Question 12 : What was the content of the letter written by the peddler to Edla? Answer : The peddler wrote that he wanted to be nice to Edla as she had treated him nicely and like a captain. He further stated that he did not want her to be embarrassed by a thief at Christmas and requested her to return the money he had stolen to the crofter. Question 13 : What were the contents of the package left by the peddler as Christmas gift for Edla Willmansson? Answer : The package left by the peddler as a Christmas gift for Edla Willmansson comprised of a small rattrap with three wrinkled ten kronor notes in it, which the peddler had robbed from the crofter.
Answer : The crofter was very lonely and lived alone in a cottage. He did not have a wife or a child. He felt happy when the peddler knocked on his door as he thought that the peddler would give him company. Answer : The crofter was generous with his confidences when he spoke to the peddler as he told him that his cow was his source of income. Answer : The peddler used to sell rattraps which he made himself by using the material he got by begging at the stores or farms.
As his business of selling rattraps was not profitable, he also resorted to begging and thievery to keep his body and soul together. Question 17 : Why did the stranger not tell the ironmaster that he was Nils Olof? Answer : The peddler did not den being Nils Olof, an old regimental comrade of the ironmaster. Answer : The peddler declined the invitation of the ironmaster because he was carrying the money he had stolen from the crofter.
He knew that if the ironmaster discovered his identity, he would hand him over to the police. Question 19 : Who was the owner of Ramsjo iron mills? Why did he visit the mills at night? Answer : The owner of the Ramsjo iron mills was an ex-army man and an ambitious and prominent ironmaster. He was very particular about the quality of his products, and visited the mills even at night to make sure that good iron was shipped out from his mills.
Question 20 : How did the ironmaster react on seeing the stranger lying close to the furnace? Answer : When the ironmaster saw a stranger in rags lying close to the furnace, he went near him and removed his slouch hat to get a better view of his face. He mistook him to be Nils Olof, an old acquaintance of his regiment and was delighted to see him and invited him home for Christmas. Answer : The old crofter was lonely and lead a dreary existence as he had no wife or children.
He was talkative and friendly with the peddler as he got someone to talk to and share his thoughts. Question 22 : Why was the peddler surprised when he knocked on the door of the cottage? The peddler had never been treated kindly by the world. He was meted out cold treatment wherever he went. So he was pleasantly surprised when the crofter greeted him with warmth. How did he feel? Answer : After stealing the money from the crofter, the peddler was cautious to avoid the public highway lest he be identified and caught.
So, he got into the woods but as it was a big and confusing forest he got lost in it. Why or why not? She felt happy because of her trust in him had been justified. Answer : Edla had shown kindness to the peddler even after knowing that he was not a captain. This was the reason why she felt all the more dejected.
The other reason is that the peddler had disproved the faith which she had shown in him. Answer : Edla had honoured and treated the peddler like a captain inspite of knowing the truth.
His signing himself as Captain von Stahle shows that he wanted to retain the dignity and respect accorded to him. Answer : The peddler was moved by the compassion and courtesy shown by Edla. She requested him in such a friendly manner that he felt confidence in her. The peddler felt very assured and agreed to go at once with Edla.
Question 1 : The peddler believed that the whole world is a rattrap. How did he himself get caught in the same?
It offered comforts and joys just like the rattrap offered food to a rat. As soon as a rat was tempted to touch the bait, it trapped him. In the same way the food, joys and shelter served as baits to tempt people and get trapped therafter in this world. But one day he himself was caught in such a trap. The old crofter showed him the money also which he had earned.
He got lost there. So the forest was a big rattrap into which he had fallen. Question 2 : The peddler thinks that the whole world is a rattrap. This view of life is true only of himself and no one else in the story. He tried to run away from being caught but got lost in the forest as it was big and confusing. Even the kindness of the ironmaster and his daughter did not make him optimistic about the world.
The other characters in the story, the crofter, the ironmaster and his daughter, are having human bonds of love, and so for them the world is not a rattrap. However, the peddler was lonely and thus felt that the world was a rattrap. Question 3 : To be grateful is a great virtue of a gentleman. How did the peddler show his gratitude to Edla? Answer : Edla knew that her father was mistaken when he invited the peddler home thinking he was his long lost friend.
Despite this Edla begged her father not to send him away on Christmas eve. She invited him home and gave him food, shelter and clothes. Her kindness, compassion and sympathy brings out the goodness in the peddler. He leaves a packet for her as a Christmas gift which contains a rattrap and three ten kronor notes stolen from the crofter. It also contains a letter in which he signs himself as captain and requests her to return the stolen money to the crofter. Question 4 : The peddler declined the invitation of the ironmaster but accepted one from Edla.
Then he would have been arrested. She even told him that he can leave whenever he wished to. This gave confidence to the peddler that he would be safe in their house and so he accepted her invitation. Answer: 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 embarrassed at the Christmas season by a thief. Answer: 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. Ques: How does the peddler interpret the acts of kindness and hospitality shown by the crofter, the iron master and his daughter?
