Q.Why was the peddler surprised by the kindness of the old crofter? How did the crofter entertain his guest?
The peddler was surprised by the crofter's kindness because he was accustomed to hostility and suspicion, while the lonely crofter genuinely welcomed companionship, offering food, tobacco, games, and conversation.
The peddler, a vagabond who earned his meagre living by selling rattraps, was accustomed to a life of solitude, suspicion, and rejection. His usual encounters with people involved sour faces, cold shoulders, and doors slammed shut in his face. He had come to view the world as a giant rattrap, where people were ensnared by their own desires, and he himself was often treated as an unwelcome nuisance. Therefore, when he knocked on the door of the old crofter's cottage, he fully expected the usual unwelcoming response.
His surprise stemmed from the stark contrast between his expectations and the reality of the crofter's reception. The crofter, a lonely old man without wife or child, was genuinely delighted to find someone to talk to in his isolation. He did not greet the peddler with suspicion or fear, but with an unexpected warmth and hospitality that the peddler had rarely, if ever, experienced. This unreserved welcome, so contrary to his usual treatment, was what truly astonished the peddler.
The peddler's surprise highlights his cynical worldview, which was challenged by the crofter's rare act of selfless kindness.
The crofter, eager for company, went out of his way to entertain his guest. His hospitality was immediate and generous:
- He offered the peddler supper, sharing his porridge with him.
- He then provided a generous slice from his tobacco roll for the peddler's pipe.
- To pass the time, he engaged the peddler in a game of cards, called Mjolise, which they played until bedtime.
- Beyond these comforts, the crofter also shared his confidences, talking openly about his past prosperity when he worked at Ramjso ironworks and his current livelihood, explaining how his cow supported him. He even went so far as to show the peddler the thirty kronor he had earned from selling his cow's milk, which he kept in a leather pouch hanging on a nail. This level of trust and openness was entirely new and bewildering to the peddler.
The peddler was surprised by the crofter's kindness because he was used to hostility, while the crofter, longing for company, entertained him with food, tobacco, a card game, and intimate conversation, a level of hospitality the peddler had never encountered.
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