THINK AS YOU READ

Q1. From where did the peddler get the idea of the world being a
rattrap?
Ans: The whole world was nothing but a big rattrap. It existed only to set
baits for people. It offered riches and joys, shelter and food, heat and
clothing in the same manner as the rattrap offered cheese and pork. As
soon as someone let himself be tempted to touch the bait, it closed in on
him, and then everything came to an end.

Q2. Why was he amused by this idea?

Ans: His own life was sad and monotonous. He walked laboriously from
place to place. The world had never been kind to him. So, during his
gloomy ploddings, this idea became his favourite pastime. He was
amused how people let themselves be caught in the dangerous snare and
how others were still circling around the bait.

Q3. Did the peddler expect the kind of hospitality that he

received from the crofter?
Ans: The crofter served him porridge for supper and tobacco for his pipe.
He also played a game of cards with him till bed time. This hospitality was
unexpected as people usually made sour faces when the peddler asked
for shelter.

Q4. Why was the crofter so talkative and friendly with the
peddler?
Ans: The crofter’s circumstances and temperament made him so talkative
and friendly with the peddler. Since he had no wife or child, he was happy
to get someone to talk to in his loneliness. Secondly, he was quite
generous with his confidences.

Q5. Why did he show the thirty kronor to the peddler?

Ans: The crofter had told the peddler that by supplying his cow’s milk to
the creamery, he had received thirty kronor in payment. The peddler
seemed to doubt it. So, in order to assure his guest of the truth he showed
the thirty kronor to the peddler.

Q6. Did the peddler respect the confidence reposed in him by the
crofter?
Ans: No, the peddler did not respect the confidence reposed in him by the
crofter. At the very first opportunity that he got, he smashed the window
pane, took out the money and hung the leather pouch back in its place.
Then he went away.

THINK AS YOU READ

Q1. What made the peddler think that he had indeed fallen into a
rattrap?
Ans: The peddler realised that he must not walk on the public highway
with the stolen money in his pocket. He went into the woods. He kept
walking without coming to the end of the wood. Then he realised that he
had fallen in the rattrap. He had let himself befooled by a bait and had
been caught in.

Q2. Why did the ironmaster speak kindly to the peddler and invite
him home?
Ans: The ironmaster walked closely up to the peddler. In the uncertain
reflection from the furnace, he mistook the man as his old regimental
comrade, Captain Von Stahle. He addressed the stranger as Nils Olof,
spoke very kindly and invited him home.

Q3. Why did the peddler decline the invitation?

Ans: The peddler knew that the ironmaster had mistaken him for his old
regimental comrade. Secondly, he had stolen money—thirty kronor—on
him. Going to the ironmaster’s residence would be like entering the lion’s
den. So, he declined the invitation.

THINK AS YOU READ

Q1. What made the peddler accept Edla Willmansson’s invitation?
Ans: Miss Edla Willmansson looked at the peddler quite compassionately.
She noticed that the man was afraid. She assured him that he would be
allowed to leave just as freely as he came. She requested him to stay with
them over Christmas Eve. Her friendly manner made the peddler feel
confidence in her and accept her invitation.

Q2. What doubts did Edla have about the peddler?

Ans: As Edla lifted the peddler’s hat, he jumped up abruptly and seemed
to be quite frightened. Even her kind looks, disclosure of her name and
purpose of visit failed to calm him. From his fear, she thought that either
he had stolen something or he had escaped from jail.

Q3. When did the ironmaster realise his mistake?

Ans: Next morning, the stranger was cleaned and well-dressed. The valet
had bathed him, cut his hair and shaved him. He was led to the dining
room for breakfast. The ironmaster saw him in broad daylight. It was
impossible to mistake him for an old acquaintance now. Then the
ironmaster realised his mistake and threatened to call the Sheriff.

Q4. How did the peddler defend himself against not having
revealed his true identity?
Ans: The peddler explained that he had not tried to pretend as his
acquaintance. He was not at fault. All along he had maintained that he
was a poor trader. He had pleaded and begged to be allowed to stay in
the forge. No harm had been done by his stay. He was willing to put on his
rags again and go away.

