THE RATTRAP Selma Lagerlof Chapter Sketch The Ratapis based on the theme thatthe essential goodness ina human being ca be aakened through understanding and love, The siory set amidst the Kon mines of Sweden. The author has beauty brought ou numan loneliness and the ‘aed Yo bond wih others About the Characters The Peddler A poor man who sold rattraps fora living and was a patty thet The Crofter A simple trusting Person who is robbed by the peddle. The Ironmaster A stern taskmaster and law-abiding person, he trusts the peddier due to his daughter's persuasion, Edla The ironmaster's daughter who is @ kind and compassionate lady, - hor About haan was a Swedish author and teacher. She was the a Lage tro win the Nobel Prize in Literature. Her stories have fist wo eco many languages. A universal theme runs through all them a belief that the essential goodness in a human being can be awakened through understanding and love. Summary of the Chapter The Rattrap Peddler and his Thoughts About the World Once upon a time, there was a vagabond who went around selling small rattraps. He made them from the material he got by begging. The busines was not profitable, so he had to beg and even steal to survive. His clothes were in rags, his cheeks were sunken and hunger gleamed in his eyes. The Crofter Treats the Ped, Peddler Cheats him Sa tacety bat the One dark evening, small grey cottage s been a crofter, talk to, The is days - He ink ler low, his sperit formed the peddle! thirty kronor by ped him. He even shared d the Ramsjé Ironworks. the cre thoy ine cow's mk spare the face chat he ad eared * &uest seemed incredulous, # Final over grout come than com and Her large ente com awit the | pers Soo ins the add le bin Th Woy io Ine Be y A ‘jel the public highy fe felt he would be s h him. It wa: s galk in a definit ‘ekand forth "ed on and on and 1 around in the sar Declines his Invitation Finally, che h erwhelmed wit spection a ld be like “tsuade the Peddler he itonma: 7 by prbatrassed because vagabond is Pleasey Mstestin the Woods |W i onmaster Sends his Daugh* runks and offered no The Peddler Meets the Ironmaster; ank down to the last moment had fhe sound was his strength ye. He twa ed by the red by + might give er Edla 0 nd coc 'Y refuse a aoay ined "© BO with him. Tene mah tte ea ersistent tO persuade the Tronworks, she found tke eg tation. He fle gui for stealing the sear Hee st fuilty and cursed himself Exwrssas her Doubts About the Peddler '¢ next day was Christmas Eve. The ir happy that he would be spending he time wth an old Tend. He cold Edla that they needed to feed him wel and provide hisn with a better business than sellin, rattraps. Edla said that she was doubtful about the, peddler, as he didn't display the slightest sign of being educated. However, the ironmaster told her to have. some patience. Just then the door opened and the stranger entered the room. He was now well groon. < He was wearing clothes which belonged to the ironmaster. The Ironmaster Gets Angry; the Peddler Retaliates The ironmaster realised thatthe tramp was no friend of his. The peddler made no attempt ro delude them any longer. He explained that he never said to the ironmaster thar he was Nils Olof, He had even pleaded and begged for not coming to the manor house. He added that no arm had been done and he could put on his rags and go away. The ironmaster said that the peddler had not been very honest and he would take him to the Sheriff. The peddler got agitated. He said that the world was like a’ big rate and some day the ronmaster would also be raiypted to touch the baicand would be doomed. tear cis, che ironmaster stared laughing Behalf of the Peddler sraaster asked the pedler to leave, But E Teed him Te stay back. She fle that they ha wanted Hit caer Christmas cheer and it would Pe Mei away. The peer was sure athe added thatthe pees mush se ad eime ashe was alas eat even sleep unafraid. and the peddler was a ut che only cing he ‘Once or twice: he was’ Edla Argues on dla Comfort the pedillet H ‘thing to be ashamed ab 1, his > wife E > de eth watto have food but besides that, he only slept. Ir seemed a8 though he had never slept as quietly and ‘safely. The ironmaster and Edla gifted him the suit that he was ‘wearing as a Christmas present. She told him that he welcome to spend even the next Christmas with ther. The peddler kept staring at her in boundless amazement: The Peddler Becomes a Changed Man The next morning the ironmaster and his daughte to the church for Christmas service, leaving the peddler at home. They returned home and Edla was very sad. At the church, they had learned that a rattrap seller robbed an old crofter who once worked at their Ramsi3 Ironworks. The ironmaster was furious. They thought that by the time they would reach home, the peddler would have escaped with all their silver and other valuables. When they got home, the ironmaster asked the valet ifthe pedaller was still there. The valet informed him that the fellow had left but he had not taken anything with him. Instead, he had left something for Edla. Edla opened the package and found a rattrap. In the rattrap were three wrinkled ten kronor notes and a letter. The peddler had written that since Edla had treated him like a real captain, he also wanted to be nice to her. He wanted the money to be returned to the crofter. He further wrote that he would not have been able to escape the rattrap, if he had not been raised to the status of a captain. He even signed the letter as ‘Captain von Stable’. He was a changed man. sr went WORD/PHRASE MEANINGS rattraps — traps for catching rats atodd moments — inhis fee time kkeop body and soul — survive, especialy in dificult circumstances together ‘sunken — hollow hunger gleamed in — anybody could make out that he was his eyes: hungry from his eyes vagabond = _aperson who wanders trom place to place without a home orjob pods along the road— walks slowly with heavy steps on the road fallen into a line of ©— started thinking about something thought (whole worldis a) — (the world was a) place offering temptations to rattrap trap people set baits — offering temptations unwontes OF trading sour carved oft mts eonfidences crater bossy creamy ronor peddler stuckin impenetrable prison — smater forge barges scows ig iron maw nodded a haughty consent lronmaster ragamutfin ceased his way dojgned slouch hat Uundeceive regiment manor house valet apprentice things have gone downhill tramp puckered dissimulate Sherif Parson interceded fare in good season — unusual enjoyment = Uahng stow wth heavy stepg = hostile — cut card game played in Sweden oe vale mates ‘small farmer (here) cow Meeyratpeccesttaanag | ¢ oe ency ot Sweden the ton who gooe fom pcan hing srl goods py | a = ttn vores prion — gathered este Oda tay fem ts ore “zac whore metal se healed = on tarbotomed boas foramen ares on cans Overs feo boas for tensa cayy ‘ecrom ships harbour — Gude ron fst olan toma fnace sneey — auth or opening roganty agreed — the master or proprietor of anirenwots — _apperson in ragged, dity clothes — came in slowly and carefully — condescended = ahatwith a wide flexible brim or edge — reveal his real identity to = aunt of an army commanded by a aust colonel — allarge country house with lands — personal attendant — a person who is leaming a trade froma skiled employer — matters have deteriorated or worsened — homeless person who lives by begga! doing casual work — winked = pretena — the chief executive officer of acstict®l administrative and jucicial powers = Priest —_ intervened or spoke on behalf some else r — Brange of food — ontime