Class 12 Prose The Rattrap Questions and Answers

Class 12 Prose The Rattrap Questions and Answers

Short Answer Type questions

Q- 1. Who was the rattrap seller? How did he make rattraps?
Ans- The rattrap seller was a poor man. He had no home or family. He made rattraps by using wire that he got from different places. He sold these rattraps to earn a little money.

Q- 2. What idea about the whole world did strike in his mind once?
Ans-One day, he thought that the world is like a big rattrap. It offers people food, clothes, and shelter like bait. But when people get greedy, they are trapped like rats.

Q- 3. Who gave him shelter for the night and why?
Ans-An old crofter gave him shelter. The crofter was kind and lonely. He wanted someone to talk to, so he happily allowed the rattrap seller to stay in his house.

Q- 4. Why did the rattrap seller return to crofter’s cottage?
Ans-The rattrap seller returned to the crofter’s cottage to steal the money. He knew where the crofter had hidden his money. He waited until the crofter left, then broke in.

Q- 5. What happened when the rattrap seller went into the woods?
Ans-When he entered the woods, he lost his way. He walked in circles and felt tired. He realized that he had fallen into the trap of the forest, like a rat.

Q- 6. What sounds did the peddler hear into the forest? What did he do then?
Ans-He heard the sound of hammering from the iron mill. He followed the sound and went there to find shelter for the night as he was cold and hungry.

Q- 7. Who visited the ironmill at night? What was happening inside it?
Ans-The rattrap seller visited the iron mill. Inside, the workers were melting iron and making products. The place was hot, noisy, and filled with smoke.

Q- 8. How did the ironmaster react seeing the vagabond (rattrap seller) inside his forge?
Ans-The ironmaster thought he was an old friend. He invited him to his home. He wanted to help him because it was Christmas Eve and he felt generous.

Q- 9. Why was the vagabond not ready to go with the ironmaster to his house?
Ans-The rattrap seller refused because he feared getting caught for stealing. He also did not want to go in dirty clothes. He thought the ironmaster would know the truth.

Q- 10. What did the ironmaster do to bring vagabond to his house?
Ans-The ironmaster sent his daughter Edla to talk to the man. She spoke kindly and gently. She said he could rest at their house without worry.

Q- 11. What did the ironmaster and his daughter decide to do with the guest?
Ans-At first, the ironmaster wanted to send him away. But Edla requested to let him stay for Christmas. They decided to treat him well as a guest.

Q- 12. What mistake had the ironmaster done? What did he want after identifying the vagabond in broad daylight?
Ans-The ironmaster thought the man was his old army friend. But in daylight, he saw his mistake. He wanted to report him to the police but stopped when Edla stopped him.

Q- 13. Why did Edla Willmansson want to give hospitality to the vagabond, the stranger?
Ans- Edla was kind and gentle. She felt bad for the poor man. She believed that everyone should get love and care, especially on Christmas.

Q- 14. How did the rattrap seller pass his time in ironmaster’s home?
Ans-He was quiet and calm. He wore clean clothes, ate food, and rested. He enjoyed the kindness shown to him and started thinking about his life.

Ans-Q- 15. What information did the ironmaster and his daughter receive at the Church?
At the church, they heard that a rattrap seller had stolen thirty kronor from a crofter. They realized that their guest was the thief.

Q- 16. What Christmas present did Edla receive from the peddler? Why did she give a little cry of joy?
Ans-She received a rattrap and a letter. The letter thanked her for her kindness. She cried with joy because the man had changed and returned the stolen money.

Q- 17. Why did peddler consider the world as a rattrap?
Ans-He thought the world gave people joys like money and food as bait. But when people get trapped in greed, they cannot come out, just like rats in a trap.

Q- 18. What made the peddler think that he had indeed fallen into rattrap?
Ans-After stealing money, he got lost in the forest. He felt he was caught in life’s trap. He had followed greed and now had no escape.

Q- 19. Why did the man selling rattraps resort to begging and petty thievery?
Ans-He was very poor and jobless. He had no food or shelter. He begged to survive and sometimes stole when he had no other option.

Q- 20. Why did the ironmaster speak kindly to the peddler and invite him home?
Ans-The ironmaster thought he was his old friend. He felt happy to see him. It was Christmas time, so he wanted to help him.

