In the year 1284, the small German town of Hamelin lay nestled in the valley of the Weser River. It was a prosperous place, famed for its weavers, millers, and traders who sent their goods downriver to Bremen and beyond. Yet, one summer, a dreadful misfortune befell the town, a plague of rats that no cat, trap, or poison could overcome.
The rats came in thousands. They swarmed through homes, devoured the grain stores, and gnawed holes in the flour sacks. They squeaked and scurried through the night, filling even the church with their noise. The people despaired, for the rats seemed to multiply with each passing day.
One morning, as the townsfolk gathered in the marketplace to complain to the Mayor, a strange man appeared. He was tall and lean, wearing a coat of many colors, red, yellow, and green, that shimmered in the sunlight. Slung across his shoulder was a wooden flute carved with intricate designs. The man bowed gracefully and spoke in a clear voice.
“Good people of Hamelin,” he said, “I am a piper by trade. I can rid your town of every rat before the sun sets, for a modest fee.”
The Mayor, desperate and weary, agreed at once. “If you can do this,” he declared, “we shall pay you one thousand guilders.”
The piper smiled faintly and nodded. Then, walking to the town’s edge, he lifted his flute and began to play.
The tune was strange and winding, unlike any melody the people had heard before. It drifted through every street and alley, weaving into every home. Soon, a remarkable sight unfolded, rats by the hundreds poured from houses, barns, and cellars. They came from the riverbanks, the baker’s ovens, and even the church altars, squealing and scurrying after the piper.
Playing as he walked, the man led the swarm through the town gates and down to the Weser River. There, he stepped aside and continued his tune as the rats plunged headlong into the water. Not one survived.
When the last ripple faded, the piper turned and walked back to the Mayor’s house, ready to claim his payment. But the townspeople, seeing that the rats were gone, grew greedy.
“A thousand guilders for a song?” said one councilman. “That is far too much!”
The Mayor laughed. “We’ll pay you fifty guilders, and you should be grateful!”
The piper’s smile vanished. “You promised me a fair reward,” he said calmly. “Keep your word, or you may regret it.”
But the Mayor only waved him away. “We have no need for threats. Be gone, minstrel!”
The piper bowed once more, his eyes cold. “Very well,” he said softly. “You will keep your gold, and I will keep my music.”
That night, as the bells of Hamelin struck midnight, the townsfolk slept peacefully, believing their troubles over. But at dawn, a new sound rose, a lilting, enchanting melody. The piper had returned, and this time, his tune was bright and joyous.
The children of Hamelin awoke and ran to the streets, drawn by the music. Boys and girls of every age, laughing, dancing, and clapping, followed the piper as he walked through the winding streets. Their parents called after them, but the children seemed lost in a dream.
The piper led them through the town gate and up the green hill beyond. Suddenly, the mountain opened before them, revealing a glowing passage. One by one, the children entered, still smiling. When the last had passed through, the mountain closed, and the piper was gone.
Only three children remained behind, one blind, one lame, and one deaf. They told how the piper had led them into a bright land filled with music and wonder before the mountain swallowed them whole.
When the parents realized their loss, grief and guilt filled the town. They searched the hills, the forests, and the riverbanks, but the children of Hamelin were never seen again. From that day, the town’s bells tolled each year on the anniversary of the piper’s song, a warning against deceit and broken promises.
Moral Lesson
This story teaches that broken promises and greed bring grave consequences. The people of Hamelin lost their children because they failed to honor their word. Integrity and honesty are treasures greater than any coin.
Knowledge Check
1. Who was the Pied Piper of Hamelin?
The Pied Piper was a mysterious musician who used his magical flute to rid the German town of Hamelin of rats.
2. What promise did the townspeople break?
They refused to pay the Piper the agreed sum after he drove the rats away.
3. What lesson does the Pied Piper of Hamelin teach?
It teaches the importance of keeping promises and the consequences of greed and deceit.
4. Why did the piper take the children of Hamelin?
He sought justice for the townspeople’s dishonesty and punishment for their broken word.
5. What is the cultural origin of this folktale?
The story originates from medieval Germany, particularly the town of Hamelin in Lower Saxony.
6. What does the Pied Piper symbolize in folklore?
He represents retribution, the power of music, and the moral balance between justice and betrayal.
Source: German folktale, Hamelin, Lower Saxony, Germany.
Adapted from Deutsche Sagen, No. 245, collected by the Brothers Grimm (1816).
