The Rattrap

The Rattrap

Introduction :

The Rattrap is written by a Swedish writer Selma Lagerlof. The story is an interesting one. It is like a fairy tale. There are many interesting incidents and dialogues. The rattrap seller is a homeless tramp. He stays for a night in the cottage of a crofter. The lonely crofter entertains him like a guest and trusted friend. He tells him everything. But in the

morning the peddler comes back, smashes a window pane, and steals the crofter’s money. Later, there is a turn in his fortune. The ironmaster mistakes him for an old comrade. The peddler is the ironmaster’s guest for about two days. But he, once again, leaves to pursue his usual profession of selling rattrap, theft and begging.

There is a twist at the end of the story. The ironmaster mistook him for his old comrade Captain von Stahle.There is a philosophical angle too in the story. The lonely tramp is a philosopher too. Not only does he make rattraps to sell, he thinks that the world too is a rattrap. As rats are lured by pork and cheese to enter the trap, so are men lured by lands, food, shelter, clothing etc. These are different baits. Those who touch them are trapped. He knew a few persons who were already trapped and others who were trying to bite the bait and get trapped.

Summary :

A rattrap peddler went around selling small rattraps. His clothes were in rags. His cheeks were hollow. He had the looks of a starved man. He made wiretaps. Sometimes, he resorted to begging and a little stealing to survive. The world had never been kind to him. He had no home, no shelter.

The peddler led a lonely life and was given to meditation. One day, while he was thinking about his rattraps, an idea struck him. He thought that the world itself was a rattrap. As pork and cheese serve as baits to trap rats, the world

offered land, clothes, foods, joys and riches to trap people. As soon as anybody touched them, the trap closed on them. He was amused to think of some people who were already trapped and some others who were trying to reach the bait.

It was a cold evening in December. He saw a grey cottage on the roadside. He knocked at the door and asked for a night’s shelter. The owner of the cottage was a lonely old crofter. He wanted someone to talk to. He welcomed the peddler. He gave the peddler hot porridge to eat and tobacco to smoke. Then, they played cards. The crofter was generous as well as trustful. He told the peddler that he had a cow and that he sold milk and cream. He also told him that he received thirty kroner as payment of the previous month. Then, he took down a pouch and showed him the money. Then, he put the money back in the pouch and hung it on a nail in the window frame. Next morning, the peddler left. The crofter locked his cottage and went away.The peddler came back to the cottage. He had been tempted to steal the money that hung like a bait in the window frame. He smashed the pane and stole the money. Now he thought that it was not safe to walk along the public highway. So he went into the woods. There he walked and walked, but could not get out. He was tired. He looked upon the forest as a rattrap in which he was caught. He thought his end was near. He laid down to die.

After a while he heard the regular thumping of a hammer’s strokes. He knew the sound was coming from some iron mill. He stood up and walked in the direction of the sound. He opened the gate of the works and went into the forge. The blacksmith and his apprentice were there waiting for pig iron to be ready to be put on the anvil. It was the Ramsjo Ironworks.

The blacksmith hardly took any notice of his presence. It was not unusual for a vagabond to come in for shelter and warmth. The owner of the work was very particular about the quality of the iron he produced. On one of his visits he came into the forge, he looked intently at the peddler’s face. He felt sure that the peddler was one of his old regimental comrades Captain von Stahle, who had fallen on evil days. He invited the peddler to come home with him for Christmas. But the peddler was alarmed.

He refused and the ironmaster went home.The ironmaster sent his daughter Edla to persuade the peddler to come home. She came in a carriage with a large fur coat. She could see that the peddler was unwilling to accept the invitation because he was afraid. Perhaps she thought, he had stolen something or had escaped from jail. She spoke gently to him. She assured him that he would be free to leave when he pleased. They wanted his company only over Christmas Eve. The peddler felt confidence in her. He agreed to go with her. On the way, he was sorry to have stolen the crofter’s money that had put him in a trap.The ironmaster was happy to have his old regimental comrade under his roof.

He planned to feed him well and give him some respectable work. The servant cut the peddler’s hair and bathed him. The peddler appeared wearing one of ironmaster’s fine suits. But when the ironmaster looked at him in the daylight, he felt he had made a mistake. The peddler was not Captain von Stahle. He thought that the man had deceived him. He even thought of handing him over to the sheriff.

The peddler said that he had not pretended to be what he was not. He had not been willing to go to the iron-master’s house. Even then, he was willing to put on his rags and leave. He also told iron master that the world was a rattrap and he too might be tempted by a big bait while getting caught in the trap. The iron master told him to leaveat once.

Edla did not like her father’s asking the poor peddler to leave. She thought it was unfair to turn away the man whom they had invited. She wanted to have the joy of entertaining a homeless wanderer on Christmas. She stopped the peddler and her father gave in.

Edla served food to the peddler. In the evening, during Christmas party, he was given Christmas presents which he thankfully received. Edla told him that her father’s coat that the peddler was wearing was also a Christmas present.

She assured him that he would be welcomed again if he liked to spend the next Christmas Eve with them.Next morning, the ironmaster and his daughter went to Church. There they learned that the peddler was a thief.

He had robbed the crofter. The ironmaster was sure that the peddler must have made away with their silver. Edla was dejected. But when they reached home, they learned that the peddler had left. But he did not take away anything. On the other hand, he had left a Christmas present for Edla. Edla opened the present. It was a tiny rattrap. Edla was happy to see that the peddler had left the crofter’s money behind. There was a letter also. It was addressed to Edla. He had thanked her for the kindness. He wanted to do a good turn to her, so he had left the crofter’s money and had requested her to return it to the crofter. He said that he was brought up as a real captain. That was why he could come out of the rattrap in which he had been caught. He had signed the letter as Captain von Stahle.

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