THE RATTRAP

A rattrap peddler went around selling small rattraps. His clothes were in
rags. His cheeks were hollow. He had the looks of a starved man. He
made wiretaps. Sometimes, he resorted to begging and a little stealing
to survive. The world had never been kind to him. He had no home, no
shelter. The peddler led a lonely life and was given to meditation. One
day, while he was thinking about his rattraps, an idea struck him. He
thought that the world itself was a rattrap. As pork and cheese serve as
baits to trap rats, the world offered land, clothes, foods, joys and riches
to trap people. As soon as anybody touched them, the trap closed on
them. He was amused to think of some people who were already
trapped and some others who were trying to reach the bait. It was a
cold evening in December. He saw a grey cottage on the roadside. He
knocked at the door and asked for a night’s shelter. The owner of the
cottage was a lonely old crofter. He wanted someone to talk to. He
welcomed the peddler. He gave the peddler hot porridge to eat and
tobacco to smoke. Then, they played cards. The crofter was generous as
well as trustful. He told the peddler that he had a cow and that he sold
milk and cream. He also told him that he received thirty kroner as
payment of the previous month. Then, he took down a pouch and
showed him the money. Then, he put the money back in the pouch and
hung it on a nail in the window frame. Next morning, the peddler left.
The crofter locked his cottage and went away. The peddler came back
to the cottage. He had been tempted to steal the money that hung like
a bait in the window frame. He smashed the pane and stole the money.
Now he thought that it was not safe to walk along the public highway.
So he went into the woods. There he walked and walked, but could not
get out. He was tired. He looked upon the forest as a rattrap in which
he was caught. He thought his end was near. He laid down to die. After
a while he heard the regular thumping of a hammer’s strokes. He knew
the sound was coming from some iron mill. He stood up and walked in
the direction of the sound. He opened the gate of the works and went
into the forge. The blacksmith and his apprentice were there waiting for
pig iron to be ready to be put on the anvil. It was the Ramsjo Ironworks.

The blacksmith hardly took any notice of his presence. It was not
unusual for a vagabond to come in for shelter and warmth. The owner
of the work was very particular about the quality of the iron he
produced. On one of his visits he came into the forge, he looked
intently at the peddler’s face. He felt sure that the peddler was one of
his old regimental comrades Captain von Stahle, who had fallen on evil
days. He invited the peddler to come home with him for Christmas. But
the peddler was alarmed. He refused and the ironmaster went home.
The ironmaster sent his daughter Edla to persuade the peddler to come
home. She came in a carriage with a large fur coat. She could see that
the peddler was unwilling to accept the invitation because he was
afraid. Perhaps she thought, he had stolen something or had escaped
from jail. She spoke gently to him. She assured him that he would be
free to leave when he pleased. They wanted his company only over
Christmas Eve. The peddler felt confidence in her. He agreed to go with
her. On the way, he was sorry to have stolen the crofter’s money that
had put him in a trap. The ironmaster was happy to have his old
regimental comrade under his roof. He planned to feed him well and
give him some respectable work. The servant cut the peddler’s hair and
bathed him. The peddler appeared wearing one of ironmaster’s fine
suits. But when the ironmaster looked at him in the daylight, he felt he
had made a mistake. The peddler was not Captain von Stahle. He
thought that the man had deceived him. He even thought of handing
him over to the sheriff. The peddler said that he had not pretended to
be what he was not. He had not been willing to go to the iron-master’s
house. Even then, he was willing to put on his rags and leave. He also
told iron master that the world was a rattrap and he too might be
tempted by a big bait while getting caught in the trap. The iron master
told him to leave at once. Edla did not like her father’s asking the poor
peddler to leave. She thought it was unfair to turn away the man whom
they had invited. She wanted to have the joy of entertaining a homeless
wanderer on Christmas. She stopped the peddler and her father gave
in. Edla served food to the peddler. In the evening, during Christmas
party, he was given Christmas presents which he thankfully received.
Edla told him that her father’s coat that the peddler was wearing was
also a Christmas present. She assured him that he would be welcomed
again if he liked to spend the next Christmas Eve with them. Next
morning, the ironmaster and his daughter went to Church. There they
learned that the peddler was a thief. He had robbed the crofter. The
ironmaster was sure that the peddler must have made away with their
silver. Edla was dejected. But when they reached home, they learned
that the peddler had left. But he did not take away anything. On the
other hand, he had left a Christmas present for Edla. Edla opened the
present. It was a tiny rattrap. Edla was happy to see that the peddler
had left the crofter’s money behind. There was a letter also. It was
addressed to Edla. He had thanked her for the kindness. He wanted to
do a good turn to her, so he had left the crofter’s money and had
requested her to return it to the crofter. He said that he was brought
up as a real captain. That was why he could come out of the rattrap in
which he had been caught. He had signed the letter as Captain von
Stahle.