Crofter – prem

Rattrap peddler – Aryan and Kedar(like jesse pinkman)

Ironmaster – Sahil
Edla – Siddhi and Akshitha(like pigeon lady from home alone 2)
Valet – Kedar
Worker- Mohit
Priest – Ryan

SCENE 1
(*Enter Rattrap Peddler. R.P trudges to a store and steals. R.P continues
walking on the streets)
R.P: Why am I even here? The reason I came here wasn’t to sell rat traps
neither to beg nor to steal. All I remember is that I came to this big city in
the pursuit of happiness and to become rich. This world has been unfair to
me. Everything it offered to me was just an illusion. The world is one big
rattrap , if you re tempted to touch the cheese , you might just lose
everything.
(Exit R.P right)
SCENE 2
(Bring chair & Bench , hang pouch on panel)
(Enter R.P from right , prem sits on chair at left side)

(*Sees a little gray cottage, Knocks on door. Crofter opens)

R.P: May I spend the night at your place? I won’t disturb you in any way, I
just want a roof over my head on this cold night.
Crofter: Sure, you can stay at my place . Please come in.
(*Goes in)
Crofter: Please make yourself comfortable.
(*R. P sits down, crofter continues )
Crofter: It appears you are hungry. Would you like some porridge?
(*R.P looks surprised )
R.P: Yes… I would love some porridge.
Crofter :- (While handing the bowl of porridge) Would you like to play a
game of Mjolis?
R.P:- Sure.
(R.P takes bite)

R.P: Your wife is a good cook (*continues to eat)

Crofter: (*laughs*) I don’t have a wife ,never did. But thankyou I cooked that
myself.
(*R.P smiles but is embarrassed.)
R.P: I never would have guessed. You are a very kind and generous man. You
must have been a busy man in your youth.
Crofter: I am no one special , I've been a crofter at the Ramsjo ironworks,
until I couldn't work the day shift anymore.. This house runs only because of
my beloved cow. She could supply milk to the creamery daily from which I
received a sum of 30 kronor last month.
(*Crofter gets up and goes to window , takes leather pouch hung on
window frame and takes out 10 kronor bills)
(Remove Table)
(Prem exits from left, Aryan sleeps on bench)
SCENE 3
(Prem reneters from left , walks across room)
(*Next day)
R.P:- (Wakes up and see old man rushing to milk cow) (To himself*) The old
man is awake, I should probably not stay in bed now.
Crofter: Guess this is where we part ways. Good luck my friend!
R.P:- Thank you for letting me stay the night , have a good day.
(Both exit from right)
(Aryan Renters from right)
(*Shakes hand, crofter locks the door and goes. After the crofter is gone,
R.P goes to the window, smashes the pane, takes the 30 kronor from the
leather pouch and quietly keeps the pouch back. He smiles wickedly and
walks into the woods. R.P keeps walking in the woods for hours and now
looks confused)
SCENE 4
R.P:- I cannot risk walking along the public highway , I should enter the
woods.
(Walks around for quite some time , and seems confused)
R.P: How big is this forest?
(*Walks a bit further, stops and is startled)
R.P: I have just been here before.
(*Looks frustrated and angry, exhales sharply, looks sad and then lays on
ground compresses himself)
R.P: (*sighs) This must be it. (deep breath , holds head) I fell for the rattrap.
(*R.P closes his eyes, and inhales deeply. Hammer strokes, R.P immediately
opens his eyes and sits still on ground)
R.P: That's the sound of a hammer beating on a metal. There must be
someone out there.
(*R.P gets up and leaves from left)
SCENE 5
(Mohit and prem enter from right , after some time , Aryan enters from
right)
(*Setting - Ramsjo Ironworks. Master and his assistant doing blacksmith
things. R.P opens the gate and comes in. Smiths looked at the R.P and then
looked away and continued to do their work. R.P walks up to them.)
R.P: Can I spend the night here?
(R.P goes on left side and sleeps)
(*Master with attitude nods. R.P trudges away, Master smith and assistant
do their work. Ironmaster comes to inspect. I.M goes to the R.P who has
his slouch hat on his face and removes his hat.)
(I.M enters from left)
I.M: I’ll be damned, if it isn’t Nils Olof! It appears that you haven’t been in
the best of condition.
R.P: Things haven’t been in my favor lately. It is worse than it looks
I.M: Your resignation from the regiment was your first and biggest mistake.
This would have never occurred if I had still been in the service at the time.
But as of now, you’ll be coming home with me
R.P: No. You don’t have to do this.
I.M: You don’t happen to think that I come from a royal lineage that you
could not step into my house, do you?
(*Slight pause)
I.M: You may have already heard that Elizabeth is long gone. Even my boys
are abroad. The only person I live with now is my daughter Edla. Recently we
were discussing about how this Christmas might be lonely . But here you are.
It’s like God personally sent you here. Anyways we have too much food that
we can’t eat alone.
R.P: I understand what you are saying but let me be.
I.M: But...
(*R.P interrupts)
R.P: You have been kind to me but I simply can’t spend this Christmas with
you.
I.M: (to Mohit) : Captain Von Stahle seems to have chosen your company
tonight, Stjernstrom.(Laughs)
(I.M leaves from right. Mohit and Prem STILL CONTINUE WORKING.)

