Back to: Maharashtra Board Class 10th English Guide & Notes
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Hari Singh, a Thief
Hari Singh was a thief whose everyday task was to rob people. He met Anil, a tall and lean young man, during a wrestling match. Hari Singh was a fake name adopted by the thief to keep him away from the police. He tried to befriend Anil, but all in vain.
After Anil left the place, Hari Singh followed Anil and told him that he would like to work for him. Anil told him that he would not be able to pay. Hari Singh replied that he could feed him at least.
Hari Singh started to work for Anil. Hari Singh lied to Anil that he could cook. The meal that Hari Singh cooked was not right, and Anil gave that to stray dogs. Anil, however, told Hari Singh that he would help him to learn reading and writing. Hari Singh started a routine to make morning tea and then went to the market to buy supplies. He made a rupee out of his every visit.
Hari Singh Decides to Steal Money
Anil worried about his income, but once his cheques came in, he would celebrate. One day Hari Singh saw that Anil had tucked some money under his mattress. Since Hari Singh had the key to the door, he thought of stealing that money and run away. On the other hand, Anil trusted Hari Singh, so it was challenging for Hari Singh to steal from him. Finally, he decided to steal the money.
While Anil was asleep, Hari Singh stole the money and ran away. He intended to catch the 10:30 Express to Lucknow. It was six hundred rupees that Hari Singh stole from Anil. He felt like an oil-rich Arab. While the train was still slow on reaching the station, he somehow did not get on the train as something prevented him from doing so.
On the platform, Hari Singh realized that he knew no one that he could spend the night except the man he had just robbed. He sat on a bench, and it started to rain. The notes got wet.
Change of Plan
While sitting under a shelter, he thought that Anil probably would have given him two or three rupees to go to the cinema hall. However, now he would not because he had committed an act of robbery. His mind changed at once, and he went back to Anil’s room to give him back the money he stole.
He placed the money right from where he stole it. He awoke the next morning. Anil gave him fifty rupees and told him that he made money last night. He would now pay Hari Singh for working under him. The note was still wet from the rain. Anil knew that Hari Singh had committed robbery but was also aware that he had come back due to his trust.
