Notes For All Chapters English Footprints without Feet Class 10 CBSE
Author
- Ruskin Bond – Indian author known for simple, touching stories.
- Focuses on human relationships, emotions, and personal growth.
Characters
Hari Singh (the thief)
- 15 years old, clever, experienced thief.
- Changes his name every month to stay ahead of police.
- Knows how to flatter and win people’s trust.
- Wants to improve himself, stop being a thief.
- Conflicted between dishonesty (stealing) and desire to change.
Anil
- 25 years old, tall, lean, simple, and kind-hearted.
- Trusting nature, believes in giving chances.
- Makes money by writing articles/books (irregular income).
- Teaches Hari how to cook, write his name, and promises to teach him full sentences and maths.
- Values people over money.
1. Hari Singh Meets Anil
- Hari Singh meets Anil at a wrestling match.
- He flatters Anil (“you look like a wrestler”) to make friends.
- Lies about his name (he changes it every month).
- Offers to work for Anil but Anil says he cannot pay him.
- Hari agrees to work just for food.
2. Life with Anil
- Hari cooks very badly at first – Anil gives food to stray dog but forgives him.
- Anil teaches Hari to cook properly.
- Starts teaching him how to read and write.
- Hari feels grateful because education can help him stop stealing and live a better life.
- Hari does daily chores: makes tea, buys groceries (keeps a rupee as profit).
- Finds life with Anil easy and pleasant.
3. Anil’s Personality
- Anil earns money “by fits and starts” – sometimes has money, sometimes borrows.
- Spends freely when he has money (celebrates when he gets paid).
- Very trusting – gives Hari key to the door, does not question him.
- Never checks how much Hari spends on groceries (knows Hari keeps some profit but ignores it).
4. The Theft
- One evening Anil comes home with ₹600 after selling a book.
- He puts the money under his mattress and goes to sleep.
- Hari decides to steal the money because:
- Anil does not pay him.
- He thinks Anil will waste the money anyway.
- He has not done any “real work” (stealing) for a long time.
- At night, Hari quietly steals the notes and runs away.
5. At the Station
- Runs to railway station to catch 10:30 Lucknow Express.
- Train is just leaving, but he hesitates and misses it.
- He feels lonely, guilty, and confused about what to do next.
6. Guilt and Realisation
- Thinks about Anil’s reaction – imagines he will feel sadness, not anger.
- Realises Anil’s sadness would be for losing trust, not just money.
- It starts raining heavily, Hari gets drenched, money becomes wet.
- Realises that if he leaves, he will lose chance to learn to read and write.
- Understands education can bring him a better future than stolen money.
7. Returning the Money
- Decides to go back.
- Quietly slips money back under mattress without waking Anil.
- Finds it more difficult to return money than to steal it.
- Sleeps peacefully afterwards.
8. Next Morning
- Anil gives Hari a fifty-rupee note, says he will now be paid regularly.
- The note is still wet (Anil knows Hari had taken it).
- Anil shows no anger, no punishment – just kindness.
- Says, “Today we’ll start writing sentences.”
- Hari smiles genuinely – feels happy and reformed.
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