THE RATTRAP

The Rattrap Introduction

This story is set amidst the mines of Sweden, rich in iron ore,
which figure large in the history and legends of that country.
The story is told somewhat in the manner of a fairy tale. It
conveys a universal message that the essential goodness in a
human being can be awakened through love, understanding,
respect, and showing kindness because there flows a soft
feeling among all of us. Material benefits are the traps that
most human beings are prone to fall into. Human beings do
have a tendency to redeem themselves from dishonest ways as
does the peddler at the end of the story.
The Rattrap Word Meanings
Thievery = stealing, Monotonous = in the same tone, Bait
= temptation, Dreary = dull, gloomy, Trudging = walking
slowly with heavy steps as you are tired, Mjolis = a card game
of Sweden, Kroner = currency of Sweden, Incredulous = not
faithful, Maw = stomach, Manor = landlord, Valet = a
personal attendant, Forebodings = predictions, Puckered
= wrinkled, Go downhill = deteriorate, Jagged = uneven
The Rattrap Summary
A rattrap peddler sold small rattraps. His clothes were in rags.
His cheeks were hollow. He had the look of a starved man. He
made wire traps. He begged the material from stores and big
farms. 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. One day while he was thinking
about his rattraps, an idea struck him. He thought that the
world itself was a rattrap. As soon as anybody touched it, 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 in the trap.
It was a cold evening in December. He reached a 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 sold her milk to a
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creamery. He also told him that he received thirty kronor as
payment 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. The 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 bait in the window frame. He
smashed the pane and stole the money. Now he thought 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
moved in circles. He was tired. He looked upon the forest as a
rattrap in which he was caught. He thought his end was near.
He lay down to die.
After a while he heard the regular thumping of a hammer’s
strokes. He knew the sound was coming from Ramsjo Ironworks.
He stood up and walked in the direction of the sound. He
opened the gate of the ironworks and went into the forge. The
owner came on his nightly rounds and noticed the ragged
wretch near the furnace. The ironmaster looked intently at the
peddler’s face. He felt sure that the peddler was one of his old
regimental comrades, Captain von Stable who had fallen on evil
days. He invited the peddler to go home with him for Christmas.
But the peddler was alarmed. He thought it was risky for him to
accept the offer. He firmly declined it. The ironmaster went
home.
The ironmaster sent his daughter Edla to persuade the peddler
to come home. She spoke gently to him. The peddler felt
confident in her and 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, shaved
him ad bathed him. The peddler appeared wearing one of the
ironmaster’s fine suits. But when the ironmaster looked at him
in daylight, he felt that 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 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 ironmaster’s house.
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Even then he was willing to put on his rags and leave. He also
told the ironmaster that the world was a rattrap, and he himself
might one day be tempted by a big bait and get caught in the
trap. The ironmaster told him to leave at 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 Eve. She stopped the peddler and her
father agreed to it.
Edla served food to the peddler. He was given Christmas
presents which he thankfully received. Edla told him that her
father’s suit 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.
The 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 had taken away nothing. 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 thanked
her for her kindness. He wanted to repay her kindness. So he
had left the crofter’s money and had requested her to return it
to the crofter. He said he had been raised to captain. That was
why he could come out of the rattrap in which he had been
caught. He signed the letter Captain Von Stahle.
The Rattrap Questions and Answers (6 Marks)
Q1. How does the peddler interpret the acts of kindness
and hospitality shown by the crofter, the ironmaster, and
his daughter?

Ans. The peddler feels absolutely no compunction about

accepting the hospitality of the crofter and then robbing him of
his hard-earned kroner. He enjoys playing cards with his host all
evening and then makes away with his money the next
morning. When the ironmaster having mistaken him for a
regimental comrade invites him to his house to share his
Christmas lunch, he feels a sense of entrapment, having the
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stolen money on his person, and thus declines the invitation. He
feels that to accept the hospitality of the ironmaster would be
like voluntarily throwing himself into the lion’s den. However, he
does not at the outset disclose his true identity because he
hopes to profit from the mistake thinking perhaps a few kroner
would come his way but now he only wants to rest near the
forge at night and quietly slip away in the morning. The
kindness of the ironmaster’s daughter touches the tramp’s
heart making him feel more worthy. She makes him feel
comfortable and raises his self-esteem. Even after his true
identity has been discovered, she feels sympathetic towards
him and convinces her father to let him stay and share
Christmas cheer with them. She does not for a moment doubt
his integrity and the tramp repays this faith and kindness by
leaving behind the stolen kroner to be returned to the rightful
owner along with one of his rattraps as a present and a letter
addressed to the daughter thanking her for elevating his status
to that of a captain and for the chance to redeem his mistake.
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 a man of power whose ambition was to

ensure that good iron was shipped out. He believed in closely
supervising the work at the ironworks to make sure that all was
in order. When he saw the tramp, he was not overcome with
sympathy. His arrogance came to the fore and he commenced
to give him a piece of his mind regarding his unwise decision of
not resigning at the appropriate time. His invitation to the
tramp to come to his house stemmed more from a sense of
superiority rather than true philanthropy. He was most indignant
to discover that the tramp had deceived him regarding his true
identity. The ironmaster’s daughter sensed something amiss on
her very first meeting with the tramp. She was not convinced
that he had ever been in the army and when she was proved
right, her reaction was not one of indignation but one of
sympathy, understanding, and kindness. She realised how he
must always have to contend with being turned away and not
being made welcome anywhere and decided that she would
give him that opportunity of feeling secure and welcome in their
home. She had more faith in him than did her father and when
the tramp did nothing but eat and sleep, she was able to

