The Rattrap - Selma Lagerlof

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About the Author & the Lesson

Selma Lagerlöf (1858–1940) was a Swedish writer and the first woman to win the Nobel Prize in Literature (1909). Known for her storytelling style infused with folk tales and deep moral themes, she often wrote about human nature and redemption.

The Rattrapis a story that reflects her belief in the power of kindness and second chances. The lesson teaches that people are not inherently bad—circumstances push them in the wrong direction. However, a little compassion can bring out the goodness hidden in them. Through the rattrap seller’s transformation, Lagerlöf shows that everyone deserves a chance to change and that the world, despite its traps, still has space for generosity and humanity.

Summary of The Rattrap

Selma Lagerlöf’s The Rattrap is a story about how kindness can transform a person, even someone who has spent their life in deceit and cynicism. The protagonist is a poor, homeless man who sells rattraps for a living. He barely earns enough and often resorts to begging and stealing to survive. His miserable life has made him bitter and distrustful, leading him to develop a strange belief—he sees the entire world as a giant rattrap. He thinks people are like rats, easily lured by material pleasures like money, food, and comfort, only to find themselves trapped in misery.

One evening, while wandering in search of shelter, he comes across a small, rundown cottage and asks for a place to stay the night. The old man living there is surprisingly kind, offering him food and company. They talk about life, and the old man, without hesitation, shows him his savings—thirty kronor—which he keeps in a leather pouch. The rattrap seller listens but has only one thing in mind—the money.

The next morning, as soon as the old man leaves for work, the rattrap seller sneaks back into the cottage, steals the money, and runs off. At first, he feels victorious, but soon his paranoia kicks in. He imagines the police chasing him and, lost in thought, wanders deep into the forest. As night falls, he realizes he can’t find his way out. The irony isn’t lost on him—he himself has fallen into a rattrap, trapped by his own greed.

Just when despair sets in, he hears hammering sounds and follows them to an iron mill. There, he meets a blacksmith and his apprentice, who let him stay by the fire. Later, the ironmaster, who owns the mill, arrives and mistakes the rattrap seller for his old regimental friend. The seller immediately sees an opportunity and plays along, hoping to take advantage of the misunderstanding.

The ironmaster, feeling nostalgic, invites him home for Christmas, but the seller refuses. He’s uncomfortable—he’s used to being an outcast, not a guest. Seeing this, the ironmaster’s daughter, Edla, steps in. Unlike her father, she isn’t fooled. She instantly realizes that this man is probably not who he claims to be, but instead of exposing him, she speaks to him with genuine kindness. She insists that he should come along, not as a guest, but as someone in need of warmth and food. Her sincerity shakes the rattrap seller, but he still goes along with the deception.

At the ironmaster’s house, he is given clean clothes, food, and treated with respect—a luxury he has never known. However, at dinner, the ironmaster finally recognizes his mistake and furiously demands an explanation. The seller, now cornered, doesn’t bother defending himself. He’s used to being judged, rejected, and thrown out. But before the ironmaster can call the sheriff, Edla intervenes. She reminds her father that it’s Christmas, a time of giving, and insists that they shouldn’t turn a guest out on the streets. The ironmaster, reluctantly, lets it go.

That night, the rattrap seller lies awake, thinking. He isn’t just a thief anymore—someone has trusted him, treated him as an equal, without expecting anything in return. He’s never experienced this before. The next morning, when the family returns from church, they hear about a robbery at the old man’s cottage and immediately realize who the thief was. Expecting the worst, they rush back home, but instead of finding a missing guest, they find a small package left behind for Edla.

Inside the package is a rattrap with a note and the stolen thirty kronor. In the note, the seller admits that he has been living like a rat, always running, always trapped by greed. But Edla’s kindness had given him a way out. He writes that he no longer wants to be a rat and asks her to return the money to its rightful owner. The story ends with the realization that a small act of kindness can turn even the most cynical person around.

Analysis & Insights

Lagerlöf’s story is a reflection on human nature. The rattrap seller is not evil, but circumstances have turned him into a thief. He justifies his wrongdoing by convincing himself that the world is unfair and that everyone eventually falls into life’s traps. However, his encounter with Edla proves him wrong. She doesn’t judge him, scold him, or treat him like a criminal. Instead, she offers him something he’s never had—respect and dignity.

The irony of the story is brilliant—the man who sees the world as a rattrap ends up trapped in one himself. But it isn’t punishment or fear that changes him—it’s compassion. The rattrap seller proves that people can change when given a chance.

The lesson is simple: kindness has the power to transform. Sometimes, a little trust is all a person needs to escape their own traps.