Anil trusts him totally and employs him. 
• To evade the police and previous employers, he frequently changed his name, and this time he went by Hari Singh.
• The narrative reveals how the thief tricks Anil by stealing from him but later feels guilty. 
• Anil’s expression when he realised the theft showed only a hint of sadness, not for the money lost, but for the trust that was broken.

Try yourself:

What does Anil feel when he realizes the theft?

• A.Fear
• B.Happiness
• C.Sadness
• D.Anger

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Detailed Summary

The Thief’s Story by Ruskin Bond revolves around Hari Singh, a young but experienced thief who earned his living by befriending people and stealing from them. To keep himself safe from police and former victims, he kept changing his name — this time calling himself Hari Singh.

He met Anil, a simple and easy-going writer, while Anil was watching a wrestling match. Anil, who lived a modest life, earned money irregularly by writing articles for magazines and selling books to publishers. He often borrowed and lent money, earning “by fits and starts”.

When Hari Singh offered to work for Anil, Anil said he could not pay him but could at least feed him if he could cook. Hari lied about knowing how to cook and was hired. His first meal was terrible, but Anil did not get angry. Instead, he offered to teach Hari cooking, reading, writing, and simple mathematics.

Hari Singh worked for Anil and sometimes made small profits while buying groceries, earning about a rupee daily by cheating Anil. However, Anil knew about it and never confronted him.

One day, Anil brought home a bundle of notes after selling a book. At night, while Anil was asleep, Hari Singh stole the money from under Anil’s mattress. He told himself that Anil would only waste the money on friends anyway. As he slipped out quietly, he reached the railway station and was ready to catch the Lucknow Express. But at the last moment, he hesitated and missed the train.

Wandering the streets at night, Hari Singh felt guilty and restless. It started raining heavily, soaking him completely. He sat under the clock tower and thought deeply about his actions. He remembered that stealing from greedy people was easy as they could afford to be robbed, but robbing a careless, trusting person like Anil gave him no satisfaction. Anil would likely feel only sadness, not because of the money lost, but because of the broken trust.

He also realised that Anil’s education was giving him an opportunity for a better life. Without it, he would remain a thief; with it, he could become a respectable man. Overcome by guilt, Hari Singh returned to Anil’s room and quietly placed the money back under the mattress.

The next morning, Anil behaved as usual. He handed Hari Singh a fifty-rupee note — which was damp from the rain — and told him that he would now start paying him regularly. He also said they would begin writing full sentences from that day. Although Anil didn’t say anything directly, Hari Singh understood that Anil knew about the theft but chose to forgive him and give him a second chance.

Try yourself:

What does the story highlight about the difficulty of stealing from an honest person?

• A.It is easier for a thief to steal from a greedy person.
• B.It is difficult for a thief to steal from an honest person.
• C.An honest person is more likely to catch a thief.
• D.An honest person is less likely to have valuable belongings.

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Theme

• The story The Thief’s story by Ruskin Bond is focused on the topics of friendship, treachery, aspirations, connection, trust, guilt, change, kindness, loyalty, retribution, and honesty. 
• The plot of the narrative is built on the idea that kindness and love have the power to change even the worst crooks and thieves in this harsh planet.
• The moral of “The Thief’s Story” teaches us not to betray someone’s trust. Although Hari tried to keep the money, he realised that breaking Anil’s trust would leave him with deep regret. Just like Hari, everyone has a chance for redemption.

Message 

• The message or the moral in ‘The Thief story’ is not to betray the trust reposed on you by a person. 
• Once the trust of a person is lost, everything is lost. Kindness touches hearts and brings about a change in even in the worst person.
• This is shown by Hari Singh, the thief, who, despite stealing from Anil, chooses to return because he cannot bear the thought of Anil feeling hurt by his betrayal. Kindness has the power to change even the most troubled individuals.

Glossary

Key Points of the Story

• This story is about Tricki, a dog who is the pet of a rich lady named Mrs. Pumphrey. She loves her dog very much and is unable to refuse him anything he wants. 
• One day, Mr. Herriot meets her on the street and is shocked to see Tricki’s bloated, unhealthy condition, “like a bloated sausage with a leg at each corner.” Mrs. Pumphrey explains that Tricki seems tired and lacking energy, so she has been giving him extra snacks like malt, cod-liver oil, Horlicks, and also cream cakes and chocolates.
• Mr. Herriot advises her to cut down Tricki’s food and give him more exercise, but she finds it difficult to refuse him treats.
• A few days later, Mrs. Pumphrey calls, distressed that Tricki is refusing food, vomiting, and unwilling to move. Mr. Herriot insists on taking Tricki to his surgery for treatment, despite Mrs. Pumphrey’s reluctance.
• At the surgery, Tricki shows no interest in other dogs and is given only water for two days. On the second day, he begins showing interest in his surroundings; on the third day, he joins the other dogs outside and starts eating.
• Tricki’s health improves rapidly—he plays, competes for food, and becomes active and energetic.
• Believing Tricki needs “energy foods,” Mrs. Pumphrey sends eggs, wine, and later brandy, which Mr. Herriot and his colleagues consume themselves.
• After two weeks, Tricki is lean, strong, and fit. Mr. Herriot decides to return him to Mrs. Pumphrey. Tricki joyfully leaps into her lap, and Mrs. Pumphrey, overjoyed, calls his recovery “a triumph of surgery.”