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appreciate the fact that he had probably never felt so secure in
his life. She even convinced her father to gift him the suit that
was loaned to the tramp as a Christmas gift.
Q3. The story has many instances of unexpected
reactions from the characters to others’ behaviour. Pick
out instances of these surprises.

Ans. The peddler, walking along on a winters evening, is able to

avail of the unconditional warmth and hospitality of the owner
of the cottage. The host shares his food, his home, and his
confidences, showing the stranger the money that he had
made. The tramp, the next day, feels no remorse for stealing
the money and walking away. When he is seeking shelter from
the cold and has the opportunity to spend the night at the
ironmaster’s house, he declines as he has the stolen money
with him and feels that he will be walking into the lion’s den.
However, when the same invitation is extended by the
ironmaster through his daughter, the tramp accepts as her
kindness filters through. Left alone in the ironmaster’s house,
the tramp has every opportunity to make away with the
valuables. On the contrary, the tramp goes away leaving behind
the stolen money to be returned to the rightful owner along
with a rattrap as a present for the ironmaster’s daughter.
Q4. What made the peddler finally change his ways?

Ans. The peddler had lived a life of privation and constant

rejection. It had made him cynical and embittered. Self-
preservation had become his sole objective and he could not
sense the difference between right and wrong. He had lost his
sense of self-worth, having lived in penury with no home to call
his own and not even a name to answer to. He had to resort to
begging and petty thieving to survive and life offered no
pleasure at all. The sadness and monotony of his life had
convinced him of the fact that life was like a huge rattrap and
just as the cheese and pork in the traps that he made were the
bait, so also the riches, joys, shelter and the food that life
offered were the bait. As soon as anyone let himself be
tempted, it closed in around him and all came to an end. He
took pleasure in thinking of all the acquaintances who had been
caught in this trap. However, the meeting with the ironmaster’s
daughter was the turning point in his life. The kindness, the

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concern, and the understanding that she showed him touched
the core of his heart and transformed his way of thinking.
Q5. How does the metaphor of the rattrap serve to
highlight the human predicament?

Ans. The tramp during his wanderings hit upon the thought that
just as the cheese and the pork are the bait in the rattraps that
he makes so also the joys, the warmth, the shelter and the
comforts that life offers are the bait to trap humans in the huge
rattrap of the world. It gave him immense pleasure to ruminate
about all his acquaintances who had fallen into the trap. Though
these were the thoughts of an embittered man who envied
those whose lot was better than his, yet the metaphor of the
trap holds some truth when one thinks about life. The more one
has, the more one wants, and sometimes the reasons for
wanting those things become secondary to the wants
themselves. Jealousy and rivalry are the corollaries of material
acquisitions and the only motivation to possess things is to
outdo another. The rattrap of the world entraps us and we are
so occupied with chasing the state of fulfillment that ever
evades us that we are again engulfed in despair and
discontentment.
Q6. The peddler comes out as a person with a subtle
sense of humour. How does this serve in lightening the
seriousness of the theme of the story and also endear
him to us?

Ans. The peddler, with his subtle sense of humour was able to
make an equation between the rattraps that he made and the
world, which he likened to a huge rattrap, offering a bait and
then closing in, round those who fell for them. This was his way
of consoling himself that no matter what his lot, he was better
off than those who fell for the worldly bait of joy, warmth,
shelter, and other such comforts. This makes them sad, the
weary and melancholy tramp very human and real. He manages
to arouse the sympathy of the reader despite his thieving ways
and his dead conscience for he makes the reader examine the
merits of self-preservation. His preoccupation with remaining
undetected as the thief who has made away with the thirty
hard-earned kroner of the crofter makes him refuse the luxury
of spending Christmas at the fine house of the ironmaster. The
kindness with which the ironmaster s daughter treats him
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touches the core of his hitherto hardened heart. The restoration
of his dignity results in his transformation into a responsible
human being, sensitive, courteous, grateful, and gracious.
Q7. 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 earns the sympathy of the reader because on

