By Selma Lagerlof
MLL Questions
A. Answer the following in 30-40 words each.
Ans: The peddler 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, the peddler looked exactly like the people of his type usually did.
Ans: The peddler 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.
Ans: The peddler got the idea that the whole world was only a big trap. It sets baits for people exactly as the rattrap offered cheese and pork. It offered riches and joys, shelter and food, heat and clothing as baits. It closed on the person who let himself be tempted to touch the bait. Then everything came to an end.
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 got attracted by the riches and wealth of the world and had got trapped in it. He also used to declare about the people who were running round the bait the world offers and were about to fall in the trap.
Ans: The old crofter welcomed the peddler warmheartedly. He served the peddler hot porridge for supper and gave him tobacco for his pipe. He entertained his guest by playing cards with him. He also informed him about his prosperous past life and how his cow supported him in his old age now. This hospitality was unexpected as people usually made sour faces and chased him away when he asked for shelter.
Ans: The crofter had told the peddler that by supplying his cow’s milk to the creamery, he had received thirty kronor in payment. The peddler seemed to doubt it. So, in order to assure his guest of the truth he showed the thirty kronor to the peddler.
Ans: The peddler realized that he must not walk on the public highway with the stolen money in his pocket. He went into the woods. He kept walking without coming to the end of the wood. Then he realized that he had fallen in the rattrap. He had let himself befooled by a bait and had been caught in.
Ans: The ironmaster walked closely up to the peddler. In the uncertain reflection from the furnace, he mistook the man as his old regimental comrade, Captain Von Stahle. He addressed the stranger as Nils Olof. He spoke very kindly and invited him home as their Christmas guest.
Ans: The peddler knew that the ironmaster had mistaken him for his old regimental comrade. If he goes to his house then the ironmaster would surely come to know his mistake and will be angry with him. Secondly, he had stolen money—thirty kronor—on him. Going to the ironmaster’s residence would be like entering the lion’s den as he will be caught there easily. So, he declined the invitation.
Ans: The ironmaster assumed that his old regimental comrade felt embarrassed because of his miserable clothing. He said that his house was not so fine that he couldn’t show himself there. He lived there only with his daughter as his wife Elizabeth was dead and his sons were abroad.
Ans: Miss Edla Willmansson looked at the peddler quite compassionately. She noticed that the man was afraid. She assured him that he would be allowed to leave just as freely as he came. She requested him to stay with them over Christmas Eve. Her friendly manner made the peddler feel confidence in her and accept her invitation.
Ans: Next morning, the stranger was cleaned and well-dressed. The valet had bathed him, cut his hair and shaved him. He was led to the dining room for breakfast. The ironmaster saw him in broad daylight. It was impossible to mistake him for an old acquaintance now. Then the ironmaster realized his mistake and threatened to call the Sheriff.
Ans: Edla did not think it proper to chase away a human being whom they had invited to their house and had promised him Christmas cheer. She also felt pity for the peddler, who she felt had no place to rest without the fear of being chased away. She wanted him to have a day of peace and rest with them. She wanted the peddler to enjoy the Christmas festivities with them. So, she requested her father to let the pedlar stay in their home till Christmas.
Ans: As soon as Edla opened the package of the gift, the contents came into view. She found a small rattrap with three wrinkled ten kronor notes and a letter addressed to her. The peddler wanted to be nice in return as she had been so nice to him all day long. He did not want her to be embarrased at the Christmas season by a thief.
Ans: The ironmaster had invited the peddler to his house mistaking him for Captain von Stahle. Edla welcomed him and looked after him as captain even after knowing his reality. The peddler was touched deep inside by this act of kindness and wanted thank Edla. Therefore, he resolved and promised to give up his old ways and raise himself as an honourable Captain.
Ans: The world entices a person through the various good things of life such as riches and joy, shelter and food, heat and clothing. These were just like the baits in the rattrap. Once someone is tempted by the bait, the world closed on him. The peddler was tempted by thirty kronor of the crofter. It makes him hide himself. He walks through the wood. He is afraid to go to the Manor house. He gets peace only after returning the bait (money).
B. Answer the following in 150 words each.
Ans: The character of the ironmaster was very different from that of his daughter, Edla. Whereas the ironmaster is ambitious, arrogant, impulsive and short sighted, Edla is kind, compassionate, sympathetic and more matured than her father. The ironmaster has no understanding of human nature but Edla is par excellent in it. She has better persuasive power and strong faith in humanity.
When the ironmaster saw the peddler, he mistook him for his old regimental comrade, but could not convince him to go to his home. Next morning when he realized his mistake he became angry, called the peddler dishonest and threatened to call the Sheriff. Later when he learnt that the peddler was a thief, he was worried about his own silverware.
On the other hand, Edla, could see nothing of a captain in the peddler. She correctly observed the fear of a thief in him. She easily persuaded the peddler to come to their house for Christmas and also convinced her father to let the peddler stay in their house. She treated him with respect and dignity even after knowing that he was not a captain. Again, after finding about the robbery of the crofter’s money, unlike her father, she is more anxious about the betrayal of her trust.
In the story, the ironmaster represents what the world is, whereas, Edla shows how it should be. To make the world a better place we don’t need ironmasters obsessed with materialistic growth, but we need more and more Edlas to understand, trust and love human beings to bring out the essential goodness of their nature.
Ans: Realizing the limitations or faults in our nature and making strong resolution to change them for good is the most difficult task in the world. But some people indeed happen to come across such people or events which empower them enough to raise above all their limitations and change their ways.
The peddler, in the story, is completely destitute and falls prey to the vices of deprivation. He begs and steals to survive and is chased away wherever he goes for shelter and food. He comforts himself by harboring ill feelings for the unfeeling world. Fortunately, he finds three people surprisingly different from others. The Crofter welcomes him warmly, offers him food and shelter and makes him feel at home. Second is the ironmaster who, even after seeing him in rags, talks to him in friendly manner and invites him to his home. But these two instances of charity do not prove to be sufficient enough to arouse the essential good lying dormant in the peddler.
It is his encounter with Edla which brings back the peddler’s forgotten faith in goodness. Her charity is not for selfish reasons. It was genuinely to make him feel dignified, respected and relaxed. Edla’s genuine care and understanding is rewarded with the stolen money and a letter from the peddler which is the evidence of the desired change in his behavior.
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