The Rattrap Summary In English

Once there was a man who went around selling small rattraps of wire. He made them himself but his business was not profitable. So, he had to beg
and steal a bit to keep himself alive. His clothes were in rags, his cheeks were sunken and hunger could be noticed in his eyes. His life was sad and
monotonous. He had no company.

One day, he was struck by an idea that the whole world was nothing but a big rattrap. It set baits for people by offering riches and joys, shelter and
food, heat and clothing exactly as the rattrap offered cheese and pork. As soon as anyone let himself be tempted to touch the bait, the rattrap closed in
on him, and then everything came to an end.

One dark evening he was walking slowly with heavy steps when he saw a little gray cottage by the roadside. He knocked at the door to ask shelter for
the night. The owner was an old man. He had no wife or child. He was happy to get someone to talk to in his loneliness. He served him porridge for
supper and gave him tobacco for his pipe. Then he got out an old pack of cards and played “mjölis” with his guest till bed time.

The host had been a crofter at Ramsjö Ironworks in his days of prosperity. He had worked on the land. Now he was unable to do day labour. It was his
cow that supported him. This extraordinary cow could give milk for the creamery everyday. He informed the stranger that last month he had received all
of thirty kronor in payment. The crofter showed his guest three wrinkled tenkronor bills, which he had taken out of a leather pouch hanging on a nail in
the window frame.

The next day both men got up early. The crofter was in a hurry to milk his cow. The other man did not want to stay in bed when his host had got up.
They left the cottage at the same time. The crofter locked the door and put the key in his pocket. The man with the rattraps said goodbye and thanked
his host and went away. Half an hour later the rattrap peddler returned. He broke a window pane, stuck in his hand, and got hold of the pouch with the
thirty kronor. He took out the money and thrust it into his pocket. Then he hung the leather pouch very carefully back in its place and went away.

He felt pleased with his smartness. Then he realised that he dared not continue on the public highway. So, he took to the woods. He got into a big and
confusing forest. He kept on walking without coming to the end of the forest. He realised that he had only been walking around in the same part of the
forest. He thought that he had let himself be fooled by a bait and had been caught. The whole forest seemed to him like an impenetrable prison from
which he could never escape.

It was late in December. Darkness increased the danger as also his gloom and despair. He sank down on the ground as he was quite tired. He heard
the sound of hammer strokes. He summoned all his strength, got up and staggered in the direction of the sound. He reached a forge where the master
smith and his helper sat near the furnace waiting for the pig iron to be ready to put on the anvil. There were many sounds—big bellows groaned,
burning coal cracked, the fire boy shovelled charcoal with a great deal of clatter, the waterfall roared, a sharp north wind whipped the rain against the
brick-tiled roof. On account of all these noises the blacksmith did not notice that a man had opened the gate and entered the forge until the stranger
stood close up to the furnace.

The blacksmiths glanced only casually and indifferently at the intruder with a long beard, dirty, ragged and with a bunch of rattraps dangling on his
chest. The peddler asked for permission to stay. The master blacksmith nodded a haughty consent without saying a word. Just then the ironmaster
who owned the Ramsjo iron mill came into the forge on one of his nightly rounds of inspection.

The ironmaster saw that a person in dirty torn clothes had moved so close to the furnace that steam was rising from his wet rags. He walked close up
to him, looked him over very carefully. Then he tore off his hat, which had a wide flexible brim, to get a better view of his face. He called him ‘Nils Olof
and wondered how he looked.

The man with the rattraps had never before seen the ironmaster at Ramsjo and did not even know what his name was. He thought that the ironmaster
might perhaps throw his old acquaintance a couple to kronor. So, he did not tell him that he was mistaken. The ironmaster observed that he should not
have resigned from the regiment. Then he asked the stranger to come home with him. The tramp did not agree. He thought of the thirty kronor. Going
up to the manor house would be like throwing himself into the lion’s den.

The ironmaster assumed that he felt embarrassed because of his miserable clothing. He said that his wife, Elizabeth was dead, his boys were abroad
and only his oldest daughter was with him. He invited the stranger to spend Christmas with them. The stranger said “no” thrice. The ironmaster told
Stjernstrom, the blacksmith that Captain von Stahle preferred to stay with him that night. He laughed to himself and went away.