every occasion when his woes seem to be ending, he is assailed
by fresh problems as if caught in a rattrap with no escape. After
receiving hospitality from a crofter, he is assailed by feelings of
guilt as he stoops to temptation and steals the crofter’s
earnings. Paradoxically, he loses his way in a forest even though
he is a vagabond who has always found his way through the
woods. At the smithy when he is mistaken for an acquaintance
of the ironmaster he plays along, only to be discovered
subsequently and being threatened with imprisonment. When
Edla offers him unconditional love and hospitality, he does truly
reform. He rids himself of the stolen wealth and presents the
girl with the kroner in a symbolic rattrap, and becomes a
carefree and satisfied individual.
Q8. The story also focuses on human loneliness and the
need to bond with others.
(a) Festivities are not complete without bonding with other
human beings. Thus the ironmaster takes home the peddler
mistaking him for his former acquaintance Captain von Stahle
because he cannot bear to leave an acquaintance stranded on
Christmas Eve.
(b)The daughter and father welcome the stranger as they like to
have a company to share their joys on Christmas.
(c) Even after finding out that the stranger is not the former
acquaintance, the daughter insists on his staying with them
because of the need for human company.
(d) The story illustrates that lonely people are willing to take in
any human beings because of the innate need for human
company. Thus the crofter welcomed the vagabond under his
roof.
(e) The confession of the man to stealing or acquiescing to a
false identity did not alter the generosity of his hosts as they
were hungry for the company at all costs.

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Q9. The story is both entertaining and philosophical.

Ans. (a) The story is entertaining because of the many sudden

twists in the storyline that is maintained throughout the
content. Each time, the stranger seemed to have overcome his
troubles, he met with fresh hurdles.
(b) It is entertaining because of the differences in the locales
where the various incidents occur, and the dialogue of the
characters. The scene of mistaken identities reveals this point.
(c) The story maintains an air of suspense right through and
even the concluding part of the story is a startling one.
(d) The story is philosophical because it poses an open-ended
query as to whether our lives are conditioned by our fate or are
a direct follow-through of our own follies, caught as we are in a
giant rattrap.
(e) It also brings to the fore that human love, in the form of
hospitality when given unconditionally, brings about real
change as was revealed through the character of the
ironmaster’s daughter towards the peddler.
Questions from the Chapter in 2025 Board Exams
Q1. Read the following extracts and answer the
questions :
The next day both men got up in good season. The
crofter was in a hurry to milk his cow, and the other man
probably thought he should not stay in bed when the
head of the house had gotten up. They left the cottage
at the same time. The crofter locked the door and put
the key in his pocket. The man with the rattraps said
good bye and thank you, and thereupon each went his
own way.
But half an hour later the rattrap peddler stood again
before the door. He did not try to get in, however. He
only went up to the window, smashed a pane, stuck in
his hand, and got hold of the pouch with the thirty
Kronor. He took the money and thrust it into his own
pocket. Then he hung the leather pouch very carefully
back in its place and went away.

(i) Select the correct option from those given in

brackets, to fill in the blank.
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The behaviour of the peddler as described in the above
extract is an act of _______. (deceit / obedience)
Ans. deceit

(ii) “Both men got up in good season”. The author uses

the expression ‘good season’ to denote that
(A) They slept for a long time.
(B) They got up in a good mood.
(C) They got up early and timely.
(D) They got up hurriedly.
Ans. (B) They got up in a good mood.

(iii) State the irony in the peddler’s response. “The man

with the rattraps said good bye and thank you”.
Ans. The irony is that although he bid good bye, he returned
after a few minutes.

(iv) Choose the correct option:

The flaw in the peddler’s character as reflected in the
above extract is
(A) He is jealous of rich people.
(B) He indulges in self-pity.
(C) He can rob his benefactor.
(D) He can sleep anywhere without any hesitation.
Ans. (C) He can rob his benefactor.

(v) Complete the following sentence:

The role of cow in the crofter’s life is _____.
Ans. means of income

(vi) Choose one instance from the above extract to show

that peddler acted like a well mannered person.
Ans. The man with the rattraps said good bye and thank you

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Q2. Franz from the ‘Last Lesson’ and the peddler from
the ‘Rattrap’ learn from their mistakes. Discuss with
reference to the above texts, the human tendency to
make mistakes and learn from them. (120-150 words)
Ans. “To err is human, to forgive is divine.” This quote clearly
shows that humans are susceptible to making mistakes. It is
however, important for us to learn from these mistakes and
ensure not to repeat them. This strategy helps us grow and
improve our personality.
Both Franz and the peddler learn from their mistakes. Franz
realizes his mistake of procrastinating study. He develops a
liking for his teacher and is able to understand the entire
lecture taught that day. He becomes eager to study. We also see
the character of the peddler who has a change of heart due to
Edla’s selfless kindness. He grows up to her expectation of
being an army Captain and returns the stolen money along with
a rattrap as a gift for Edla. He acknowledges Edla’s kind heart
which transformed him and helped him come out of the worldly
trap that he was encircled in.
Thus, we see both Franz and the peddler learn from their
mistakes and look up to a better future.

