The Rattrap Short Question Answer
The Rattrap Short Question Answer
Class 12 English Prose – The Rattrap
Short Answer Type Questions
Q.1. How did the peddler of rattraps manage to survive ?
Ans. 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.
Q.2. How did the peddler look ? Was he different from people of his type ?
Ans. He was a man with a long beard, dirty, ragged, and with a bunch of rattraps dangling on his chest. His clothes were in rags, his cheeks were sunken, and hunger gleamed in his eyes. No, he looked like the way people of his type usually did.
Q.3. Why did the peddler think of the world as a rattrap ? What became his cherished pastime ?
Ans. The world had never been kind to the peddler. So, he got unusual joy to think ill of the world. His pastime was to think of people he knew who had let themselves be caught in the dangerous snare of the world, and of others who were still circling around the bait.
Q.4. The old man was just as generous with his confidences as with his porridge and tobacco’. What personal information did he impart to his guest ?
Ans. The old man told his guest that in his days of prosperity he had been a crofter at Ramsjö Ironworks. Then he worked on the land. Now he was unable to do physical labour. His cow supported him now. He supplied her milk to the creamery everyday. Last month he had received thirty kronor in payment.
Q.5. Where had the old man put his money ? Why did he hold it up before the eyes of his guest and what did he do later on ?
Ans. The man had put his money in a leather pouch which hung on a nail in the window frame. He picked out three wrinkled ten – kronor bills for his guest to see as he has seemed sceptical. Then he stuffed them back into the pouch.
Q.6. ‘The next day both men got up in good, season.’ Why ? Who are the men and what did they do after getting up ?
Ans. The two men are the old crofter and his guest – the peddler with, the rattraps. The crofter was in a hurry to milk his cow. His guest did not want to stay in bed when the host had risen. They left the cottage at the same time. The crofter locked the door and put the key in his pocket. The peddler bade him goodbye and thanked him. Then each went his own way.
Q.7. Why did rattrap peddler return and how did he rob the old crofter ?
Ans. The rattrap peddler was tempted by the thirty kronors he had seen in the leather pouch of the old crofter. He returned half an hour later, smashed a window pane, stuck in his hand and got hold of the pouch. He took out the money and thrust it into his own pocket. Thus, he robbed the old crofter.
Q.8. How did the peddler feel after robbing the crofter ? Why did he discontinue walking on the public highway ?
Ans. At first he felt quite pleased with his smartness. Then he realised the danger of being caught by the police with the stolen money with him. He decided to discontinue walking on the public highway and turn off the road, into the woods.
Q.9. Why did Edla plead with her father not to send the vagabond away ?
Ans. Edla was kind and sympathetic. She was much pained by the plight of the peddler. Edla requested her father to let the peddler spend a day with them in peace as a respite from the struggle.
Q.10. How did the peddler feel while walking through the wood ? What did he realise ?
Ans. During the first hours the woods caused him no difficulty. Later in the day, it became worse as it was a big and confusing forest. The paths twisted back and forth. He kept on walking but did not come to the end of the wood. He realised that he had been walking around in the same part of the forest.
Q.11. What do you learn about the Ramsjö Ironworks from “The Rattrap’ ?
Ans. The Ramsjo Ironworks used to be a large plant, with smelter, rolling mill and forge. In the summer time long lines of heavily loaded barges and scows slid down the canal. In the winter time, the roads near the mill were black from charcoal dust.
Q.12. Why did the blacksmiths fail to notice the entry of the peddler in the forge ?
Ans. The forge was full of many sounds. The big bellows groaned and the burning coal cracked. The fire boy shovelled charcoal into the maw of the fumance with a great deal of clatter. A water fall roared outside. Sharp north wind made the rain strike the brick – tiled roof. Due to all this noise, the blacksmiths failed to notice the peddlar’s entry.
Q.13. The blacksmiths glanced only casually and indifferently at the intruder’. What prompted them to do so ?
Ans. Usually poor vegabonds, without any better shelter for the night, felt attracted to the forge by the glow of light which escaped through the sooty panes. They came in to warm themselves in front of the fire. The intruder looked like other people of his type usually did.
Q.14. What did the tramp ask ? Was his request granted ? What did he do then ?