Q5. Why did Edla still entertain the peddler even after she knew
the truth about him?
Ans: Edla did not think it proper on their part to chase away a human
being whom they had asked to come to their house and had promised him
Christmas cheer. She understood the reality of the peddler’s life and
wanted him to enjoy a day of peace with them. Hence, she still
entertained the peddler even after knowing the truth about him.

THINK AS YOU READ

Q1. Why was Edla happy to see the gift left by the peddler?
Ans: As soon as Edla opened the package of the gift, the contents came
into view. She found a small rattrap with three wrinkled ten kronor notes
and a letter addressed to her. The peddler wanted to be nice in return as
she had been so nice to him all day long. He did not want her to be
embarrased at the Christmas season by a thief.

[Link] did the peddler sign himself as Captain von Stahle?

Ans: The ironmaster has invited the peddler to his house mistaking him
for Captain von Stahle. He was welcomed there and looked after as
captain even after the reality became known. The peddler got a chance to
redeem himself from dishonest ways by acting as an honourable Captain.

UNDERSTANDING THE TEXT

Q1. How does the peddler interpret the acts of kindness and
hospitality shown by the crofter, the iron master and his
daughter?
Ans: The peddler interprets the acts of kindness and hospitality shown by
the crofter, the iron master and his daughter differently. He cheats the
crofter as he provides him company in his loneliness and helps him pass
time. He wants to get a couple of kronors from the iron master and is
surprised at the contrasting style of behaviour of father and daughter. He
is touched by the kindness, care and intervention of Edla on his behalf.

Q2. What are the instances in the story that show that the
character of the ironmaster is different from that of his daughter
in many ways?
Ans: The ironmaster is impulsive* whereas his daughter is cool, logical,
kind and thoughtful. In uncertain light he (iron master) mistakes the
stranger as his old regiment comrade. He invites him home and takes
care of his feeding, clothing etc. When he sees him in broad day light he
calls the man dishonest, demands an explanation and is ready to call in
the sheriff. His daughter is more observant. She notices the fear of the
stranger and thinks that either he is a thief or a run away prisoner. Inspite
of that She is gentle, kind and friendly to him. She treats him nicely even
after knowing the mistake in identity.

Q3. The story has many instances of unexpected reactions from

the characters to others’ behaviour. Pick out instances of these
surprises.
Ans: The peddler is surprised at the warm welcome, generous supper,
cheerful company and intimate confidences by the crofter. The ironmaster
addresses the peddler as Captain von Stahle. He is surprised when the
ironmaster calls him “Nils Olof. The ironmaster assumes his declining the
invitation a result of embarrassment caused by his miserable clothing. The
peddler’s comparison of the world to a rattrap makes the ironmaster
laugh and he drops the idea of calling in the sheriff.
The peddler looks at Edla in boundless amazement when she tells him
that the suit is a Christmas present. She also invites him to spend next
Christmas with them. She does all this even after knowing the mistake
about his [Link] crofter is robbed by his guest, the rattrap peddler,
in return of his hospitality.

Q4. What made the peddler finally change his ways?

Ans: Edla Willmansson treated the tramp in a friendly manner. She was
nice and kind to her. She interceded on his behalf when her father was
about to turn him out. She still entertained the peddler even after knowing
the truth about him. She offered him the suit as Christmas present and
invited him to spend the next Christmas with them. Her love and
understanding aroused the essential goodness in the peddler and finally
he changed his ways.

Q5. How does the metaphor of the rattrap serve to highlight the
human predicament?
Ans: The world entices a person through the various good things of life
such as riches and joy, shelter and food, heat and clothing. These were
just like the baits in the rattrap. Once someone is tempted by the bait, the
world closed on [Link] peddler was tempted by thirty kronor of the
crofter. It makes him hide himself. He walks through the wood. He is
afraid to go to the Manor house. He gets peace only after returning the
bait (money).

Q6. The peddler comes out as a person with a subtle sense of

humour. How7 does this serve in lightening the seriousness of
the theme of the story and also endear him to us?
Ans: The peddler has a subtle sense of humour, which is revealed during
his interactions with the ironmaster and his daughter after the truth about
him becomes known. He is neither afraid of being turned out in cold in
rags nor of being sent to prison. He makes the ironmaster laugh with his
metaphor of the rattrap. His letter with the Christmas present to Edla is a
fine example of his capacity to make others laugh at him. Thus, he
lightens the seriousness of the theme of the story and also endears
himself to us.