Half an hour later, the sound of carriage wheels was heard outside the forge. The ironmaster’s daughter came there, followed by a valet, carrying a big
fur coat. She introduced herself as Edla Willmansson. She noticed that the man was afraid. She thought that either he had stolen something or else he
had escaped from jail. She, however assured him that he would be allowed to leave them just as freely as he had come. She addressed him as captain
and requested him to stay with them over Christmas Eve. She said this in such a friendly manner that the rattrap peddler agreed to go with her. The fur
coat was thrown over his rags and he followed the young lady to the carriage. On the way the peddler thought why he had taken that fellow’s money.
He was sitting in the trap and would never get out of it.

The next day was Christmas Eve. The ironmaster came into the dining room for breakfast. He thought of his old regimental comrade whom he had met
so unexpectedly. He felt satisfied and talked of feeding him well and giving him some honourable job. His daughter remarked that last night she did not
notice anything about him to show that he had once been an educated man. The ironmaster asked her to have patience and let him get clean and
dressed up. Then she would see something different. The tramp manners would fall away from him with the tramp clothes.

Just then the stranger entered in a good-looking suit of clothes, a white shirt with a starched collar and whole shoes. Although he was well groomed,
the ironmaster did not seem pleased. He realised that he had made a mistake last night. Now in broad daylight, it was impossible to mistake him for an
old acquaintance. The stranger made no attempt to dissemble. He explained that it was not his fault. He had never pretended to be anything but a poor
trader. He had requested the Ironmaster to let him stay in the forge. He was ready to put on his rags and go away.

The ironmaster thought that it was not honest on the part of the man and wanted to call the sheriff. The tramp then told the ironmaster that the whole
world was nothing but a big rattrap. All the good things that were offered to him were nothing but cheese rinds and bits of pork, set out to drag a poor
fellow into trouble. The sheriff may lock him up for this. He warned the Ironmaster that a day might come when he might want to get a big piece of pork,
and then he would get caught in the trap.

The ironmaster began to laugh. He dropped the idea of informing the sheriff. However, he asked the tramp to leave and opened the door. Just then his
daughter entered and asked her. father what he was doing. That morning she was quite happy. She wanted to make things for the wretch quite
homelike. So, she spoke in favour of the vagabond. She wanted him to enjoy a day of peace with them—just one in the whole year. She knew that
there was a mistake but they should not chase away a human being whom they had asked to come there and promised Christmas cheer. The
ironmaster hoped that she wouldn’t have to regret that.

The young girl led the stranger upto table and asked him to sit and eat. The man did not say a word but helped himself to the food. He looked at the girl
and wondered why she had intervened for him. Christmas Eve passed at Ramsjo just as it always had. The stranger did not cause any trouble because
he did nothing but sleep. They woke him up that he could have his meals. In the evening, the Christmas tree was lighted. Two hours later he was
around once again to eat the Christmas fish and porridge. After getting up from the table he went around and said thank you’ and good night’ to
everyone present. The girl told him that the suit he wore was to be a Christmas present and he did not have to return it. If he wanted to spend the next
Christmas Eve in peace, he would be welcomed back again. The man with the rattraps did not answer. He only stared at the young girl in limitless
amazement.

The next morning the ironmaster and his daughter got up early and went to Christmas service. They drove back at about ten o’clock. The young girl
sat, and hung her head even more dejectedly than usual. At church she had learnt that an old crofter of the iron works had been robbed by a man who
went around selling rattraps. The ironmaster feared that the man might have stolen many silver spoons from the cupboard. As the wagon stopped at
the front steps, the ironmaster asked the valet about the stranger. The valet told him that the stranger had left. He had not taken anything with him at
all, but he had left a package for Miss Willmansson as a Christmas present.

On opening the package, she gave a little cry of joy. She found a small rattrap, and in it lay three wrinkled ten kronor notes. There was also a letter
addressed to her. He did not want her to be embarrassed by a thief but act as a captain. He requested her to return the money to the old man on the
roadside, who had money pouch hanging on the window frame as a bait for the poor wanderers. The rattrap was a Christmas present from a rat who
would have been caught in this world’s rattrap if he had not been raised to captain, because in that way he got power to clear himself.