Ans. The tramp asked permission to stay. The blacksmiths hardly deigned to look at him. The master blacksmith nodded a haughty consent without uttering a word. The tramp too did not say anything. He had come there only to warm himself and sleep. So, he eased his way close to the furnace.
Q.15. Who was the owner of the Ramsjo Ironmill ? Why did he come to the forge that night ?
Ans. The owner of that mill was a very prominent ironmaster. His greatest ambition was to ship out good iron to the market. He insisted on quality and kept a watch on the work both night and day. He came to the forge on one of his nightly rounds of inspection.
Q.16. What did the ironmaster notice in the forge ? How did he react then ?
Ans. The ironmaster noticed a person in dirty rags lying quite close to the furnace. Steam rose from his wet rags. The ironmaster went near him and looked at him very carefully. Then he removed his slouch hat to get a better view of his face. He thought that he was an old acquaintance of his and said: “But of course it is you, Nils Olof !”
Q.17. Why did the man with the rattraps not want to undeceive the ironmaster all at once ?
Ans. The peddler thought that if the fine gentleman thought he was an old acquaintance, he might perhaps throw him a couple of kronor. So he did not want to undeceive him all at once.
Q.18. What observation did the ironmaster make about the stranger ? What did he ask him to do ?
Ans. The ironmaster saw the stranger in the uncertain light of the fumance and mistook him for his old regimental comrades.He said that it was a mistake on his part to have resigned from the regiment. If he had been in service at that time, it would never have happened. He asked the stranger to go home with him.
The Rattrap Short Question Answer
Q.19. What did the peddler think about going up to the manor house ? How did he react to the ironmaster’s invitation ?
Ans. The peddler looked quite alarmed. He still had the stolen thirty kronor on him, Going up to the manor house would be like throwing himself voluntarily into the lion’s den. He did not feel pleased to go there and be received by the owner like an old regimental comrade. So he declined the invitation.
Q.20. What reason did the ironmaster give in support of his invitation to the stranger ?
Ans. He said that they didn’t have any company for Christmas. He thought it was quite bad. He requested the stranger to come along with him and help them make the Christmas food disappear a little faster.
Q.21. The ironmaster saw that he must give in . What made him give in ? What did he say ? What did the blacksmith think about the ironmaster ?
Ans. The stranger declined the ironmaster’s invitation thrice. The ironmaster then told Stjemstrom, the blacksmith that Captain von Stahle preferred to stay with him that night. He laughed to himself as he went away. The blacksmith, who knew the ironmaster, understood very well that he had not said his last word.
Q.22. Who was the new guest at the forge ? Why had that person come there and how did she look’ ? Who accompanied her and why ?
Ans. The new guest was the ironmaster’s daughter. She drove in there in a carriage along with a valet who carried on his arm a big fur coat. She had been sent there by her father hoping that she had better powers of persuasion than he himself. She was not at all pretty, but seemed modest and quite shy.
Q.23. Describe the scene at the forge when Edla Willmansson came there.
Ans. The master blacksmith and his apprentice sat on a bench. Iron and charcoal glowed in the furnace. The stranger had stretched himself out on the floor. He lay with a piece of pig iron under his head and his hat pulled down over his eyes.
Q.24. What did the young girl notice about the stranger ? What did she conclude ? How did she make him feel confidence in her ?
Ans. The stranger jumped up abruptly and seemed to be quite frightened. She looked at him sympathetically, but the man still looked afraid. She concluded that either he had stolen. something or else he had escaped from jail. She spoke to him in a very friendly manner to make him feel confidence in her.
Q.25. What did the peddler of rattraps think while he was riding up to the manor house ?
Ans. While he was riding up to the manor house, he had evil forebodings. He questioned himself why he had taken that fellow’s money. He thought that he was sitting in the trap and would never get out of it.
Q.26. Why did the peddler derive pleasure from his idea of the world as a rattrap ?
Ans. The peddler was very happy with the idea of the world as a rattrap because he was never given kindly treatment by the world. He had quite different feeling for it and loved to think ill of it by comparing it to a rattrap for humans.
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Q.27. How did the ironmaster try to convince his daughter about the stranger ?
Ans. He asked his daughter to have some patience. She would see something different as soon as the stranger got clean and dressed up. That night he was naturally embarrassed. He asserted that his tramp manners would fall away from him with his tramp clothes.