Q3. How do the peddler from ‘The Rattrap’ and ‘the

office boy’ from ‘Poets and Pancakes’ compare in terms
of their frustration, status, and grudges against others.
(120-150 words)
Ans. Both the peddler and the office boy hold grudges against
others. The peddler is a vagabond and he thinks ill of the world.
He gets unwonted joy to think of people he knew who had let
themselves be caught in the dangerous snare and those who
were circling the bait. The office boy at Gemini studio had
entered the studio years ago in the hope of becoming a star
actor or screen writer, director or lyricist. He remained
frustrated and it was all aimed at one person, Kothamanglam
Subbu. Perhaps Subbu’s success was the cause of the office
boy’s vexation. The peddler’s frustration was general in nature
and he held grudges against the worldly pleasures which acted
like a bait to lure people. However, the office boy’s frustration
was directed at a particular man, Subbu.
Questions which came in 2024 Board Exam

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Q1. What did the peddler say in his defence when it was
clear that he was not the person the ironmaster thought
him to be? [40-50 Words]
Ans. The peddler explained that he never pretended to be the
ironmaster’s friend. It was the ironmaster who assumed his
identity, and he merely went along with it out of necessity and
desperation.

Q2. The lesson ‘The Rattrap’ is both entertaining and

philosophical. Do you agree with the statement? Give
reasons. [40-50 Words]
Ans. Yes, the lesson is entertaining through its engaging
narrative of the peddler’s adventures and philosophical in its
exploration of themes like redemption, the nature of human
kindness, and the transformative power of selflessness.

Q3. Franz from ‘The Last Lesson’ and the peddler from
‘The Rattrap’ demonstrate the importance of learning
from one’s mistakes and rising up to evolve as a better
person.
Write an article based on the two texts on how a man
evolves after learning from his mistakes. [120-150
Words]
Ans. In order to achieve success, it is crucial that we learn
from our mistakes and improvise ourselves. In the story ‘The
Last Lesson’ we see the young boy Franz who is shocked to
know that it is his last lesson of French and that he will never
get a chance to study it. This news transforms him and he
develops a liking for studies. He starts admiring his teacher and
acknowledges his dedication. That day Franz is able to
understand all that is taught in the class. Similarly, we see the
character of the peddler in the story ‘The Rattrap’. The peddler
reacts to Edla’s selfless kindness and gets over his acts of petty
thievery to be an army captain in the true sense. He does not
want her to feel humiliated that she had considered him to be a
gentleman. As a mark of acknowledgement of Edla’s kindness,
the peddler returns the stolen money and requests her to hand
it over to the old crofter.

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Thus, we see that these two characters learnt precious lessons
and incorporated them to become better versions of
themselves.

Q4. She gave a little cry of joy. She found a small

rattrap, … (The Rattrap)
Saheb-e-Alam received a pair of discarded shoes with a
hole in one of them. In spite of this he was very happy.
(Lost Spring)
Compare the joy that both Edla and Saheb experience
after receiving their respective gifts. [120-150 Words]
Ans. Edla and Saheb, though from different backgrounds,
experience similar joy from receiving gifts that symbolize
kindness and hope.
Edla, in “The Rattrap,” is overjoyed to find a small rattrap left by
the peddler, along with a note and money he had stolen. This
gift represents the peddler’s transformation and redemption,
brought about by Edla’s kindness. Her joy stems from
witnessing the positive change her compassion has inspired.
Saheb, in “Lost Spring,” receives a pair of discarded shoes with
a hole in one of them. Despite the shoes being imperfect,
Saheb’s joy is immense because they represent a rare luxury in
his impoverished life. The shoes give him a sense of dignity and
a small escape from his harsh reality.
Both Edla and Saheb find happiness in these simple gifts
because they carry deeper meanings of hope, transformation,
and the human capacity for kindness.

Questions from the Chapter in 2023 Board Exams

Q1. Read the following extract and answer the questions

that follow:
“I am thinking of this stranger here,” said Edla “He walks and
walks the whole year long, and there is probably not a single
place in the whole country where he is welcome and can feel at
home. Wherever he turns he is chased away. Always he is
afraid of being arrested and cross-examined. I should like to

12
have him enjoy a day of peace with us here-just one in the
whole year.”

(i) Complete the following sentence with the most

appropriate option :
Edla wished the Pedlar to have a peaceful day because
_________
(a) the Pedlar had worked for Edla.
(b) the Pedlar had not been released from jail.
(c) the Pedlar had been staying at the forge.
(d) the Pedlar had always been looked with suspicion.
Ans. (d) the Pedlar had always been looked with suspicion.