Try yourself:

What does Mrs. Pumphrey think Tricki needs to be healthy?

• A.More exercise
• B.Extra snacks
• C.Less food
• D.A new toy

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Detailed Summary

The story begins when Mrs. Pumphrey, a wealthy lady, is out walking her pet dog, Tricki. Mr. Herriot, a veterinary surgeon who knows her, sees Tricki and is shocked to find him hugely overweight, “like a bloated sausage with a leg at each corner.” Mrs. Pumphrey explains that Tricki seems listless and lacking energy, so she has been giving him extra snacks like malt, cod-liver oil, and Horlicks, along with cream cakes and chocolates. Mr. Herriot advises her to cut down on his food and give him more exercise, but she finds it difficult to refuse him treats.

A few days later, Mrs. Pumphrey calls in distress—Tricki is refusing food, vomiting, and unwilling to do anything. Mr. Herriot decides that the only solution is to take him to his surgery for a fortnight. Though reluctant and worried, Mrs. Pumphrey agrees, sending along numerous items for Tricki’s comfort.

At the surgery, Tricki shows no interest in the other dogs and lies still in his bed. For two days, he is given only water. By the second day, he starts showing interest in his surroundings; on the third day, he joins the other dogs in the yard and begins eating.

From then on, his recovery was rapid. He plays, joins in scrimmages, competes for food at mealtimes, and becomes active and lively. Hearing that Tricki is convalescing, Mrs. Pumphrey starts sending fresh eggs, then bottles of wine, and finally brandy, thinking these will aid his recovery. Mr. Herriot and his colleagues enjoy these luxuries themselves, with eggs for breakfast, wine at lunch, and brandy in the evenings.

After two weeks, Tricki is transformed into a fit, hard-muscled dog. Mr. Herriot decides it is time to return him. When Mrs. Pumphrey’s car arrives, Tricki joyfully leaps into her lap. Overjoyed, she thanks Mr. Herriot and calls the recovery “a triumph of surgery.”

Try yourself:

What was Tricki’s favorite food that Mrs. Pumphrey would often give him?

• A.Cream cakes and chocolates
• B.Eggs and bacon
• C.Milk and cookies
• D.Carrots and celery

View Solution

Theme

• The major theme of the chapter is Care vs Over-indulgence.
• Mrs Pumphrey loved Tricki. Under the influence of her blind love for her pet, she overfed him.
• Mrs Pumphrey gave him malt, cod-liver oil and a bowl of Horlicks, which she believed would help Tricki regain his strength.
• This made Tricki overweight and lethargic. Mrs Pumphrey’s over-indulgence in Tricki’s care had, in fact, harmed him.
• After Tricki’s treatment, Mrs Pumphrey was elated to see her dog active and playful again.

Message

• The lesson emphasises the importance of responsible pet ownership, cautioning against excessive love that can prove harmful. Mrs. Pumphrey, a wealthy woman, showered her dog Tricky with lavish care and overfeeding. 
• Her indulgence led to Tricky’s health deterioration, making him lazy and obese. Hospitalised due to his condition, Mrs. Pumphrey continued pampering him with gifts. 
• The story highlights the message that excessive love and overindulgence can have adverse effects on the well-being of those we care about.

Glossary

• Gleaming – shining brightly, usually because it is clean or polished.
• Reverently – with deep respect.
• Roused – awakened from sleep.
• Supper – the main evening meal.
• Tweed –. coarse wool fabric.
• Bouts – short periods of intense activity.
• Ceremonial – related to formal public or religious events.
• Clasped – held tightly in one’s hand.
• Convalescing – recovering health after an illness.
• Engulfed – completely surrounded or overwhelmed.
• Entire – whole, or complete.
• Fetch – to go and bring back.
• Flapping – moving in waves.
• Fortnight –. period of two weeks.
• Gang –. group of individuals.
• Gasping – breathing with difficulty.
• Harness –. set of straps used for control.
• Hastened – moved or acted quickly.
• Hovered – stayed in one place in uncertainty.
• Hugely – very much.
• Hurtling – moving quickly and uncontrollably.
• Lolled – relaxed in a lazy manner.
• Lumbago – pain in the lower back.
• Panting – breathing quickly and short.
• Sausage – minced meat in a long casing.
• Rheumy – watery discharge from the nose or eyes.
• Listless – lacking energy.
• Regime –. set plan for diet and exercise.
• Distraught – extremely upset.
• Scrimmage –. confused struggle.
• Lithe – flexible and graceful.