About the Author
Ruskin Bond is a well-known Indian writer who loves telling stories about children, nature, and simple life in the hills. He was born on May 19, 1934, in a small town called Kasauli. He grew up in places like Jamnagar and Dehradun, and now lives in the beautiful hill town of Mussoorie. Ruskin Bond has written over 300 books, including short stories, novels, and poems. His first big book, The Room on the Roof, came out when he was just 21 and won a special prize. He writes in easy English that makes you feel like you are right there in the story. Many of his tales are about friendship, animals, and everyday adventures. He has got big awards like the Padma Shri for his great work. Kids love his books because they are fun, kind, and full of magic from nature.
What’s the Story About?
This story is like a fun mystery game played by two young brother and sister. It all starts in a busy city where Maya, a smart 10-year-old girl, and her little brother Nishad (whom she calls "Seven" because he is 7 years old) live with their mom, who is a doctor. One day, they notice their strange neighbor, Mr. Nath, who lives alone in a small room at Shankar House. He looks very thin and weak, like he has not eaten well for days. His face has ugly marks from old burns, and he never smiles or talks much. He gets his food from a nearby hotel boy named Ramesh, but he eats very little—just two flatbreads and some lentils twice a day. He pays extra money as a tip, which makes the kids wonder.
Maya thinks Mr. Nath is a bad man, like a thief who ran away from the police after a big robbery. She says his scars are from a gun fight, and he must have hidden bags of stolen money under his bed. Every Sunday, a big, fat man with glasses comes to visit him for lunch. Maya believes this man is Mr. Nath's helper in crime—they share the stolen money! She starts a notebook to write all her detective clues, like how no one gets letters for him and how people are scared of him.
But Nishad is different. He feels sorry for Mr. Nath because he looks so lonely and sad. One day, when playing with marbles, one rolls into Mr. Nath's room. They go in and see him up close—he seems nice but tired. Later, Nishad goes alone to give him a chocolate as a gift after their mom's birthday. Mr. Nath thanks him kindly but looks even sadder. Nishad asks Ramesh more about him and learns he is polite, drinks tea, and the Sunday visitor talks a lot while Mr. Nath stays quiet.
The kids fight about it. Maya calls Mr. Nath a "crook" and wants to solve the mystery. Nishad says real bad guys don't look poor and weak—they are strong and mean. He wants to be friends with Mr. Nath to cheer him up. One rainy day when school is off, Maya shows her notes full of "proof," but Nishad gets angry and runs out, saying he will find out the truth by being kind. The story ends without telling us who Mr. Nath really is. It leaves you thinking— is he a criminal or just a sad, lonely man? The kids learn that guessing too fast can be wrong, and being kind is better than spying.
Who’s Who in the Story
- Maya: The big sister, 10 years old. She is clever, loves reading detective books, and thinks she is a super sleuth. She leads the "investigation" and writes clues in her notebook.
- Nishad (Seven): The little brother, 7 years old. He is sweet and caring. He feels bad for sad people and wants to help Mr. Nath instead of catching him.
- Mr. Nath: The mysterious neighbor. He is thin, has burn marks on his face, lives alone, and seems very quiet and unhappy. We don't know his full secret.
- Ramesh: The boy from the hotel who brings food to Mr. Nath. He tells the kids about Mr. Nath's eating habits and the Sunday visitor.
- The Sunday Visitor: A tall, fat man with glasses who comes every week. Maya thinks he is Mr. Nath's partner in bad work.
- Mother: The kids' mom, a doctor. She knows Mr. Nath as her patient and says he is a good, polite man.
Themes and Moral
Themes (Main Ideas): The story talks about how kids use their imagination to make ordinary things exciting, like turning a quiet neighbor into a big mystery. It shows the fight between being too quick to think bad about someone and being kind without knowing everything. It also highlights how lonely people need friends, and how brothers and sisters can see the same thing in different ways—one with suspicion, the other with heart.
Moral (Lesson): Do not judge someone just by how they look or act from far away. Be kind and try to understand people before making up stories about them. Real help comes from care, not from spying or guessing.
Important Vocabulary and Phrases
Here are some key words and phrases from the story. I explain them in easy words, like you talk with friends:
- Accomplice: A friend who helps someone do a bad thing, like sharing stolen sweets. (In the story: Maya thinks the Sunday man is Mr. Nath's accomplice in crime.)
- Crook: A bad person who steals or cheats, like a sneaky pickpocket. (Maya calls Mr. Nath a crook because she thinks he robbed a bank.)
- Scarred: Having ugly marks on the skin from old hurts or burns, like a cut that healed but left a line. (Mr. Nath's face is scarred from some past accident.)
- Starved: Very, very hungry, like not eating for days and feeling weak. (The kids think Mr. Nath looks starved because he is so thin.)
- Peculiar: Strange or odd, not like most people, like wearing odd socks every day. (Mr. Nath acts peculiar because he has no friends or letters.)
- Generous: Kind and happy to give more than needed, like sharing your last toffee. (Mr. Nath is generous with tips to Ramesh.)
- Conspiracy: A secret plan between two or more people to do something wrong, like hiding a surprise party but for bad reasons. (Maya believes there is a conspiracy between Mr. Nath and his visitor.)
- On the run: Hiding and running away from the police after doing something wrong, like escaping after breaking a window. (Maya thinks Mr. Nath is on the run from the law.)
Phrases:
- Jump to conclusions: To decide something fast without all the facts, like thinking your friend stole your pencil before asking. (Maya jumps to conclusions about Mr. Nath being bad.)
- Keen interest: Very strong wish to know more, like loving football so much you watch every match. (The kids have a keen interest in Mr. Nath's life.)
- Fell out: To stop being friends or argue, like fighting over a game and not talking. (Maya and Nishad fell out over their ideas about Mr. Nath.)