Q.28. What did the ironmaster threaten to do after knowing the mistake ? How did the stranger save himself ?
Ans. The ironmaster threatened to call in the sheriff. The stranger told him that the sheriff might lock him up for dissembling. He reminded the ironmaster that a day might come when he might get tempted, and then he would be caught in the big rattrap of the world. The metaphor amused the ironmaster. He dropped the idea of sending for the sheriff, but asked the stranger to leave at once.
The Rattrap Short Question Answer
Q.29. The daughter stood there quite embarrassed and hardly knew what to answer.’ What embarrassed her ? Why did she intercede for the vagabond ?
Ans. The daughter had drawn plans to make things homelike and typical of Christmas, for the poor hungry wretch. She could not get away from this idea at once. She felt embarrassed when her father asked the man to get out. She interceded for the vagabond to persuade her father to let him stay for Christmas.
Q.30. What arguments did the young girl give in favour of the stranger’s stay there ?
Ans. She said that the whole year long, the stranger walked around. He was probably not welcome or made to feel at home even at a single place. He was chased away wherever he turned. He was always afraid of being arrested and cross – examined. She wanted him to enjoy a day of peace with them – just one in the whole year.
Q.31. “young girl sat and hung her head even more dejectedly than usual.” What two reasons forced her to behave in this manner ?
Ans. First, she had learned at church that one of the old crofters of the ironworks had been robbed by a man who went around selling rattraps. Second, her father taunted her and held her responsible for letting that ” fine fellow” into the house.
Q.32. Sum up the contents of the letter addressed to Miss Willmansson ?
Ans. The stranger did not want her to be embarrassed at the Christmas season with a thief. As she had been nice to him as if he were a captain, he would be nice to her as if he were a real captain. He asked her to return the money to the old crofter. The rattrap was a present from a rat who would have been caught in the world’s rattrap if he had not been raised to captain. It was as a captain that he got power to clear himself.
The Rattrap Short Question Answer
Q.33. Who was the rattrap seller ? How did he make them ?
Ans. There was a person who was a peddler and used to wander here and there selling rattraps. He was the rattrap seller and he made those rattraps himself from the material he got by begging in the stores or at the big farms.
Q.34. What idea about the whole world did strike in his mind once ?
Ans. Once in his mind, there stroke an idea about the whole world that the whole world with its lands and seas, its cities and villages – is nothing but a big rattrap. It has never existed for any other purpose than to set baits for people. It offers riches, joys, shelter and food, heat and clothing, exactly as the rattrap offers cheese and pork, and as soon as anyone le himself be tempted to touch the bait, it closes in on him, and then everything comes to an end.
Q.35. Who gave him shelter for the night and why ?
Ans. An old man, earlier a crofter at Ramsjó Ironworks gave him shelter for the night because that old man was living alone in his hut and was happy that somebody came there to give him company and dispel his lonliness.
Q.36. Why did the rattrap seller return to crofter’s cottage ?
Ans. The rattrap seller returned to crofter’s cottage because he had planned to steal thirty kronors which the crofter showed him last night. And he stole that money successfully.
The Rattrap Short Question Answer
Q.37. What happened with the rattrap seller into the woods ?
Ans. When the rattrap seller stole thirty kronors of the crofter, he ran into the woods where he was trapped in the forest. The whole forest, with its trunks and branches, its thickets and fallen logs, closed in upon him like an impenetrable prison from which he was not in the condition to escape.
Q.38. What sounds did the peddler hear into the forest ? What did he do then ?
Ans. Into the forest, the peddler heard a hard regular thumping sound. Hearing that sound, he raised himself, summoned all his strength, got up, and staggered in the direction of the sound.
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Q.39. What was Ramsjö Ironworks ? What was happening inside it ?
Ans. Ramsjö Ironworks was a large plant, with smelter, rolling mill and forge. Inside it, the master smith and his helper sat in the dark forge near the furnace waiting for the pig iron, and were read y to start the work.
Q.40. How did the ironmaster react seeing the vagabond (rattrap seller) inside his forge ?
Ans. The ironmaster came in the mill for his nightly round of inspection and naturally the first thing he noticed was the tall ragamuffin. Seeing that vagabond, he tore off his slouch hat to get a better view of his face.
Q.41. Why was the vagabond not ready to go with the ironmaster to his house ?