Answer: 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 his company in his loneliness and helps him pass time. He wants to get a couple of kronor 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. Ques: 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? 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 daylight 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 runaway prisoner. In spite of that, she is gentle, kind, and friendly to him. She treats him nicely even after knowing the mistake in identity. Pick out instances of these surprises. Answer: 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. The ironmaster assumes his declining the invitation a result of embarrassment caused by his miserable clothing. 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 identity. The crofter is robbed by his guest, the rattrap peddler, in return for his hospitality.
Answer: 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 a 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.
Ques: How does the metaphor of the rattrap serve to highlight the human predicament? Answer: 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 him. The peddler was tempted by thirty kronor of the crofter. It makes him hide. Answer: During one of his usual plodding, the peddler thought on the subject of rattraps.
Question 2: Why was he amused by this idea? Answer: The peddler was amused by the idea of the world being a giant rattrap because he was never treated kindly by the world. Question 3: Did the peddler expect the kind of hospitality that he received from the crofter? Answer: No, the peddler did not expect the kind of hospitality that he received from the crofter. Question 4: Why was the crofter so talkative and friendly with the peddler? Answer: The crofter was a lonely fellow who lived on his own in a little gray cottage by the roadside.
Question 5: Why did he show the thirty kroner to the peddler? Answer: The crofter was a naive and trusting man who craved company more than anything else.
Question 6: Did the peddler respect the confidence reposed in him by the crofter? Answer: No, the peddler did not respect the confidence reposed in him by the crofter. Question 1: What made the peddler think that he had indeed fallen into a rattrap? Answer: After stealing the money, the peddler tried to escape through the forest but soon got lost. Question 2: Why did the ironmaster speak kindly to the peddler and invite him home?
Question 3: Why did the peddler decline the invitation? Answer: By his frightened look, Edla guessed that the peddler had either stolen something or has escaped prison.
Question 2: What doubts did Edla have about the peddler? Answer: When Edla went to the iron mill to fetch the peddler, she noticed that he was frightened. Question 3: When did the ironmaster realise his mistake? Answer: The ironmaster realised his mistake the next day when the peddler turned up at breakfast. Question 4: What did the peddler say in his defence when it was clear that he was not the person the ironmaster had thought he was? Answer: To defend himself, the peddler argued that he had never said that he was a captain or the old comrade of the ironmaster.
Question 5: Why did Edla still entertain the peddler even after she knew the truth about him? Answer: Edla had a kind and sympathetic heart that was pained by the plight of the poor peddler. Question 1: Why was Edla happy to see the gift left by the peddler?
Answer: Edla showed great trust in him by letting him stay at their manor on the Christmas Eve. Question 2: Why did the peddler sign himself as Captain von Stahle? Answer: Throughout his life, the peddler had never known respect. Question 1: How does the peddler interpret the acts of kindness and hospitality shown by the crofter, the ironmaster and his daughter? Answer: The different ways in which the peddler repaid the three people corresponds to the way he interpreted the kindness of the three people.
Question 2: 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? Answer: Edla and her father had different natures. Question 4: What made the peddler finally change his ways? Answer: The experience of the peddler at the manor of the Willmanssons made the peddler change his ways.
Question 5: How does the metaphor of the rattrap serve to highlight the human predicament? Answer: The metaphor of the rattrap signifies that the world exists only to trap people by setting baits for them. Question 6: The peddler comes out as a person with a subtle sense of humour. Question 1: Discuss the following in groups of four.
Answer: From the beginning, the rattrap seller is shown as a victim of his situation and not a downright evil character. Question 2: The story also focuses on human loneliness and the need to bond with others. Answer: The Rattrap deals with the issues of human loneliness and the need to bond with others.
Answer: Directions: Think of any incident or a story where your perspective changes due to some act of kindness from someone. Question 4: The story is both entertaining and philosophical. Answer: The story is told in the form of a fairy tale with a happy ending. Question 2: You came across the words, plod, trudge, stagger i n the story.
Answer: Other words are lurch, stumble, slog, hike, clump, traipse and stomp. Question 1: Notice the words in bold in the following sentence. Answer: Other such phrases could be as follows: 1. Question 2: Mjolis is a card game of Sweden.
Name a few indoor games played in your region. Answer: Some indoor games are chess, ludo, table tennis, playing cards, billiards, etc. Question 3: A crofter is a person who rents or owns a small farm especially in Scotland. Answer: Some other terms are peasant, plower, cultivator, krishak, kisan etc.
Question 1: 1. He made them himself at odd moments. He raised himself. He had let himself be fooled by a bait and had been caught. When the peddler trespasses and enters the iron mill. When the peddler asks for lodgings at the iron mill; also when the ironmaster, mistaking him for his old regimental comrade plans of helping him drop his tramp ways and begin a new vocation. When the ironmaster first notices him wrapped in rags and in the state to utter destitution.
The ironmaster mistakes him for his old friend when he first meets the peddler at his iron mill. Used only once when the author mentions the fact that Edla was excited about the prospect of getting a chance to help an unfortunate fellow on Christmas.
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