The Rattrap
By - Selma Lagerlof
By - Selma Lagerlof
“The Rattrap” is a story written by Selma Lagerlöf. It explores human nature, greed, and kindness, and how circumstances can change a person’s life.
The story begins with a poor, lonely peddler who sells rattraps in the villages. He believes that life is like a rattrap – a trap, where people are caught by greed and materialistic desires. One winter evening, he enters a forest to find shelter and comes across a small hut. The man is cold and hungry, but he is cautious and plans to steal food. While roaming, he is caught by the police for suspicion of theft, but they release him because they find no proof of crime.
Later, he arrives at the home of an old crofter. The crofter is kind and offers him food and shelter. The peddler starts enjoying his stay but secretly thinks of stealing the crofter’s money. He plans to run away with the money. However, while preparing to leave, he overhears a conversation between the crofter and a woman he meets – they are talking about trust, kindness, and human goodness. This makes him feel guilty about his plans.
Next, the peddler goes to a rich man’s house to sell rattraps. The rich man, named the General, is kind and treats him with respect. The General invites him to stay and even writes a letter for him to a lady who had helped the General. The peddler, touched by human kindness and trust, changes his mind about stealing. He begins to see the world differently and realizes that goodness and love are more valuable than greed.
At the end of the story, the peddler’s experience shows that human beings are influenced by kindness and moral values. Even someone who lives in poverty and has a habit of cheating can change when treated with trust and compassion.
“द रैट्रैप” सेल्मा लैगरलॉफ द्वारा लिखा गया एक कहानी है। यह कहानी मानव स्वभाव, लालच और दयालुता पर आधारित है और दिखाती है कि परिस्थितियाँ व्यक्ति का जीवन बदल सकती हैं।
कहानी की शुरुआत एक गरीब और अकेले व्यापारी से होती है जो गाँवों में चूहे के जाल बेचता है। वह मानता है कि जीवन एक रैट्रैप (चूहा जाल) की तरह है, जिसमें लोग लालच और भौतिक इच्छाओं के कारण फँस जाते हैं।
एक सर्दियों की शाम, व्यापारी जंगल में आश्रय खोजते हुए एक छोटे से झोपड़ी में पहुँचता है। वह ठंडा और भूखा है, लेकिन चोरी करने का विचार करता है। घूमते समय, पुलिस उसे चोरी के शक में पकड़ लेती है, लेकिन कोई प्रमाण न होने के कारण उसे छोड़ देती है।
बाद में, वह एक बूढ़े किसान के घर जाता है। किसान उसे भोजन और आश्रय देता है। व्यापारी वहाँ रहते हुए आनंद लेने लगता है, लेकिन चोरी करने की योजना बनाता है। चोरी की तैयारी करते समय, वह किसान और एक महिला की बातचीत सुनता है, जिसमें वे विश्वास, दयालुता और मानव अच्छाई के बारे में बात कर रहे हैं। इससे व्यापारी को अपनी योजना पर पछतावा होता है।
फिर, व्यापारी एक अमीर आदमी के घर जाता है रैट्रैप बेचने के लिए। अमीर आदमी, जिसे जनरल कहा जाता है, उसे सम्मान और दयालुता से व्यवहार करता है। जनरल उसे आमंत्रित करता है और एक पत्र लिखकर उसे भेजने में मदद करता है। मानवता और विश्वास के प्रभाव से व्यापारी चोरी करने का विचार छोड़ देता है। वह समझता है कि अच्छाई और प्रेम लालच से अधिक मूल्यवान हैं।