(ii) Select the suitable word from the extract to

complete analogy.
single : multiple :: abroad : _________
Ans. home

(iii) In the above extract, Edla comes across as

(a) conscientious
(b) pretentions
(c) compassionate
(d) selfless
Ans. (c) compassionate

(iv) Based on the above extract, choose the statement

which is true.
(a) relationships are rattraps.
(b) money is important in the world.
(c) criminal is not born but made.
(d) christmas is a time of charity
Ans. (c) criminal is not born but made

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(v) In the context of the given extract, which day is
referred to in the expression ‘just one in the whole
year’?
Ans. (v) Christmas eve

(vi) What does the expression ‘he is cross examined’

suggest?
Ans. (vi) The expression ‘he is cross examined’ suggests that
Peddler and his identity have always been questioned because
of suspicion.

Q2. Who was Edla Williamson? Why did she visit the
forge at night? [40-50 Words]
Ans. Edla was the daughter of the owner of Ramjso Ironworks,
the Ironmaster. She visited the forge on her father’s
instructions. He wanted her to get the peddler home for
Christmas. He had mistaken the peddler to be an old army
comrade and wanted to share the Christmas cheer with him.

Q3. Explain the metaphor of the rattrap. [40-50 Words]

Ans. The peddler in “The Rattrap” compared the universe to a
rattrap. He believed that the world entices people with
prosperity, pleasures, and other material goods, just as a
rattrap uses bait to entice rats. Once individuals succumb to
these temptations, the world ensnares them like a rat in a
rattrap.

Q4. What made the ironmaster invite the peddler to his

house? [40-50 Words]
Ans. The ironmaster invited the peddler to his house because
he mistook him for an old regimental comrade. He wanted to
offer him shelter and assistance out of a sense of camaraderie
and nostalgia.

Q5. Why was the peddler hesitant to accompany the

ironmaster to the manor house? [40-50 Words]

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Ans. The peddler had robbed the old crofter of his thirty
crooner and was hiding from the police. He was reluctant in
going to the Manor house with the ironmaster because he
feared being recognized as the thief and being arrested.

Q6. Why did the iron master compare Edla to a parson?

[40-50 Words]
Ans. He compares Edla to a parson because she has great
power of persuasion just like the parson in a church. When Edla
is able to convince her father to allow the stranger remain at
the mansion and they share Christmas cheer with him, the
father agrees reluctantly and says that Edla is good at
persuasion.

Q7. Edla is a contrast to her father, the ironmaster.

Explain. [120-150 Words]
Ans. In the story, the rattrap, there are various
instances which indicate the differences between Edla
and her father.
Ans. Edla is a mature girl. She realizes their responsibility
towards the stranger whom they have got home to share
Christmas cheer with. She persuades her father to allow the
stranger to stay back till Christmas is over because they had
forced him to come over. Her father is impulsive and rash and
wants to throw the stranger out when he realizes his mistaken
identity but the wise Edla stops him. She remains patient and
kind to the stranger whom they had got home.
Edla is observant, a look at the stranger’s face shows his fear
and she realizes that either he has committed a theft or has
escaped from the police. However, her father is not able to
decipher this.

Questions that appeared in 2022 Board Exams

Q1. Why did Edla invite the peddler? [40 Words]

Ans. Edla invited the peddler because she wanted to celebrate
Christmas in the true spirit of the festival by having a guest

15
over for Christmas supper. Moreover, she wanted to give the
peddler a day of peace.

Q2. What made the Peddler accept Edla’s invitation? [40

Words]
Ans. By his frightened look, Edla guessed that the peddler had
either stolen something or has escaped prison. So she hinted an
assurance that he would be free to leave whenever he wanted.
Reassured, he accepted the invitation.

Q3. What made the peddler think that he had fallen into
a trap? [40 Words]
Ans. The peddler thought he had fallen into a trap when he
realised that the rattrap had caught him, mirroring his own life’s
predicament of being trapped by greed and deception.

Q4. Explain the metaphor of ‘The Rattrap’ as explained

by the peddler. [40 Words]
Ans. The peddler uses the metaphor of “The Rattrap” to
describe life’s temptations and traps. Just as a rattrap catches
rats, life’s deceptions can ensnare people, leading them into
moral and financial pitfalls.

Q5. What Christmas gift did the peddler give Edla? Write
its significance. [40 Words]
OR
What Christmas present did the peddler give Edla?
Explain its significance. [40 Words]
Ans. As a Christmas present for Edla Willmansson, the street
vendor had left behind a small parcel. Three creased 10 kroner
bills and a little rat trap were inside. The letter praised Edla’s
generosity and friendliness. The gift made her pleased, she
thought. The gift represented the peddler’s evolution. The
kindness of Edla had changed the street vendor into a decent
person who had compassion and love for others.

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Q6. Why did the iron master speak kindly to the peddler
and invite him home? [40 Words]
Ans. The ironmaster of the Ramsjé Ironworks spoke kindly to
the peddler because he had mistaken him for an old regimental
comrade, Captain von Stahle.
The ironmaster wanted to help the peddler, not only in
regaining his health but also in taking up a new vocation.
Moreover, the ironmaster was a lonely fellow who lived with his
oldest daughter after the death of his wife and the departure of
his sons. As he longed for some company on the Christmas Eve,
he invited the peddler to his home.