Q- 21. What did the young girl find in the package when she opened it, in the lesson “The Rattrap”?
Ans-She found a small rattrap, a letter, and the stolen money. The letter thanked her for her kindness. It showed that the man had changed his ways.

Long Answer Type questions

Q- 1. Who was the protagonist of the chapter ‘The Rattrap’? What was his condition and how was he struggling for the survival? Describe explaining his philosophical thought about the whole world.

Answer : The protagonist was a poor man who sold small rattraps. He had no home and no family. He walked from place to place. Sometimes, he begged or stole to survive. He thought the world was like a big rattrap. It gives people food, money, and shelter as bait. When people try to take them, they get trapped. He believed that once caught, it was hard to get free. This was his simple idea about the world.

Q- 2. Whose cottage did the peddler find along the road? How was he treated by the owner of the cottage?

Answer: The peddler found the cottage of an old crofter. The crofter was kind and friendly. He gave the peddler food, a place to sleep, and talked to him. The crofter was happy to have company. He even showed the peddler his money. He trusted him like a guest. The crofter treated the peddler with love and care. This showed that he was a good man with a soft heart.

Q- 3. What happened when the peddler stole the money from crofter’s house? What difficulty did he face after it and how did he escape?

Answer: The peddler stole the crofter’s money and ran into the forest. But he got lost in the forest. He walked here and there but found no way out. He felt that he had fallen into a real rattrap. He was scared and tired. At last, he reached the iron mill and went inside to rest. So, he escaped the forest by chance, not by plan. This showed his fear and helplessness after the theft.

Q- 4. Why did the ironmaster come to the forge that night? What did he observe there and what did he decide then? How did he fulfil his desire?

Answer: The ironmaster came to the forge at night to check the work. There he saw the peddler in dirty clothes. He thought the peddler was his old army friend. He wanted to help him. So, he invited the peddler to his home. But the peddler refused. Then the ironmaster sent his daughter Edla to bring him. She was kind and polite. She made the peddler agree. In this way, the ironmaster fulfilled his wish to help.

Q- 5. Who entered inside the forge with a valet? What did that person do with the stranger? What was stranger’s reaction at that?

Answer: Edla, the ironmaster’s daughter, came to the forge with a valet. She spoke kindly to the stranger. She invited him to their home for Christmas. She said he could leave after resting. The peddler felt surprised. He did not expect such kindness. He was not treated like a thief but like a guest. He felt guilty and happy at the same time. Her kind words touched his heart.

Q- 6. What happened with the stranger at ironmaster’s house? How was he treated by Edla Willmansson?

Answer: At the ironmaster’s house, the stranger was first welcomed warmly. But when he took a bath and wore clean clothes, they saw he was not the army man. The ironmaster got angry and wanted him to leave. But Edla was kind. She said they should still treat him well for Christmas. She let him stay and gave him food and gifts. Her good behaviour made the peddler feel special and respected.

Q- 7. What information did the ironmaster and his daughter get at the Church? What was Edla’s condition and how did she get relaxed after reaching home?

Answer: At the Church, the ironmaster and Edla came to know that the man they helped was not a soldier but a thief. Edla felt sad and shocked. She was worried that he might have stolen something. But when they came home, they found a letter and a small gift left by the peddler. He wrote that he was thankful. He also returned the stolen money. Edla was happy and relaxed to see his change.

Q- 8. Describe the events that follow when the rattrap peddler’s real identity is revealed, leading to his reformation.

Answer: When the peddler’s truth was known, the ironmaster got angry. But Edla still let him stay. Her kindness and care touched the peddler’s heart. He thought of changing his life. On Christmas morning, he left a letter and the stolen money. He said he no longer wanted to be a thief. He thanked Edla for treating him like a real man. This showed that love and kindness can change anyone.

Q- 9. Give a character sketch of the peddler in the story ‘The Rattrap’.

Answer: The peddler was a poor man. He sold small rattraps. He was often hungry and homeless. He also stole to live. He thought the world was a big rattrap. But he was not bad at heart. When Edla treated him with love, he changed. He returned the stolen money and thanked her. He became a good man in the end. So, he was simple, weak, but also kind inside.