1. Who wrote “The Rattrap”?
a) Rabindranath Tagore
b) Selma Lagerlöf ✅
c) Charles Dickens
d) Mark Twain
2. What does the peddler sell?
a) Books
b) Fruits
c) Rattraps ✅
d) Toys
3. How does the peddler describe life?
a) Beautiful
b) Like a rattrap ✅
c) Peaceful
d) Joyful
4. Who offers the peddler food and shelter?
a) The General
b) A crofter ✅
c) Police
d) No one
5. Why is the peddler initially caught by the police?
a) For selling rattraps
b) Suspicion of theft ✅
c) Walking in forest
d) Helping the crofter
6. What makes the peddler feel guilty?
a) Seeing the poor family
b) Conversation about kindness ✅
c) Cold weather
d) Hunger
7. Who is the rich man in the story?
a) The crofter
b) The General ✅
c) Police officer
d) Merchant
8. What changes the peddler’s attitude?
a) Fear
b) Hunger
c) Kindness and trust ✅
d) Money
9. Main theme of the story:
a) Adventure
b) Greed vs. kindness ✅
c) Science
d) Friendship
10. Moral of the story:
a) Always be careful
b) Trust can change people ✅
c) Money is everything
d) Stealing is easy
Q.1 A mistaken identity led to a discovery of a new one for the rattrap peddler. How did this impact him ?
Ans : The mistaken identity greatly impacted the rattrap peddler. The mistaken identity helped him clear his conscience and become a better person. The experience gave him the opportunity to behave in the way expected of a captain.
Q.2 From where did the peddler get the idea of the world being a rattrap ?
Ans : The peddler was a rattrap seller. He was naturally thinking of his rattrap when suddenly he was struck by the idea that the whole world nothing but a big rattrap.
Q.3 Why did the peddler think that the world was a rattrap ?
Ans : Peddler was a poor man who sold rattrap. He thought that the whole world is a big rattrap as its all comforts and joys are baits to trap anyone.
Q.4 Did the peddler expect the kind of hospitality that he received from the crofter ?
Ans : No, the peddler did not expect the kind of hospitality that he received from the crofter because when he knocked one's door for shelter and food he received unfriendly behavior.
Q.5 Why did the peddler knock on the cottage by the roadside ? How was he treated by the owner of the cottage ?
Ans : The peddler knocked on the cottage by the roadside the night. The owner of the cottage was a crofter who lived there alone. He treated him quite hospitably. He not only put him up for the night, but also offered him food and played cards with him until bedtime.
Q.6 What was content of the letter written by the peddler to Edla ?
Or
How did the peddler show his gratitude to Edla ?
Ans : The peddler wrote a letter to expresses gratitude to Edla for being very nice to him. He requested to her to return the thirty kronor to the old crofter. He thanked her for treating him like a captain and for making him a better person.
Q.7 What were the contents of the package left by the peddler as christmas gift for Edla ?
Ans : The package left by the peddler as christmas gift for Edla included a small rattrap, thirty kronor note and a letter with a request to her to return the thirty kronor to the old crofter.
Q.8 Who was the owner of Ramsjo iron mills ? Why did he visit the mills at night ?
Ans : The owner of Ramsjo iron mills was ironmaster. He visited the mills at night because his ambition to make good iron.
Q.9 Why did the stranger not tell the ironmaster that he was not Nils Olofe ?
Ans : The stranger did not tell the ironmaster that he was not Nils Olof because the stranger thought that some money would be given to him by the ironmaster.
Q.10 Why was the crofter so talkative and friendly with the peddler ?
Ans : The crofter was old and lonely man without wife or children. Therefore, he was happy to get someone to talk to and share his thoughts with him. So, he welcomed the peddler and made hospitality. He offered him food and smoke too.
Q.11 Why did crofter show the thirty kronor to the peddler ?
Ans : While talking with the peddler about his income, the crofter told him that his cow was the only source of income and in the previous month, he had received thirty kronor by selling her milk to the creamery. Peddler did not believe, so Crofter showed the 30 kronor to him.
Q.12 Did the peddler respect the confidence resposed in him by the crofter ?
Ans : No, the peddler did not respect the confidence resposed in him by the crofter. The peddler smashed the window pane, took out the money and hung the pouch back in its place, then he ran away.
Q.13 How did the crofter entertain the peddler ?