Q7. Why was the peddler surprised at the hospitality he

received from the crofter? [40 Words]
Ans. The street vendor created wire rat traps and sold them to
passersby. When the vendor requested for protection, people
typically made grumpy faces. However, the crofter invited him
into his house. Along with providing him with food and shelter,
he also engaged in a game of “mjolis” with him. This kindness
shown to him by the crofter surprised him.

Q8. Why did the peddler derive pleasure from his idea of
the world being a Rattrap? [40 Words]
Ans. The world had never been kind to the peddler so it gave
him unwanted joy to think ill of it by considering it as a rattrap.
It became his cherished pastime to think of people he knew who
had let themselves be caught in the dangerous snare and of
others who were still circling around the bait in the rattrap.

Q9. The iron master accuses the peddler of not being

quite honest. What does the peddler say to justify the
situation? [40 Words]
Ans. The peddler stood up in defence of himself when the
ironmaster accused him of not being entirely honest and said he
had never attempted to pass himself off as the ironmaster’s
friend. He wasn’t at fault, therefore. He had continuously
maintained his status as a meagre trader and appealed for
permission to remain in the forge. His presence, though, had

17
not caused any harm. He was prepared to don his rags once
more and leave as a result.

Q10. In Edla’s dealing with the peddler, she was

compassionate and generous. Discuss with reference to
the story ‘The Rattrap’. [120-150 Words]
Ans. Edla was kind and generous in her dealings with the
peddler. The peddler’s perspective on the world was affected by
Edla’s deed of charity. Edla recognised right away that her
father was confusing someone’s identity in order to be his
acquaintance. She knew this because she had paid close
attention to the peddler. She convinced him to go with her to
her house so they could spend Christmas Eve together despite
the fact that she knew he was either a thief or a dishonest
person. The peddler used to believe that everything in life is a
giant bait and that the world is a big rattrap. But Edla brought
him to their home and asked him to be a part of their family at
least for one day, which made him realise that she could see
the true human being behind the con artist selling rattraps. She
stood by him even after his name was made known. All of this
gave the street vendor new insight into the world. She wanted
the street vendor to relax and have a good time on Christmas
Eve. She went so far as to invite him to spend the following
Christmas with them. He started to see that there are good
people in the world as well, and that he must modify the way he
views the world moving forward.

Q11. In the lesson ‘The Rattrap’, the narrator takes an

empathetic approach towards the rattrap seller.
Considering the above statement, discuss the narrator’s
portrayal of the peddler. [120-150 Words]
Ans. The narrator in ‘The Rattrap’ takes an empathetic
approach towards the peddler, portraying him as a complex
character caught in unfortunate circumstances. Despite his
petty crimes, the peddler is shown as a victim of poverty and
societal neglect. The narrator delves into the peddler’s psyche,
explaining his belief that the world is a giant rattrap, and
empathises with his plight. When the peddler is given kindness
and hospitality at the ironmaster’s house, he undergoes a
transformation, highlighting his inherent goodness. The
narrator’s compassionate portrayal underscores the idea that
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everyone deserves a chance for redemption and that kindness
can bring out the best in people.

Questions from the Chapter in 2020 Board Exams

Q1. Read the extracts given below and briefly answer

the questions that follow each.
But just as he laid his head on the ground, he heard a sound – a
hard regular thumping. There was no doubt as to what that
was. He raised himself. “Those are the hammer strokes from an
iron mill”, he thought.

(i) Who is he?

Ans. The peddler

(ii) Where was ‘he’ at that moment?

Ans. in the forest

(iii) Why did he lay his head on the ground?

Ans. he thought his end had come

(iv) Did he feel comfortable on hearing the thumping

sound? Why?
Ans. Yes, the sound indicated that there was a mill nearby
where he could seek shelter.

Q2. Why did the ironmaster invite the peddler to his

house? [30-40 words]
Ans. The ironmaster mistook the peddler for an old army
comrade and invited him home to feed him and improve his
condition. He wanted to take his regimental comrade home.

Q3. How was the peddler welcomed in the iron mill? [30-
40 words]

19
Ans. The peddler was cordially greeted at the crofter’s cottage.
The world had never been kind to the peddler before.
Everywhere he went, he was given the cold shoulder. As a
result, he was pleased to be received warmly by the crofter.

Q4. Why did the peddler leave a Christmas gift for Edla?
[30-40 words]
Ans. Edla’s selfless kindness brought a change in the peddler’s
heart due to which he left a gift for her. He wanted to live upto
the expected level of an Army Captain as she had addressed
him.

Q5. How did the Crofter entertain the peddler? [30-40

words]
Ans. The old crofter welcomed the peddler, shared porridge
and tobacco with him. He played Mjolis card game with the
stranger and let him sleep there for the night. He also shared
his secrets with the peddler.

