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TheRattrap
L(Selma lagerlof)
the

ABOUT THE
2-23)
Introduction
STORY

"The Rattrap" is a story Dead-tiredand

that is ihungry, he realizedthatt he had fallen
philosophical. into a
Through the entertaining as
well
trap.
Suddenly he heard the regular thumping
Or the

of
as
author highlights the metaphor of hammer and realized that he
human was near some
rattrap, iron
the
ats into thetrap of predicament mill. He
temptations.The story of
falling
gathered strength and walked in the direction
of
of the emotional needs of is a the soundto finally
good reach the RamsjÖIronworks. He
their behaviour.
human beingsthat
analysis
sneaked into
S There is a the mill and enteredthe forge. He sought
subtle govern
the story that serves in humour all permission from the master
lightening the through blacksmith to stay for tne
tone. night.The man
seriousness of its agreed but rather coldly. Still, the peddler
went close to
the furnace to warm himself and lied
Summary
down to
sleep.
The story is about a poor wanderer The OWner
who used to of this
mill was
a prominent ironmaster
his living by selling make
rattraps made out of whose ambition
He also took was to ship out good iron. Hence he
material.
to petty begged would visit his
stealing at workers regularlyto
times as inspect their work.
selling rattraps alone was not He came to the mill thatnight as
enough to sustain well.The rattrap
When lonely, a somber him.
presence caught his
seller's
thought often attention and he moved
rattrap-seller's mind. He felt
crossed the only to
closer
that all the mistake him for
comforts of
his old regimental comrade
were nothing but baits set life
Captain Nils Olof.
to trap Overwhelmed to meet his old
human beings.
he found the world to be Thus acquaintance
similar to a
rattrap where
and saddenedby his pitiable
men condition,
and women succumbed to the millowner
temptations.y insisted the rattrap seller
to accompany
One day, as he moved door to him to his manor house. The
door selling his peddler did not reveal his
rattraps, true identity but
a
hereached smallgray
cottage and sought
refused to go with the
ironmaster.
shelter from Afterfailing to convince the
the owner who lived alone. peddler to be his Christmas
This man had been a
crofter guest, the ironmaster left the
at RamsjÖ Ironworks. He mill. But, within half an
was extremely
kind to the hour his daughter, Edla
neddler. He notonly fed him porridge Willmansson, arrived and
but the two also invited the peddler once
smoked together and played cards. The again. Sheassured him that he
crofter was so could leave anytime after
pleased to have a guestthat he Christmas. The peddler
disclosed his source of
changed his mind and
income to this stranger. He accompanied the young girl to
showed him the thirty their manor house.On the
kronor which he had got after selling his wayhe felt asifhe had fallen
cow's milk to into the trap fromwhich he
the creamery and had kept in a pouch would never be released.
hung on a nail
On reaching the manorhouse he was
nearthewindowframe. accordedawarm
welcome. Hewas given a shave, a
refreshing bath and
The next morning the rattrap seller took leave of his
change of clothes. After this transformation he was
host but returned half an hour later,
smashed the presented before the ironmaster who realized thathe
window pane and stole the money that the crofter had had mistakenthis man for his old comrade. Upset by
shown him the previous evening.He took to the road the peddler's pretence, the ironmaster threatened to
into thewoods to avoid getting caught.He walked quite hand him over tothe Sheriff. However, the peddler
long and got confused by the maze of forest paths. insisted that he had never claimed to be the comrade

RATURE COMPANION 49 ENGLISH (CORE) 12

 ne tis

1hat he
wasthought
to be. On the
iron contrary. was the that an inherent goodnessis present in each one of.

it
mmaster who
hand refused to listen to
point Kdla himn. At this
The latent spark ofhuman values canbe
intervened and sajd that of the
inflamed back
in spite into life through love, understanding and compassio.
misunderstanding she wanted the man to
them for ( stay with
Each one of usencounters weak moments which maL
Christmas. Her father
this
gaveinto her wish and us succumb
unknown guestwas given a to temptation. Our greed can make,.
hospitable stay.
He was invited weak enough to touch the tempting bait
to the feast andother laid within the.
celebrations over of life. So, we shouldthink twice before
the evening He slept like a log in trap

between the festivities. judgingor

The Christmas Eve passed criticisingothers.The peddler in this story understande
and Edla and her
peacefully
well that the urge to survive
father left for the church in the traps us all, still he fails
morning leaving behind to
resist stealing the thirty kronor that
their sleeping guest. On reachíng the church, they belonged to the
heard about the theftat the crofter's and realized
crofter. However, the kind-hearted
that treatment meted
the thieffs descriprion out to him by Edla revives his
fitted their guest. Worried and passive values and he
upset, they returned home thinking that their precious manages to relieve himself from
the trap.Thestory thus
silverware too nust have been stolen by now. However, conveysa deep message that a tiny sparkof
love has the
when tlhey reached the manor they were informedby power to rejuvenate humanity and free us from a
their valet that the guest had left without taking degenerated existence.
anything with him. Rather he had left behind a parcel
for bdla She curiously opened the ill packed gift to find
TITLE
rattrapand the three ten kronornoteswrapped in The Rattrap" a very well-chosen
it. is title because the story
A
note acOmpanicd this gift with the request for Edla to isabout a rattrap peddler and about his
philosophyof
reiun the moey to its owner. The peddler had theworld being a rattrap. The author
hasused the title
expressed gratitude to thegirl fortreating him
a true like asa metaphor to highlight
human predicament.Just as
eapa Ihe humane tranent by the gentle woman a rat is befooled by the bait planted in the
trap, so do
had aroused the (onscienceof this tramp and he had most human beings fall prey to the
trap of material
de anctlort to nse trom his befallen state by returning benefits. The story revolves around the
incident of a
the suetamuney.
man getting trapped due to his avarice. However,the
THEME resilience that heexhibits by returning the stolen money
and hence relieving himself from
The story deals with the trap of material benefits that the trap leaves a
justifiedmessage.The function of a title
most human beings are prone to fall into. It also dwells is to convey the

on the human tendency to redeem oneself from thematic concern of the story. Here the title
not only
dishonest ways.Iorusingon human loneliness and the highlights the intendedtheme but also introduces the

need to bond with ohers, brings out our tendency to

it major character. Besides, it arousescuriosity in the
louk duwn upon the have-nots' of the society reader to explore the life of the peddler. Selma LagerlÖf,
and
deprive themof an opportunity to make their lives the writer, desired to convey a philosophical
meaning
worth living. However, here and there, are and this title conveysit pointedly.
stray good
Souls that help them come out of the
depth of their
wretchedness and encourage them to live a dignified life. GLOSSARY
resort to : to turn to
MESSAGE petty insignificant;trivial
The story of the rattrap peddler delivers the message thievery stealing

MPANION ENGLISH{CORE)12