FLAMINGO 4.

THE RATTRAP
- SELMA LOGERLOF
THEME: Story of a rattrap seller and his philosophical thought- The whole world is a big
rattrap.

MINES OF SWEDEN- RICH IRON ORE

➢ There was a tramp
➢ Led a sad and monotonous/ boring life
➢ Lived in rags
➢ Had sunken cheeks
➢ Eyes gleamed with hunger
➢ Made rattraps and sold it
• Got material to make the rattrap from - farms & by begging
➢ One day had a philosophical thought
• Whole world a big rattrap
• Lures with riches, joys, shelter, food, clothing etc
• Like cheese lures a cat.

TURNING POINT IN LIFE

➢ One dark evening-saw a little gray cottage
➢ Asked for shelter
➢ Welcomed by owner
❖ Owner earlier crofter at Ramsjo Ironworks
❖ Now had a cow - earns by selling milk
❖ Earned about 30 kronor the previous month
❖ Money hung in leather bag - in the window frame
➢ Owner offered supper, tobacco to smoke, played cards
➢ Showed the 30 kronor
➢ Next morning, tramp parted from crofter
➢ After half an hour, tramp returned and stole the money
➢ Fear of being caught- so decided to avoid public highway
➢ Entered the woods- confused- lost his way
➢ Felt trapped, exhausted
➢ Heard hammer strokes from the iron mill(Ramsjo- smelter rolling mill forge)
➢ Reached the iron mill- workers noticed but ignored
➢ Took refuge near the furnace.
OWNER OF MILL
➢ Prosperous man – on night inspection-saw the tramp
➢ Mistook the tramp for Nils Olof( Capt. Von Stahle)- his old comrade
➢ Persuaded him to go along to his manor house
➢ Tramp declined offer/ refused to go
OWNER’S DAUGHTER EDLA WILLMANSSON
➢ Not pretty, modest ,shy ,compassionate
➢ She sensed/ felt the tramp was hiding something or trying to escape
➢ Tramp accepted her request to go with her
➢ Accepted the fur coat , offer to spend Christmas eve with them
CHRISTMAS EVE
➢ Hospitality ( friendly welcome/ kind treatment)
➢ Bathed, shaven, given new clothes- now owner realized his mistake( mistaken identity)
➢ Tramp confessed not being acquaintance- said he had been compelled
➢ Owner threatened to call sheriff (police)
➢ Tramp reacted angrily- owner asked him to leave
➢ Edla persuaded her father to let him stay
➢ Father agreed- warmth extended- gifted a suit.
CHRISTMAS MORNING
➢ Morning father and Edla left for church
➢ Heard about the theft at crofter’s house- Edla upset – returns home in fear
➢ Find package left by tramp
• Package contained a rattrap, a letter,and the stolen money to be returned
• Signed the letter as Capt. Von Stahle
❖ because he felt elevated to the status of captain
❖ respect and affection transformed him
❖ wished to remain reformed
❖ also expressed his gratitude to Edla.
[The story exemplifies the truth that
• there is innate goodness in every human being
• it takes a little love, understanding and a gesture of friendship for it to come
to the fore.
• Edla showed him sympathy, touched a chord with the tramp and
felt he was someone who has worthy of concern and kindness.]
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………

