Selma Lagerlöf was a renowned Swedish novelist. She was the first woman to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1909 and was admired for her imaginative storytelling and moral depth. Her works often highlighted themes of compassion, redemption, and human dignity. In The Rattrap, she beautifully portrays how a simple act of kindness can transform a person’s heart, reflecting her belief in the innate goodness within every human being.
Summary-
Once there was a rattrap seller who was so poor he had to beg and steal, wore rags and was hungry all the time. He lived a sad and monotonous life. One day, he was struck by the idea that the whole world around him is a big rattrap. It only exists to set baits for people such as riches and food and when anyone is tempted to touch the bait, it traps him and that is the end. The world had never been kind to him so he enjoyed watching people caught up in it and circling round the bait.
One evening, he knocked on a little gray cottage and asked for shelter. The old man who lived alone happily accepted him as his guest. He gave him hot porridge, shared and his tobacco roll and played a card game with him. The old man told him that when he was young, he used to be a crofter at Ramsjo Ironworks and worked on the land. Now, he was supported by his cow who gave milk everyday for which he was paid thirty kronor last month. To prove this, he shows his guest the leather pouch in which the money was kept.
The next day, both men got up and left the cottage at the same time. The crofter put the key in his pocket and each went their own way. However, half an hour later, the peddlar came back and smashed the window pane. He grabbed the pouch, took out the money, hung it back and went way. Pleases with his smartness, he went off the road and walked into the woods. While in the forest, he got confused and was walking on the same circular path. He realised he had been fooled by a bait and was caught.
It was getting dark. As he lay on the ground in despair, he heard a thumping sound and there was no doubt they were hammer strokes from an iron mill. Thinking there must be people nearby, he went in that direction. In the Ramsjo Ironworks plant, the master smith and the helper were waiting for the pig iron to be put on the anvil. As there were many sounds to be heard in the forge, the blacksmith did not notice a man opening the gate. It was not unusual for people like him to seek shelter there. When the peddlar asked for permission, he got a haughty consent. The ironmill was owned by a prominent ironmaster who wanted to ship out good iron to the market. On one of his rounds of inspection, he saw the ragamuffin lying very close to the furnace. He looked carefully at him and recognized him as Nils Olof.
The man with the rattraps had never seen the ironmaster before. But he continued the deception on the possibility of getting some money out of him. The ironmaster then invited him to his house. He refused as he only wanted to sleep in the forge and not be found out. But the man insisted as it was only him and his eldest daughter at home and they wanted to share Christman dinner with him. He again refused. The ironmaster laughed and went away but the master smith knew he wasn’t going to back down.
The ironmaster soon sent his daughter to persuade him. She was not pretty but modest and quite shy. She went up to him and lifted his hat, which frightened the man. Her name was Edla Williamsson. She noticed he was afraid and thought that either he has stolen something or has escaped from jail. On the assurance that he can leave whenever he wants, the man accepted. The valet handed him a fur coat. While on his way, he lamented taking the old fellow’s money and knew he was trapped now.
The ironmaster was satisfied with having an old comrade in the house. He told his daughter they need to feed him and find him something to do. The daughter expressed doubts over the man but the father was confident. But when the ironmaster saw him clean and well-dressed, he wasn’t at all sure that he was an old acquaintance. The stranger made no attempt to continue the deception, pleaded that he meant no harm and only asked to be allowed to stay in the forge.
The ironmaster considers involving the sheriff but the tramp angrily calls the whole world a rattrap. He compares all good things to cheese rinds and pork that can get one into trouble and tells the ironmaster that he would himself one day be caught in the trap. The master laughs and asks him to leave quickly, however the daughter stops him and closes the door. She felt happy helping a homeless person and wanted to keep feeling that way. She wanted him to enjoy one day of the year peacefully. Her father only hoped she would not regret it. The young girl then made him sit down and eat confusing the stranger with her conduct.
The stranger then slept for a long time in their house. He was woken up when the Christmas tree was lighted but again went back to sleep. When he finally woke up, he went down to get Christmas fish and porridge. Edla told him that the suit he was wearing is a Christmas present from them and that he was also welcome for the next Christmas eve. The man was amazed.
The next morning, they left early for Church while he still sleeping. There, they learned about the old man he had robbed. On coming back, they asked the valet if he was gone and had stolen anything. He told them that the man left with nothing but had left a small package for the girl as a Christmas gift. When she opened the badly done packet, she found in it a small rattrap and three ten kronor notes in it as well as a letter. As a token of gratitude, he did not want her to be embarrassed by a thief and asked her to return the money to the old man who hangs the money pouch on the window as a bait for poor wanderers. He credited their kindness for bringing about this change in him. he signed the letter as Captain Von Stahle, whose identity he took when he entered the house.
Difficult Word-meanings:
- Vagabond- a person who wanders from place to place without job or home.
- Ploddings- walking slowly and continuously.
- Mjolis- a card game in Sweden.
- Kronor- Swedish coin.
- Thickets- a dense group of bushes or trees.
- Pig iron- a crude iron that is made from smelting iron ore.
- Anvil- a block of iron or steel on which hot metals are shaped by hammering.
- Forge- a blacksmith’s workshop.
- Maw- the mouth of the furnace.
- Tramp- a homeless person who travels on foot.
- Crofters- people who rent and work on a small farm.
Themes-
- Kindness and Compassion- The story shows how genuine kindness can bring about inner transformation. The peddler, once a poor and mistrustful man, changes completely after being treated with warmth and respect by Edla Willmansson. Her compassion redeems him, proving that love and empathy can awaken the goodness hidden in every human heart.
- Appearance vs Reality- The author highlights how things—and people—are not always what they seem. The rattrap itself symbolizes life’s illusions: material possessions and worldly temptations that trap people like rats. The peddler’s experiences reveal that beneath rough exteriors or mistakes, true humanity and goodness can still exist.
- Human Loneliness and the Need for Belonging- The peddler’s wandering life reflects deep isolation and the desire to be accepted. His theft and cynicism stem from neglect and loneliness. When Edla welcomes him with trust and dignity, he finally feels valued and connected, showing how belonging and understanding can heal emotional wounds.
This post covers all you need for The Rattrap—summary, word meanings, and themes—to strengthen your CBSE English preparation.
Here’s a question for you to answer:
Q.- How does Selma Lagerlöf use the metaphor of the rattrap to convey a moral lesson? (Answer in 30-40 words)
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