My Mother at Sixty Six Summary

This is a touching poem written by Indian poet Kamla Das who wrote under the pen name of ‘Madhavikutty’. In
this poem, she describes her feeling of love and attachment towards her ageing mother.
Once the poet went to visit her mother. She was on her way back to the the airport to return to Cochin. She
looked at her mother who was seated beside her in the car. Her mother had dozed off to sleep and her ageing
face – was smoky in colour like ash. Her mouth was open and she resembled a dead body. The poet realized
that her mother was old. She felt pain and sympathy for her. Her mother needed love, affection and care.
In order to come out of the gloom, the poet shifted her glance and looked out of the car’s window. There she saw
young trees pass by. Little children were running out of their houses into the playgrounds. These things were
contrary to the ageing face of her mother. They symbolised energy, life and happiness.

As they reached the airport and the poet was about to leave for the aeroplane, she glanced at her mother one
more time. Her mother appeared weak and pale just like the moon in the winter season which seems to have lost
all its strength. The poet felt the pain and fear of losing her mother. She was reminded of her childhood when she
used to fear losing her mother. As a child she could not bear to be separated from her mother even for a few
moments. Now the loss would be permanent as her mother was about to die and she would lose her forever.
The poet did not express her feelings. She smiled and said “see you soon, Amma” because she wanted that her
mother should live and they could meet again.

Keeping Quiet Summary – “Keeping Quiet” is a peace poem written by the Chilean poet Pablo Neruda. The poet asks
humanity to count numbers from one to twelve – twelve being the number of hours shown in a clock or the number of zodiac
signs. He requests everyone not to speak because languages create barriers between people. The moment when everyone
stops moving their body will be very special and different as we have never experienced such a moment before.
The poet says that in this period of inactivity the fishermen would not harm the whales, the salt gatherers will not hurt their
hands, those who are busy destroying the nature will adopt a new approach towards life, The men who are preparing for wars
and victory based on deaths of innocent people will join their enemy and stand in unity with them, doing nothing. No one will
harm himself or any other person. Everyone will unite and ponder upon his acts and realize the results of his deeds.
The poet clarifies his idea and says further that he does not want that people should stand idle. He wants that there should be
no war because he does not want to see trucks laden with dead bodies of the soldiers. He is promoting Universal brotherhood
and peace.
The poet says that everyone is working continuously, to achieve one’s goals. People are threatened by death and the fear
forces them to work endlessly so that they can achieve everything quickly. In this mad rush, they do not realize the
repurcutions of their acts. He wants us to pause and come out of the mad rush. He wants us to be happy about our
achivements and celebrate them. He wants us to overcome the fear of death and to relax for a while. We should know the
results of our deeds and celebrate our achievements.

When the people will remain quiet for a while, they will realize the purpose of their lives. Just like all the creations of nature
undergo a rebirth with the change of seasons, similary, keeping quiet will be a rebirth for the human soul. It will give a new
meaning to our life. Again, the poet says that he will count till twelve and asks everyone to remain quiet while he leaves.
Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers Summary – The poet expresses the inner feelings of a woman – Aunt Jennifer.
The aunt is embroidering a motif comprising of energetic, fearless tigers moving freely around the bright
greenery. She is living a life of submissiveness to her husband’s command. Her acts are dominated by him
and she fears him constantly. This pattern of the free and fearless tigers reflects her inner desire to live a
free and fearless life. The tigers are graceful, elegant and bright.

Aunt Jennifer’s fingers tremble as she embroiders. She is old but still fears her husband. She does not
enjoy the freedom to do anything as per her wish. She is scared doing the embroidery too and fears his
wrath. Since the day she got married, she has been fulfilling the demands of her husband. The wedding ring
on her hand is a constant reminder that she belongs to her husband. The burden of the demanding
marriage has exhausted her. The torment will not end until her death.
Even after her death, the ring will remain on her hand and she will never be free. On the other hand, the
tigers that she is embroidering will continue to move around freely forever. Her desire of freedom and
fearlessness will live on through her tigers.