(*I.M leaves the building. Carriage outside. Edla, Valet enters. R.P uses pig
iron as pillows. Edla lifts her hat. R.P jumps up abruptly)
SCENE 6
(Ryan and Akshitha enter from right)
Edla: Sorry for barging in on you. I’m Edla Willmansson. You must have met
my father some time ago. He came home and said that you wish to spend
the night here in the forge. I asked him if I could come here and bring you
home. I’m sorry that you are having a hard time but things might change this
Christmas. Why don’t you give it a try?
R.P: I never imagined that you would come all the way here to take me to
your home. There is no need for you to convince me anymore. I’ll come right
away.
(*R. P accepts the fur coat from valet and goes with her)
(Akshitha , Ryan and Aryan leave from right)
(THEN prem and mohit leave from right)

SCENE 7
(Sahil and Akshitha enter from right)
(Bring bench and table and keep on left side)
(*Breakfast in the dining room on Christmas Eve. I.M and Edla are present)
(Make sure that R.P feels like his home)
I.M: He already had his share of bad luck, misery and poverty. But I’m sure
he will come through .
Edla: I hope so. But I do find it hard to believe that this man was once your
regimental comrade. Something was off. Maybe the way he spoke or maybe
the way he acted.
I.M: This world has been harsh to him. Wait until he gets clean. You’ll find
him as a fine, tall and handsome gentleman.
(Kedar and Ryan enter from left)

(*I.M is surprised but angry)

Edla: He is not that bad after all.(Edla looks surprised)
I.M: How dare you! You are not Von Stahle!! (*Angry tone)
R.P: I never intended to come to your house sir. I’m just a nobody who
wanted to spend the night at your iron mill because I had nowhere else to
go. Please let me put on my rags and I will leave immediately.
I.M: You didn’t lie but you also didn’t tell the truth either. I'm sure the sheriff
would find this exploit of yours very interesting.
(RP comes forward and struck the table with his fist)
R.P: Let me tell you a bit of truth,this world is nothing more than a rat
trap,perfectly designed to lure you in . Money and happiness are nothing but
bait, to trap your very soul.My temptations led me to this trap but there
might be a day when you are tempted to eat the cheese yourself .
I.M: (*laughs) Well said.Maybe, we shouldnt be disturbing the sheriff on
christmas eve.Now,my advice to you is, run and hide buddy,
(slower)run and hide.

(*I.M opens the door. R.P is ready to leave . )

Edla: He should stay with us…I think.
(Edla closes the door)
(Ryan exits from left)
I.M: What is wrong with you?
Edla: All this person knows is misery and pain. He walks the whole day
selling rat traps, with the hope that maybe today might be the day he can
have a full meal and just maybe he can find peace in this cruel world , even
just for a moment. I want him to find that peace even if it lasts for only a day.
This was all just a misunderstanding but we won’t abandon him especially
after we asked him to celebrate Christmas with us.
I.M: Okay! Just one day. I hope you won’t regret your decision. (*To R.P) You
better be careful of what you ask.
(*Edla grabs R.P and brings him to the table)
Edla: Please eat.
(Edla switches from Akshitha to Siddhi)

(Remove table , kedar sleeps on bench)

(Siddhi wakes up kedar for food but he sleeps

again)

Edla: It looks like this man hasn’t slept this peacefully since many years
(Siddhi wake kedar up again)
Edla: You should join us for dinner.
(Kedar follows siddhi to table)
(*After the meal, he went around to each present, said thankyou and
good night. Went to Edla)

Edla: My father wanted you to have that suit. You don’t have to return it. It is
a Christmas present for you. If you don’t have a good place to celebrate
Christmas next year, you are welcome to find peace and joy with us.
(*R.P says nothing. Stares at her with amazement)

(All exit from right) (Remove table and chairs)

SCENE 8

(Mohit and Siddhi enter from right)

(*Next Morning)
I.M: Edla hurry up we will be late for the service.
Edla: Yes dad. Almost done.
(Both Exit from right)
SCENE 9
(Mohit and siddhi enter from right , Ryan enter from left)
Priest: In the name of the father , son and the holy spirit. Amen.
Priest: We have got some news. One of the old crofters of the ironworks has
been robbed by a man who went around selling rat traps. I request everyone
to keep their belongings safe and also to be cautious of such strangers.
(*Edla was shocked and speechless upon hearing this)
(*They drove back home at 10 o’clock. Edla hung her head down)
(Ryan exits left , Mohit and Edla leave left)(Bring back only dining table)
(Mohit and Edla reenter from right , Prem already standing on right)
I.M: Your words did come back to bite you.I’m sure the house will look much
cleaner now.
(*At home)
I.M: Where is that man ? Is he still here? I heard at the church that he is a
thief.
Valet: No sir. The fellow left some time ago and he did not take anything
with him at all. In fact, he left behind a little package.
(*Edla opens the package which was badly done. She became happy after
seeing the contents. Found a small rattrap. In it lay three wrinkled ten
kronor notes and a letter written in large characters)
Letter:
Honored and noble Miss,
Since you have been so nice to me all day long, as if I was a captain, I want to
be nice to you, in return, as if I was a real captain – for I do not want you to
be embarrassed at this Christmas present by a thief. But you can give back
the money to the old man on the roadside, who has the money pouch
hanging on the window frame as bait for poor wanderers. The rattrap is a
Christmas present from a rat who would have been caught in this world’s
rattrap if he had not been raised to captain, because in that way he got
power to clear himself.
Written with friendship and high regard
Captain von Stahle.
(*Both smiled)