1. What did the peddler do to keep his body and soul together?
The peddler used to sell rat traps which he made himself by using the material he got by begging
at the stores or farms. As he couldn't make enough money he also resorted to begging and
thievery to keep his body and soul together.
2. Why did the peddler think that the world was a rattrap?
The peddler thought that the world only existed to set baits for the people. It offered riches, joy,
shelter food and clothing as the rattrap offered cheese and pork. As soon as one let himself to be
tempted by the bait, it closed on him as a rattrap does.
3.Why was the peddler amused at the idea of the world being a rattrap?
The world had never been kind to the poor peddler. So, he derived pleasure from thinking ill of the
world and imagining it as being a big rat trap. He got amused to think of the people he knew, who
get caught in the rattrap and of others who were circling around the bait.
4. Why was the crofter happy when the peddler not on his door?
The crofter was very lonely and lived alone in a cottage. He did not have wife or children. He felt
happy when the peddler knocked on his door as he thought the peddler would give him company.
5. What hospitality did the peddler receive from the crofter?
The crofter received the peddler most warmly and offered generous hospitality. He gave him
porridge for supper, tobacco to smoke and played a game of cards with him. He also allowed him
to stay at his home in the night. He also showed him the 30 kronors which he earned by selling
milk.
6. Why was the peddler surprised when he knocked on the door of the cottage?
The peddler was welcomed warmly by the crofter. He had never been treated kindly by the world.
He was treated badly wherever he went . He was never given shelter and so he was pleasantly
surprised at the way he was treated by the crofter.
7. How did the peddler betray the confidence reposed by the crofter?
The peddler was received warmly, given food and shelter. The crofter even shared confidential
matters with him. But the peddler instead of being thankful betrayed the crofter. The next morning,
though he left the house with the crofter, he returned after sometime. He broke the window pane,
took the 30 kronors from the bag and left the place.
8. Why did the crofter show the 30 kronors to the peddler?
He showed the peddler the thirty kronors to share his joy of earning that much of money in a
month. He also showed it to him as he suspected that is guest did not seem to believe what he
had told him.
9. Why did the ironmaster speak kindly to the peddler and invite him home ?
The ironmaster mistook him to be Nils Olof, his old regimental comrade. So he spoke to him kindly
and invited him home. He and his daughter were alone and did not have anyone to celebrate
Christmas with.
10. Why did the stranger not tell the ironmaster that he was not meals a lot?
The stranger did not deny being Nils Olof, an old regimental comrade of the iron master. He
thought that being the iron master master's old acquaintance might get him a few kronors out of
sympathy.
11. Why did Edla request her father not to send the vagabond away?
Edla had always thought the peddler to be a poor homeless tramp and did not feel cheated when
his true identity was revealed. Instead, she felt very happy and requested her father to allow him to
celebrate Christmas with them.
12. What doubts did Edla have about the peddler?
Edla was kind trusting and compassionate . She wanted him to celebrate Christmas with him. But
Edla thought that the peddler had stolen something or had escaped from jail. She did not believe
him to be educated, thus, she did not think of him as her father's old regimental comrade.
13. 'Edla sat and hung her head even more dejectedly than usual'. Which two reasons
forced her to behave in that manner?
Edla was sad and upset as she had heard that a crofter of ironworks had been robbed. This
made her conclude that the man whom she had given shelter was responsible for it. Her father
also added to her doubts by saying that he might have stolen their silver and other valuables
and left their house.
14. What brought about a change in the life of the peddler?
Edla's kind and caring behaviour finally changed the peddler. She had treated him with love and
respect befitting a captain, even after realizing that he was a poor peddler. The trust that Edla
showed in him made him live a life with dignity and respect .
15. What were the contents of the package left by the peddler as a Christmas gift for Edla
Willmanson?
The package comprised of a small rat trap with three wrinkled 10 kronor notes in it, which the
peddler had robbed from the crofter. It also contained a brief letter for Edla explaining the peddlers
conduct. The rattrap was a present from a rat who would have been caught in the world's rattrap
if he had not been raised to a captain.
16. Why did the peddler sign himself as captain Von Stahle?
Edla had honoured and treated the peddler like a captain in spite of knowing the truth. The peddler
got a chance to redeem himself from his dishonest ways by acting as an honorable captain. He
did not want her to be embarrassed by a thief during Christmas.By signing as captain Von Stahle
, he wanted to retain the dignity and respect accorded to him.
17. Why did the peddler accept Edla's invitation? How did he feel?
The peddler was moved by the compassion and courtesy shown by Edla. She requested him in
such a friendly manner that he felt confidence in her. The peddler felt very assured and agreed to
go at once with Edla.
18.'The Rattrap' is a story where a good deed or an act of kindness changes a person's
view of the world. Discuss with reference to the theme.
'The Rattrap' is an entertaining and philosophical story that reveals the theme of the human
tendency to redeem oneself from dishonest ways. Most human beings are prone to fall into the
trap of material benefit. Howeve ,love and understanding can transform a person and bring out
his essential human goodness. The peddler's poverty had brought out the worst in him, making
him bitter and killing his conscience. He did not hesitate to steal 30 kronors though the old crofter
was kind and hospitable to him. Pangs of guilt troubled him when he lost his way in the forest. But
Edla Willmanson's compassion and understanding brought out a transformation in his nature. She
showed sympathy, honour and respect and gave him a sense of dignity. The peddler who always
considered the whole world to be a rattrap finally felt relieved due to Edla's sympathetic, kind,
loving and generous treatment . He redeemed himself by returning the stolen money as he had
felt motivated by Edla's warmth, friendliness and hospitality.
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