Q6. Why did the Crofter repose confidence in the

peddler? How did the peddler feel after betraying the
crofter? [120-150 words]
Ans. The Crofter was an old lonely man. He was glad to get
company, someone to talk to. So, he welcomed the stranger
into his house. He shared porridge and tobacco with him,
shared the warmth of the fireplace, enjoyed the company by
playing card game ‘mjolis’ with him and even shared his
secrets. He boasted about the cow that he owned whose milk
had fetched him thirty Kronor from the dairy.
In order to make the stranger believe him, the Crofter even
showed him the pouch in which he had kept the money. Perhaps
he wanted to boast about owning such a bossy cow which gave
milk for the creamery everyday.
The peddler breached the Crofter’s trust by stealing the money.
Initially, he was pleased with his smartness, however, on
realizing that he could get into danger, he diverted into the
woods. There, he got lost and realized that he had been walking
round in the same path. The peddler now thought that he had

20
been tempted by the bait, the money and was now trapped in
an impenetrable prison.

Q7. What are the instances in the story (The Rattrap)

that show that the character of the ironmaster is
different from that of his daughter in many ways? [120-
150 words]
Ans. Edla is a mature girl. She realizes their responsibility
towards the stranger whom they have got home to share
Christmas cheer with. She persuades her father to allow the
stranger to stay back till Christmas is over because they had
forced him to come over. Her father is impulsive and rash and
wants to throw the stranger out when he realizes his mistaken
identity but the wise Edla stops him. She remains patient and
kind to the stranger whom they had got home.
Edla is observant, a look at the stranger’s face shows his fear
and she realizes that either he has committed a theft or has
escaped from the police. However, her father is not able to
decipher this.

Q8. Why did the peddler finally change his ways? [120-
150 words]
Ans. Edla was selflessly kind towards the peddler. On the first
glimpse of the peddler, she could identify that he had escaped
the police or was hiding from it. Still, she gladly took him home
and promised to share Christmas cheer with the vagabond. Edla
was kind towards him and when the ironmaster realized the
mistaken identity of the stranger whom he had mistaken to be
an old army comrade, Edla insisted on keeping him home and
fulfil the promise of sharing Christmas cheer with him. This
selfless humanity changed the peddler. Edla did not want
anything from the stranger, neither did she show him down or
boast about herself. She just wanted him to sleep and eat for a
few days because she knew that the homeless poor hungry
wretch required just this.

2019 Exam Question and Answers from the Chapter

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Q1. Why did Edla decide to entertain the peddler against
the wishes of her father? [30 – 40 words]
Ans. On the first glimpse of the peddler, Edla knew that he had
committed some wrong deeds. However, her father insisted on
bringing the man home. Now when he realized his mistake and
that the man was not an old army comrade of his, he wanted to
get rid of him. However, Edla insisted that they had got him
home and had promised him Christmas cheer and so, she did
not want to send him away.

Q2. How did the peddler show his gratitude to Edla? [30
– 40 words]
Ans. For the first time the peddler had encountered a person
with selfless kindness in Edla. He showed gratitude by rising up
to the mark of an army captain. He left her a gift of a rat trap,
the stolen money and a thank you note.

Q3. Why did the peddler decline the invitation extended

to him by the ironmaster? [30 – 40 words]
Ans. the peddler was guilty of committing the theft and so, was
reluctant to go to the Manor house. He wanted to take a nap at
the mill. He knew that the ironmaster was mistaking him for an
old army comrade and so, he refused the invitation.

Q4. Why did the peddler accept the invitation extended

by Edla having already declined the one from her father?
[30 – 40 words]
Ans. Edla’s friendly manner gave him confidence and he
accepted the invitation which he had earlier refused.

Q5. Why was the crofter so talkative and friendly with

the peddler? [30 – 40 words]
Ans. The crofter was a lonely fellow who lived on his own in a
little gray cottage by the roadside. He had no wife or children,
and craved company and friends. So, one day when the peddler
turned up at his doorstep, he was happy to find someone to talk
to, to be relieved of his boredom and monotony. This is the
reason he was so talkative and friendly with the peddler.

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Q6. Why was the crofter so kind and generous to the
peddler? [30 – 40 words]
Ans. The crofter was a lonely man and needed company. Thus,
he was welcoming and generous towards the peddler.

Q7. ‘The Rattrap’ focuses on human loneliness and the

need to bond with others. Comment. [120 – 150 words]
Ans. ‘The Rattrap’ is a bit philosophical story which tells that
the world is a trap and the materialistic things are bait. In the
story, the author tells that humans need someone to share their
joys and sorrows. They can’t live alone and that’s why they are
called social I animals. In the story too, the peddler is lonely and
so is the crofter. The peddler is a lonely man who sells rattraps
to avoid his loneliness whereas the crofter is an old man who
has neither wife nor child. Due to his loneliness, he wants
someone to talk to. So he becomes talkative and friendly with
the peddler and allows him to have a conversation with him. He
not only gives him a shelter but also gives him the food to eat
and tobacco to smoke. He tells the peddler everything about
himself and his earnings. On the other hand, the iron master
and his daughter are also lonely. They have lots of money but
no companion and so they request the peddler to spend
Christmas with them.