TALKING ABOUT THE TEXT

Discuss the following in groups of four. Each group can deal with
one topic and present the views of your group to the whole class.
Q1. The reader’s sympathy is with the peddler right from the
beginning of the story. Why is this so? Is the sympathy justified?
Ans: The peddler wins our sympathy for his way of life and how the world
treats him. It is an admitted fact that the underdog always runs away with
sympathy, so does the peddler with the rattraps. He begs the material like
wire for his rattraps. His business not being specially profitable, he resorts
to begging and petty thievery to keep body and soul together.
His life is sad and monotonous. He plods along the road lost in his own
meditation. The world has never been very kind to him and he feels happy
in calling it a rattrap. Whenever, he asks shelter for the night, he meets
sour faces. He is an unwelcome, unwanted and undesirable figure. The
blacksmiths at forge glance at him only casually and indifferently. The
master blacksmith nods a haughty consent without honouring him with a
single word.
The old and lonely crofter finds him an enjoyable company. The
ironmaster mistakes him for an old regimental comrade. Only Edla
Willmansson behaves with him in a kind, friendly manner. Her nice
treatment arouses the tramp’s goodness. He redeems himself Hy
returning the stolen money and wins our admiration. Thus, we see that
the sympathy is not only well earned but well justified too.

Q2. The story also focuses on human loneliness and the need to
bond with others.
Ans: There are at least three characters in the story who suffer from
loneliness and express the need to bond with others. They represent three
strata of the human society as well. The peddler with the rattraps, the old
crofter and the ironmaster all suffer from loneliness. The peddler is called
a tramp, a vagabond and stranger at various points of the story. He
moves wearily from one place to the other. He is lost in his own thoughts.
He seeks shelter for night and people look at him with sour faces. Even
the blacksmiths look haughtily at him and nod consent. The old crofter
suffers from loneliness as he has neither wife nor child with him. Hence,
he feels happy when he gets the peddler to talk to in his loneliness.
The ironmaster is also lonely in his manor house. His wife Elizabeth has
died and his sons are abroad. There is no one at home except his oldest
daughter and himself. His requests to Captain von Stehle to accompany
him show his need for human bonding. He admits frankly that they didn’t
have any company for Christmas. The stranger turns down the request
not because he is against bonding with others but because he fears being
caught with stolen money.
Q3. Have you known/heard of an episode where a good deed or an
act of kindness has changed a person’s view of the world?
Ans: Yes, I know how the kindness of a Bishop transformed a hard-
hearted beastly convict into a man again with faith in God and human
values. The story is presented in the form of a famous play ‘The Bishop’s
Candlesticks’
The Bishop provides food and shelter at midnight to a runaway convict
who threatens him with a knife. Long years of imprisonment and harsh
treatment in the prisonship has transformed the man into beast and he is
devoid of all human feelings now. The convict runs away with the Bishop’s
silver candlesticks, but is caught by the police.
In order to save the convict from further punishment and torture, the
Bishop tells the police officer that the fellow is his friend and he had
himself given him the candlesticks. This kind act of the Bishop melts the
hard heart of the convict. He sobs and weeps. He promises to be a man
again.

Q4. The story is both entertaining and philosophical. Discuss.

Ans: The story entertains us by providing glimpses into human nature and
how people react to various situations. The actions of the peddler after
stealing thirty kronor are quite amusing. The reactions of the blacksmiths
to the tramp’s request for shelter show how casual and indifferent human
beings can be.
The U-turn in the ironmaster’s attitude towards the stranger reveal how
selfish and ignorant human beings can be. Mistaking the vagabond for his
old regimental comrade, whom he thinks he has run across unexpectedly,
he asks the stranger to accompany him home and spend Christmas with
them. When the stranger refuses to go with him, the ironmaster sends his
daughter. With her better persuasive power she makes him follow her.
The ironmaster is annoyed on seeing the stranger in broad daylight. But
instead of realising his own mistake, he puts the blame on the man. He
talks of handing him over to the sheriff. The metaphor of the world being a
rattrap saves the situation for the tramp, but the ironmaster wants to turn
him out. His daughter’s comments are quite entertaining and
philosophical. She wants the tramp to enjoy a day of peace. Secondly, she
does not want to chase away a person whom they had invited home and
had promised Christmas cheer.