Ans. The vagabond was not ready to go with the ironmaster to his house because he did not have trust on him and he was worried about thirty kronors which he stole and had with him.
Q.42. What did the ironmaster do to bring vagabond to his house ?
Ans. To bring vagabond to his house, firstly the ironmater himself tried to convince him but after getting failed, he decided to send his daughter Edla to make the vagabond ready.
The Rattrap Short Question Answer
Q.43. What did the ironmaster and his daughter decide to do with the guest ?
Ans. The ironmaster and his daughter decided to first of all see that he must get a little flesh on his bones and then they must see that he gets something else to do than to run around the country selling rattraps.
Q.44. What mistake had the ironmaster done ? What did he want after identifying the vagabond in broad daylight ?
Ans. The ironmaster had mistakenly identified the peddler as his old acquaintance in the dim light of the furnace. After identifying the vagabond in broad daylight, he wanted the vagabond to go out of his house immediately.
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Q.45. Why did Edla Willmansson want to give hospitality to the vagabond, the stranger ?
Ans. Edla Willmansson wanted to give hospitality to the vagabond, the stranger becaus had invited him for celebrating Christmas Evening by her own side and secondly, except her father and herself own, there was no one to give company to them and no one too to combindly celebrate the festival.
Q.46. How did the rattrap seller pass his time in ironmaster’s home ?
Ans. In ironmaster’s house, the rattrap seller passed his time mostly by sleeping. Everytime, whenever he was called for breakfast, lunch or dinner or Christmas offerings, he accepted it and went to sleep. It seemed that he might not have slept since years.
Q.47. What information did the ironmaster and his daughter receive at the Church ?
Ans. At the Church, the ironmaster and his daughter came to know that one of the old crofters of the ironworks had been robbed by a man who went around selling rattraps.
Q.48. What Christmas present did Edla receive from the peddler ? Why did she give a little cry of joy ?
Ans. Edla received a little package as a Christmas present from the peddler. She gave a little cry of joy because in that package, there found a small rattrap, laid three wrinkled ten kronor bills and a letter for Miss Edla Willmansson.
Q.49. How did the peddler make the rattraps ? Was his business profitable ?
Ans. The peddler made the small rattraps of wire. He made them himself at odd moments from the material which he got by begging in the stores or at the big farms. His business was not profitable.
Q.50. What did the peddler do for his livelihood ?
Ans. He used to sell small rattraps for his livelihood. But as it was not a profitable business, he used to steal small things as well as beg for his livelihood. Even so his clothes were in rags, his cheeks were sunken and hunger gleamed in his eyes.
The Rattrap Short Question Answer
Q.51. How did the crofter welcome the peddler ?
Ans. As soon as the peddler knocked at the door of the crofter to ask shelter for the night, the crofter opened the door and welcomed him warmly. He gave him supper and played cards until bed time.
Q.52. Who supported the old man when he was unable to do day labour ?
Ans. When he was unable to do day labour, it was his cow which supported him. He sold her milk. That cow was extraordinary. She gave milk for the creamery every day.
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Q.53. What were the reactions of the peddler after stealing thirty kronors of the old man ?
Ans. As the peddler walked along with the stolen money in his pocket, he felt quite pleased with his smartness. He dared notppp continue on the public highway but turned off the road into the woods. He walked and walked a prison from which he could never escape.
Q.54. What do you know about the Ramsjo Ironworks ?
Ans. It was a big iron factory with smelter, rolling mill and forge. In summer, long lines of heavily loaded boats and scows slid down the canal which led to a large inland lake. In winter, the roads near the mill were black from the coal dust.
Q.55. What type of sounds were there in the forge ?
Ans. There were many sounds being heard in the forge. The big bellows groaned and the burning coal cracked. The fire boy shovelled charcoal into the maw of the furnace with a great deal of clatter. The waterfall roared outside and a sharp north wind whipped the rain against the brick – tiled roof.
Q.56. Why did the blacksmith not notice the man until he stood close to the furnace ?
Ans. There were many sounds to be heard in the forge. There were sounds of bellows, burning coal, roaring of the water fall, heavy raining over the brick tiled roof. Due to these sounds the blacksmith did not notice that a man had opened the gate and entered the forge until he stood close up to the furnace.