Q8. What made the peddler finally change his ways?

[120 – 150 words]
Ans. The experience of the peddler at the manor of the
Willmanssons made the peddler change his ways. Earlier he had
never known a true sympathiser or well-wisher. He had no
friend to steer him on the right path. Though the crofter was
hospitable to him and even the ironmaster had almost offered
him help, they failed to leave any impact on him. It was Edla
who, through her genuine care and understanding, was finally
able to change the peddler for the better.

Q9. How did the crofter tempt the peddler to steal his
money? How did it change the peddler’s life? [120 – 150
words]

23
Ans. The peddler was a lonely man who looked like a beggar.
He was a homeless wanderer who used to sell rattraps. Once he
knocked the door of a crofter who was equally lonely like him
for a night stay. He was received by the crofter warmly and
cheerfully. Crofter was proud of his cow that gave him enough
milk. So he told the peddler about the thirty kronors he got by
selling the milk of the cow and he used to keep his money in a
leather pouch that hung from a nail in the window frame. He felt
that the peddler did not believe him so he showed the money to
convince him. Having stolen the money, the peddler didn’t find
it safe to walk along the public highway. So he went through the
woods and got lost. Here, he thought that the whole world was
a rattrap and the money he had stolen was a bait and he
himself was trapped in it. Later, he regretted for stealing the
crofter’s money so much so that when Edia invited him for
Christmas, he returned the stolen money to her.

Q10. What miracle did Edla perform in the peddler’s life?

How? [120 – 150 words]
Ans. Edla transformed the vagabond and gave him a positive
outlook towards life. Edla’s compassion and selflessness gave
the peddler the confidence. He now believed that goodness
exists in the world. He wanted to stand up to her expectation of
being a Captain and so, returned the stolen money. For the first
time, he experienced genuine kindness.

Q11. When and how did the peddler realise that he had
fallen into a rattrap? How could he get out of it? [120 –
150 words]
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. In order to
come out of the trap he made rattraps of wire and went around
selling them. He got material for making them by begging in the
big stores or at big farms. Since his business was not quite
profitable, he would beg or steal in order to survive.

24
Q12. How was the peddler received at the Ramsjé iron
mill? Why did he decline the ironmaster’s invitation?
[120 – 150 words]
Ans. The workers at the ironmill were busy working at the hot
furnace and no one reacted to the presence of the peddler. The
peddler walked up to the furnace and lay close to it. The heat of
the furnace gave out steam from his damp clothes. When the
ironmaster arrived, he gave a close look to the peddler and
mistook him to be an army comrade who had gone downhill in
life. Thus, he insisted on taking the peddler home. The peddler
knew that the master was mistaken and so, he refused. More so
because he was afraid of being caught, having committed a
theft. The peddler did not clear the ironmaster’s mistake
because he thought that maybe the master would throw a cin
or two at him for being his army comrade.

Q13. Give instances from the chapter, ‘The Rattrap’ to

show that most of its characters are victims of
loneliness. [120 – 150 words]
Ans. The main focus of the story ‘The Rattrap’ is on human
loneliness. All the characters, whether it is the peddler, the
crofter, the ironmaster or his daughters, suffer from loneliness.
The peddler is a lonely man who has always been shunned by
society’s cold and unkind words. When he knocks at the door of
the old crofter’s cottage he does not expect hospitality but the
crofter welcomes him as he is too happy to get someone to talk
to after being alone for so long. By serving the peddler the
crofter is in fact serving himself. He serves the peddler with
supper, gives him tobacco and plays ‘mjolis’ with him. He is a
very good host. The ironmaster and his daughter too miss
company and this makes them all the more lonely on the
occasion of Christmas. So the ironmaster, who mistakes the
peddler for his old regimental comrade, invites him to his manor
house for Christmas. The ironmaster’s daughter, Edla, extends
this invitation again and tells the peddler he can leave any time
after Christmas. Thus the need to bond is the main focus of the
story ‘The Rattrap’.

Q14. How does the story, ‘The Rattrap’ show the

redemptive power of love and compassion? [120 – 150
words]
25
Ans. The story ends with the peddler’s redemption for his sin of
committing theft. The peddler is moved by Edla’s compassion
and kindness. He feels confident that goodness exists in the
world. He wants to live up to Edla’s expectation of being a real-
life army Captain. Thus, he return the stolen money as a
redemption for his guilt. The story wants to convey the message
that love and compassion can sensitize even the hardest of
hearts.

26