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Since we are wondering about rats and Pale Fire, we must remember that "The Nutcracker" cracks a specific nut, a Hazel nut...( in French they speak of "Casse Noisette", I don´t know how it is named in Russian). In the text we find lascivious uncles holding little girls in thrall and there are rats... lots of soldier and even a Rat King ( not a Bishop, though).
Jansy