Pied Piper

They ruin clothes, they squeak and shriek and poo everywhere! Rats! Follow the story of Hamelin – a town crawling with rats. Meet the town’s Mayor who spends all day eating pecan pan. Hear the angry townsfolk who want to get rid of the rats. Find out about the strange man who comes to help. Discover the magic of his mysterious flute. Find out why he gets so angry and what he does next!

This story is funny but also a little bit sad. You can hear the famous poem too, written by Robert Browning.

Download this audio story of the Pied Piper on mp3 now!

Pied Piper of Hamelin

Anyone afraid of rats, or strange men in a funny suit, press stop now. For this is a story like no other…it includes both! Equally, if you are a rat-lover, this may not be for you either.

Our story takes place in Hamlin, in a far and distant land often called Germany! Hamelin had a deep, wide river running through the middle of it. Well not actually running, more flowing.

Sitting on the banks of the river Weser, someone notice, you guessed it, a rat! Then another. And another. He blinked, thinking he should stop drinking, but really, there were a least 10 rats around him. Many other people had noticed the rats too. No one knew what was going on or what to do. It wasn’t long before there were rats everywhere you looked; in the bath, above the doors, under the floor boards and in your bed!!! They weren’t just little mousy-sized rats either, they were more dog sized rats, who fought with cats and bit tourists and ate all the food. They ruined clothes, they shrieked and squeaked and pooed everywhere!

Well every one was fed up, hungry and wearing holy clothes, so they all marched to the town hall to find out what the Mayor was doing about it, if anything. He usually just sat around in his dressing gown playing drafts by himself and eating. A rumour had spread that he must be eating the rats because there was hardly any food left in Hamelin but he still managed to get fatter.

The Mayor looked out of the Town hall frightened of all the angry people shouting up at him. His fat belly quivered at the thought of having to actually do something. So he ate the last of the pecan pie and called an emergency meeting.

‘I have no more pie’ he declared.
‘But what are we to do about the rats?, asked a councillor.
The Mayor shrugged and sat heavily in his enormous chair to think. They all sat around the table in silence for a whole hour just thinking. Silence, until
They all sat up straight and looked round at each other.
‘Come in’ whimpered the Mayor, trying to hide his enormous bum behind his chair.
The door opened slowly as if by itself and in stepped a rather odd looking fellow. He was very tall and wore a coat which was half red and half yellow. He had long hair and very mysterious smile on his lips. He was as pale as death, but quite alive as he stood before them with his fingers stoking a strange wooden stick tied to his belt.
‘I am here to help rid your town of rats’ ‘Oh good, said the Mayor, pleased that he could stop working and go back to drafts.’ And who are you?’
They call me the Pied Piper.
‘How do you plan to do this?’, asked a councillor.
‘With the power of charm’ replied the languid stranger ‘I have freed towns from the grip of gnats, bats and unruly cats. But never yet rats.
‘What is your fee?’ asked the councillor.
‘One Thousand guilders’ he replied
One thousand? They all said, if you really get rid of the rats, we’ll pay fifty thousand
What a piece of luck, just when they needed help, help came and would only cost 50 thousand guilders, an easy amount to swindle through taxing the poor! They won’t mind, they won’t know.
So it was agreed, with immediate effect, the pied piper would sweep the town clear of the rats.

Our colourfully dressed piper stepped out onto the cobble steps of Hamelin, closed his eyes as he drew his flute to his mouth and played.

Our friend who first notice the rats was walking past the bakers when he just couldn’t believe his eyes. The rats around the shop seemed to stop what they were doing and listen. Sitting up and sniffing like a family of meercats. Then they turned towards some very distant music, formed an orderly line and scuttled towards the sound. The man shook his head in disbelief. He decided he really would stop drinking!

All the rats in Hamelin were scurrying in lines towards the mysterious man with his magical flute. The music was enchanting. But you could hardly hear it about the thunderous noise of thousands upon thousands of rats emerging from their hiding places and running to the town square. Mr Piper was skipping along now towards the river banks and when he reached the water he stopped, but the rats carried on as if there was more path. One after the other they all plunged into the water and drowned. You’d think one might think, hang on, maybe this is not such a good idea, but no.

Well none of the people of Hamelin were worried about this; they were dancing and singing and laughing, so pleased to be rid of the vermin. The Mayor decided this would be a good time to come out into the town square and be congratulated and thanked for his genius. But by the time the Mayor had manoeuvred his bulk downstairs and outside, he was met by a smiling pied piper.
First, if you please, my one thousand guilders.
‘What?’, said the Mayor. ‘What?’, said the council.
‘What about my pecan pies?’ Thought the mayor. ‘What about our wine?’ thought the council. We can’t just give money away!
‘Besides’ quothed the mayor, you didn’t kill the rats, the river did! So how about we pay you fifty…guilders that is.
The smile on the lips of our peculiar hero fell and his stare became hard. I am a busy man, he whispered. Please pay what was promised or allow me to show you how else my pipe works’
The Mayor laughed.
‘Your pipe is just that a pipe, and I am not afraid of a little music. Dance anyone?’
Though the pied piper was enraged, he showed no sign of it as he gently lifted his pipe to his lips and played.
Oh how enchanting the music, no one could ignore it. People came out of shops and houses and opened all the windows to hear it. They all felt like they had heard it before, but weren’t sure when. He stepped into the street and as he walked, all the children came out to follow and dance. They were clapping and laughing and skipping and none of them noticed when their parents stopped smiling, when they were begging them to leave, pleading with them to come home. They were in a trance as they followed the piper all the way to the mountains.
‘Parents, don’t worry’ said the mayor, ‘they are only children, and they will soon grow tired and come home.’
But the children did not come home. They all followed our colourful stranger  till, well till they disappeared. ‘Oh why didn’t we pay the fifty thousand guilders that we promised or even just the one thousand he asked for!’ cried the Mayor hiding behind his chair while the people of Hamelin shouted at him from the gates. But no children, there were no children left in Hamelin. Actually, there was one child who did come back. He was so upset that he could not follow fast enough on his crutches. He pointed to where they had danced and many searches were made for a clue as to which way they went. But no such clue was found.

He spoke often of the place promised in the music of the Pied Piper. A world of multi coloured birds and vibrant flowers of spectacular views and flowing waters.

Hamelin was to remain void of youth and laughter and of course music. There is still a street today where no music can be played in memory of the children lost to another world. Pied Piper Street.

The End.

©Tales of Time 2008