The Rattrap

• Keep Body and Soul Together: To keep yourself and your body in the best possible condition to survive or be alive.
• Hunger Gleamed in His Eyes: It means that the peddler was starving. He could not have food for days and that was evident on his face.
• Plods Along the Road: Since the peddler was tired and hungry, he walked slowly and with heavy feet along the road.
• Unwonted Joy: Experiencing unusual happiness.
• Impenetrable Prison: A trap or cage you cannot escape.
• Nodded a Haughty Consent: An indifferent agreement.
• Eased His Way: To move away carefully, without disturbing.
• Fallen Into a Line of Thought: When your thoughts align and make sense.
• Things Have Gone Downhill: When things start to deteriorate.

While randomly plodding around one day, the peddler thought about the rattrap he made. He suddenly caught hold of the idea of the world being a rattrap and he grew fond of the idea. So, whenever he faced a demanding situation, he used to think of the world in that way to comfort himself.

The metaphor was quite amazing. He found the idea exciting of calling the world a rattrap and everyone as rats who get lured by the cheese (human material things) and then get trapped. Over time he harboured feelings for the metaphor and used to think about it quite frequently.

No, the peddler never expected this kind of hospitality from the crofter. He was more accustomed to sour faces greeting him and shooing him away. For the first time, he was greeted by a smiling face when he knocked for shelter.

The crofter lived all by himself in a little cottage. He deeply craved company since he had no friends or family. So eventually when the peddler knocked at his door, he was more than happy to have a guest to entertain. He talked a lot with the peddler and treated him throughout his stay.

The crofter was a lonely person in desperate need of companionship. While sharing stories, the crofter felt that the peddler did not believe him about his cow supporting him. So, he got up and showed him the thirty kroner bills that he kept in the leather pouch to prove his point.

The crofter was genuine and welcomed the peddler warmly because he craved company. But the peddler didn’t reciprocate the confidence back. He stole the thirty kroner that the crofter had shown him and left the next day.

After being lured by the money he saw at the crofter’s home, he stole it. He walked past the highway to avoid being caught and entered the woods. While passing through the confusing woods, he realized he had fallen for the bait (the money) and was now trapped in the forest—a rattrap.

The ironmaster mistook the peddler for one of his acquaintances, an old regimental comrade, Captain von Stahle. Since the peddler was in a bad condition, he was willing to help his old friend. He was also happy because he would have company at home during the Christmas season.

The peddler knew the truth (he was not the Captain) and had the stolen money in his pocket. He was alarmed at the idea of going to the manor house. He felt it would be like throwing himself voluntarily into the lion’s den, increasing his chances of being caught.

By his frightened look, Edla guessed that the peddler had either stolen something or had escaped prison. So, she hinted at an assurance that he would be free to leave whenever he wanted. Reassured by her compassionate manner, he accepted the invitation.

Edla observed the peddler was scared when she went to the iron mill to get him. She had suspicions about him stealing something or escaping prison. His appearance and behaviour also left her in doubt whether he was an educated man, as claimed by her father.

The peddler was in a shabby state at the factory (dim light). When he was washed, shaved, and bathed by the valet the next morning, his real look showed up in broad daylight. The ironmaster then realized he had made a mistake.

On being accused, the peddler immediately said that he never told the ironmaster that he was a captain. He also reminded the ironmaster that he had revolted against coming to the home, but the ironmaster had insisted.

Edla had a kind heart. She felt sad about the peddler’s miserable condition and wanted to make him feel happy and comfortable for Christmas. She argued that they had invited him and promised him Christmas cheer, so it would be wrong to chase him away immediately.

Edla was happy because she had defended the peddler against her father’s wish to throw him out. When she found that he had not stolen anything but instead left a gift (a rattrap with the stolen money and a letter), she was pleased that her trust in him was vindicated.

The peddler signed himself as Captain von Stahle because Edla had treated him with the dignity and respect due to a Captain. This raised him up and encouraged him to redeem himself from his thief-like ways.

• The Crofter: The peddler realized the crofter’s hospitality was driven by his loneliness and desire for company.
• The Ironmaster: His hospitality was limited to his acquaintances (mistaken identity).
• Edla: She genuinely offered warmth and goodness. The peddler was touched by her kindness, which made him want to act differently and repay her with gratitude.

Edla was more concerned about an individual’s feelings than her father. She had great convincing power. Even after the identity was revealed, she persisted in keeping the guest, whereas her father wanted to throw him out due to fear of theft. Edla’s compassionate nature eventually changed the peddler.

The peddler was used to being shooed away. Unexpected reactions included: 1. The crofter greeting him hospitably. 2. The ironmaster inviting him home. 3. Edla insisting he stay for Christmas even after knowing he was a peddler. These acts of kindness ultimately changed his outlook.

The peddler’s perception changed due to the random incident with the Willmanssons. Specifically, Edla’s genuine care and understanding nature left a deep impression on him. She treated him with dignity despite knowing his truth. This compelled him to prove himself worthy of her respect, leading him to return the stolen money.

The metaphor signifies that the world offers baits of wealth, emotions, and pleasures (cheese). Those lured by this greed get captured in the “rattrap” of the world and cannot escape. The story encourages readers not to run blindly after material pursuits but to value human connection and kindness.

The peddler consistently calling the world a rattrap is amusing. His reaction to the ironmaster’s mistake and the Christmas present he left (a rattrap with a letter signed as a Captain) show a subtle humour that lightens the serious, dark theme of poverty and loneliness.

The reader sympathizes because of his miserable state—wandering alone, selling rattraps, begging. His ideology that the world is a rattrap stems from being constantly rejected by society. Even though he is a thief, his suffering and eventual redemption justify the sympathy.

Everyone in the story is lonely. The peddler wanders alone; the crofter lives alone; the ironmaster and Edla have no company for Christmas. The story shows how the need to bond drives the crofter to welcome a stranger and Edla to keep him. It highlights that kindness and bonding are essential for human happiness.

It is entertaining due to the witty dialogues, the metaphor of the rattrap, and the suspense of the mistaken identity. It is philosophical because it deals with the human predicament of falling for material “baits” and the transformative power of kindness and respect.

The peddler is referred to as: Peddler, Stranger, Vagabond, Tramp, Guest, Captain, Rat. Each label indicates how people perceived him—as a nuisance, a friend, a thief, or a dignified guest.

[Image of blast furnace diagram]

Terms specific to ironworks:

• ‘a hard regular thumping’
• ‘hammer strokes’
• ‘smelter, rolling mill and forge’
• ‘pig iron’
• ‘coal dust’
• ‘put on the anvil’
• ‘maw of the furnace’