Q.57. What do you know about the ironmaster ?
Ans. The ironmaster of the Ramsjo iron mill was a very prominent figure. His greatest ambition was to ship out ( send out ) good quality of iron to the market. He inspected his iron mill both night and day to see that the work was done as well as possible.
Q.58. How was ironmaster different from all the blacksmiths ?
Ans. The ironmaster was very wise and alert. When he was on his night inspection of the iron mill, he noticed a tall ragamuffin who eased his way so close to the furnace that steam rose from his wet rage. The ironmaster did not follow the example of the blacksmiths who did not look at the stranger. He walked close up to him and looked him over very carefully. He then tore off his loose hat to see his face.
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Q.59. How do you think that the peddler is a great philosopher ? Explain it.
Ans. Though the peddler makes and sells rattraps and sometimes begs and steals petty things, he is a great philosopher. He says that the whole world is nothing but a big rattrap. All the good things that are offered to anyone are nothing but cheese, rinds and bits of porks, set out to drag a poor fellow into trouble.
Q.60. Why did the peddler not walk on the public highway ? What difficulties did he face ?
Ans. The peddler did not walk on the public highway because of fear of being caught with the stolen money. It was a big and confusing forest, hence he faced a lot of difficulties in the forest.
Q.61. Why did the peddler come to the crofter’s place after half an hour ?
Ans. After half an hour the peddler came to the crofter’s place to steal money. He just went up to the window, mashed a pane, stuck in his hand, and got hold of the pouch with the thirty kronors.
Q.62. Why did the peddler derive pleasure from his idea of the world as a rattrap ?
Ans. People had never been kind to the poor peddler. Therefore, he envied those whose lot was better than his, and was rather amused to think that some day they too would be tempted by the bait, and be caught in the rattrap.
Q.63. 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 to seek shelter for the night. The owner of the cottage, a crofter, treated the peddler as a guest, giving him food, playing cards with him and putting him up for the night.
Q.64. What hospitality did the peddler receive from the crofter ?
Ans. Unlike the indifferent attitude of the others towards him, the peddler was wholeheartedly welcomed by the crofter in his cottage. The crofter at once put the porridge pot on the fire and gave him supper. He gave him a roll of tobacco for his pipe. He also played a game of cards with him.
Q.65. What do we learn about the crofter’s nature from the story, “The Rattrap” ?
Ans. The crofter was a lonely person without wife or child. He was happy to get someone to talk to in his loneliness. He was also generous and trusting person because he hosted the peddler for a night and even showed him where he had kept his money.
Q.66. Why did the crofter show the thirty kronor to the peddler ?
Ans. The crofter showed the thirty kronor to the peddler just to share his joy of earning thirty kronor in a month and also because he suspected that his guest did not seem to believe him.
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Q.67. Who was the owner of Ramsjö iron mills ? Why did he visit the mills at night ?
Ans. The owner of the Ramsjo iron mills was an ambitious and prominent ironmaster. He insisted on quality and was very particular about his reputation. He visited the mills at night to make sure that good iron was shipped out from his mills to the market.
Q.68. Why did the stranger not tell the ironmaster that he was not Nils Olof ?
Ans. The stranger did not tell the ironmaster that he was not Nils Olof because he thought that if the gentleman believed that he was an old friend or acquaintance of his, then he might take pity on him and help him by giving him some money.
Q.69. Edla sat and hung her head even more dejectedly than usual. Which two reasons forced her to behave in that manner ?
Ans. 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 when she came to know that the peddler was actually a thief who had recently robbed a crofter. She felt that she had done wrong in offering shelter to a thief. Secondly, she also felt bad because the peddler had not measured up to the faith which she had shown in him.
Q.70. What conclusion did the ironmaster reach when he heard that the crofter had been robbed by the peddler ?
Ans. When the ironmaster heard that the crofter had been robbed by the peddler, he concluded that the peddler would probably steal all the silver cutlery in the ironmaster’s home and run away.
Q.71. What was the content of the letter written by the peddler to Edla ?
Ans. The contents of the letter written by the peddler to Edla were that, as he had been treated as if he was a captain, he wanted to be nice to them in return. Thus he requested the crofter’s money ( left with the note ) to be returned to him. He wrote that he had left the rattrap as a Christmas present to her, as she had inspired him to reform himself.
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