The Rattrap (Summary)

"The Rattrap" is a poignant story by Swedish author Selma Lagerlöf. Set against the backdrop of Sweden's mines, it follows a rattrap seller who ekes out a living by making rattraps from materials he either finds or steals. His harsh life fosters a bleak worldview, leading him to see the world as a giant rattrap, with nature's beauty and human desires acting as bait.

One evening, seeking shelter, the rattrap seller arrives at a small roadside cottage where an old, lonely man who was a crofter in the past warmly welcomes him with food and a place to stay. The old man shares stories of his life and proudly shows the rattrap seller his savings of thirty kronor. The next day, after leaving the cottage, the peddler returns to steal the thirty kronor. Proud of his theft, he continues his journey but soon loses his way in a forest.

Exhausted and cold, he stumbles upon an iron mill where the ironmaster mistakes him for an old friend Captain Von Stahle and invites him home for Christmas. Though the peddler initially declines, the ironmaster's daughter Edla, sensing his distress, persuades him to accept their hospitality. During dinner, the ironmaster realizes the mistake and threatens to call the sheriff. The rattrap seller admits he felt trapped by their kindness, but the daughter insists he stay for Christmas, continuing to show him compassion.

On Christmas morning, when the ironmaster and his daughter are at the church, the rattrap seller leaves, returning the stolen money along with a rattrap as a gift for the daughter. In a note, he asks her to return the money to the crofter who lives by the roadside and thanks her for the kindness that helped free him from his metaphorical rattrap.

The rattrap thus becomes a powerful motif in this story with the major themes being temptation and redemption.