Ans : The old crofter gave the peddler supper and tobacco. Then, he played cards with him until bedtime. He treated him quite hospitably.
Q.14 What made the peddler think that he had indeed fallen into a rattrap ?
Ans : The peddler had stolen thirty kronor from the crofter's cottage and then, he decided to walk through the forest to avoid the public highway. He got lost in the forest which was a maza. Then, he realized that he had fallen into a rattrap.
Q.15 Why did the peddler decline the invitation ?
Ans : The following reasons that the peddler declined the invitation -
1 The peddler knew that the ironmaster had mistook him for his old regimental comrade.
2 He had stolen thirty kronor from crofter's cottage.
Q.16 What made the peddler accept Edla Williamson's invitation ?
Ans : Edla expressed her sympathy towards the peddler. She requested him to stay with them over christmas event, seeing her speak in such a friendly manner, made him trust her. Thus, he accepted her invitation.
Q.17 What doubts did Edla have about the peddler ?
Ans : Edla had doubts that the peddler had stolen something or he had escaped jail.She also thought that, he was not an educated man and so, he could not be her father's old comrade.
Q.18 What did the peddler say in his defence when it was clear that he was not the person the ironmaster had thought he was ?
Ans : The peddler defenced himself by saying that it was not his fault as he had never pretended to be anything but a poor trader.
Q.19 Why did Edla still entertain the peddler even after she knew the truth about him ?
Ans : Edla had always thought the peddler to be a poor, homeless. Therefore, she did not feel cheated when she knew the reality of him. She felt a sympathy towards him and felt very bad for him. She and her father had promised him christmas event and she felt that it would be wrong to send him away.
Q.1 Give the character sketch of peddler.
Ans : Introduction : The present question has been taken from the chapter 'The Rattrap' written by Selma Lagerlof. This is a story about a rattrap seller who is very poor.
The character sketch of rattrap peddler : In the story 'The Rattrap' the writer Selma Lagerlof tells about a peddler who was a rattrap seller and he thought that the whole world was nothing but a big rattrap. One dark evening he knocked a little cottage by the roadside for the night. The owner of the cottage was an old crofter who lived there alone without wife or child. He welcomed him in his cottage. He treated him quiet hospitably and gave him supper and tobacco and played cards with the peddler until bedtime. But, the crofter had been robbed by the peddler. The peddler had stolen thirty kronor from the crofter's cottage and then he decided to walk through the forest. He got lost in the forest which was a maza. He was scared. After some time he had reached in the forge of ironwork. When the ironmaster went to inspection, he saw peddler in the furnance and mistaken him for captain Nils Olof and old comrade. He invited him to his manor house. When he knew that the guest was not his old comrade but a stranger. He said him that he would call the police. His daughter Edla felt a sympathy for the peddler and wanted him to enjoy a day of peace with them. So, the peddler spent a christmas event with them.
Conclusion : In the last of the story the writer tells that the peddler had left a small package as a christmas present for Edla included a small rattrap, thirty kronor notes and a letter with a request to her to return the thirty kronor to the old crofter. He thanked her for treating him like a captain and for making him a good person.
Q.2 What are difference and similarities between Ironmaster and Edla ?
Ans : Introduction : The present question has been taken from the chapter 'The Rattrap' written by Selma Lagerlof. This is a story about a rattrap seller who is very poor.
The following difference between Ironmaste and his daughter Edla -
1 Kind hearted : Edla is more kind hearted than her father.
2 Hospitable : Edla is more hospitable than her father.
3 Convincing power : Edla has more convincing power than her father.
4 Christmas event : Edla invites peddler for christmas event but not her father.
5 Kindly behaviour : Edla behaves kindly than her father.
6 After knowing about peddler : Edla treates him with kindness after knowing the truth about him but not her father.
The similarities between Ironmaster and Edla :
The ironmaster mistook the peddler to be his old regimental comrade and he invited him to his manor house. His daughter Edla also showed nice behaviour to the peddler.