WORKING WITH WORDS

Q1. The man selling rattraps is referred to by many terms such as
“peddler, stranger” etc. Pick out all such references to him. What
does each of these labels indicate of the context or the attitude
of the people around him.
Ans: Initially, the man who went around selling small rattraps of wire is
called a Vagabond’ for he plodded along the road, left to his own
meditations. He is referred to as “stranger” by the narrator while
describing his meeting with the old crofter. When he leaves the next day
he is described as “the man with rattraps.’ When he returns half an hour
later to steal money he is called ‘the rattrap peddler.’
For the blacksmiths at the forge he is an intruder. The narrator now refers
to him as a ‘tramp’. For the rich ironmaster he is a “ragamuffin’. Since he
had never seen the ironmaster or known his name, the man with rattraps
is called a ‘stranger’. He is described as ‘stranger* while he stretches
himself out on the floor when the ironmaster leaves. The label sticks to
him during his stay at the manor house as a guest. These descriptions
also suggest the degree of social difference ^between the persons and
the peddler of rattraps and their attitude towards him.

Q2. You came across the words, plod, trudge, stagger in the
story. These words indicate movement accompanied by
weariness. Find five other such words with a similar meaning.
Ans: Five other words with a similar meaning are: clomp, lumber, lurch,
reel, stumble.

NOTICING FORM
[Link] made them himself at odd moments.
[Link] raised himself.
[Link] had let himself be fooled by a bait and had been caught.
4. a day may come when you yourself may want to get a big piece of
pork.
Notice the way in which these reflexive pronouns have been used
(pronoun + self)
•In 1 and 4 the reflexive pronouns “himself’ and •‘yourself” are used to
convey emphasis.
•In 2 and 3 the reflexive pronoun is used in place of personal pronoun to
signal that it refers to the same subject in the sentence.
•Pick out other examples of the use of reflexive pronouns from the story
and notice how
they are used.
Ans. [Link] had not come there to talk but only to warm himself and sleep.
[Link] go up to the manor house would be like throwing himself voluntarily
into the lion’s den.
3…….there is no one at home except my oldest daughter and myself.
[Link] he laughed to himself as he went away …
5……apparently hoping that she would have better powers of persuasion
than he himself.
6. The stranger had stretched himself out on the floor…
7. It would never have occurred to me that you would bother with me
yourself, miss.
8…… if he had not been raised to captain, because in that way he got
power to clear himself.
In sentences 3, 5 and 7 the reflexive pronouns ‘myself, “himself and
‘yourself are used to convey emphasis.
In sentences 1, 2, 4, 6 and 8, the reflexive pronoun is used in place of
personal pronoun to signal that it refers to the same subject in the
sentence.
THINKING ABOUT LANGUAGE
Q1. Notice the words in bold in the following sentence:
“The fire boy shovelled charcoal in the maw of the furnace with a
great deal of clatter.” This is a phrase that is used in the specific
context of an iron plant.
Pick out other such phrases and words from the story that are
peculiar lo the terminology of ironworks.
Ans: Words and phrases that are peculiar to the terminology of ironworks
are given below: hammer strokes, smelter, forge, rolling mill, coal dust,
furnace, pig iron, anvil, iron bar, big bellow, coal, charcoal, shovel and
sooty panes.

Q2. “Mjolis” is a card game of Sweden.

Name a few indoor games played in your region. “Chopar” could
be an example.
Ans: ‘Rang-kaaf and ‘Turap Bol’ are popular indoor card games in our
region.
‘Chukkhal’ is a poor man’s substitute for Chopar.
‘Goti-paar’ is popular among young girls in rural areas.

Q3. A “Crofter” is a person who rents or owns a small farm

especially in Scotland. Think of other uncommon terms for “a
small farmer” including those in your language.
Ans: The uncommon terms for “a small farmer” are:
tiller, plowman/ploughman, husbandman, rancher, tenant farmer and
small holder.
In our language there are words like haali’, ‘bataai-jotta’, ‘jotta’ etc.