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Synopsis

Robert Browning's classic tale about a magical rat catcher. When Hamelin is overrun by rats, only the magical music of the Pied Piper can solve the problem. The town council tries to trick the piper out of his agreed reward, and he wreaks terrible revenge.

Excerpt

Hamelin Town 'a in Brunswick,

By famous Hanover city;

The liver Weser, deep and wide,

Washes its wall on the southern side;

A pleasanter spot yon never spied;

But. when begins my ditty,

Almost five hundred years ago,

To see the townsfolk suffer so

From vermin was a pity.

Rats!

They fought the dogs, and killed the cats,

And bit the babies in the cradles,

And ate the cheeses out of the vats,

And licked the soup from the cook's own ladles,

Split open the kegs of salted sprats.

Made nests inside men's Sunday hats,

And even spoiled the women's chats,

By drowning their speaking

With shrieking and squeaking

In fifty different sharps and fiats.

At last the people in a body To the Town Hall came flocking:

"'Tis clear," cried they "our Mayor's a noddy;

And as for our Corporation—shocking To think we buy gowns lined with ennine

'l For dolts that can't or won't determine

What s best to rid us of our vermin! , Rouse up, sirs! Give your brains a racking

To find the remedy we're lacking, "

Or, sure as fate, we'll send you packing!" O At this the Mayor and Corporation Quaked with a mighty consternation.

An hour they sate in council,

At length the Mayor broke silence:

"For a guilder I'd my ermine gown sell; 

I wish I were a mile hence!

It's easy to bid one rack one's brain—

I'm sure my poor head aches again

I've scratched it so, and all in vain.

Oh for a trap, a trap, a trap!"

Just as he said this, what should hap

At the chamber door but a gentle tap?

"Bless us," cried the Mayor, "what's that,

Only a scraping of shoes on the mat?

Anything like the sound oi a rat

Makes my heart go pit-a-pat!"

"Come in !"—the Mayor cried, looking bigger;

And in did come the strangest figure;

His queer, long coat from heel to head

Was half of yellow and half of red;

And he himself was tall and thin,

With sharp blue eyes, each like a pin,

And light loose hair, yet swarthy skin,

No tuft on cheek nor beard on chin,

But lips where smiles went out and in

There was no guessing his kith and kin!

He advanced to the council-table: And,

"Please your honours," said he, "I'm able,

By means of a secret charm, to draw

All creatures living beneath the sun,

That creep, or swim, or fly, or run,

After me so as you never saw!

And I chiefly use my charm

On creatures that do people harm,

The mole, and toad, and newt, and viper:

And people call me the Pied Piper."

(And here they noticed round his neck

A scarf of red and yellow stripe,

To match with his coat of the self-same cheque;

And at the scarfs end hung a pipe;

And his fingers, they noticed, were ever

straying As if impatient to be playing Upon this pipe, as low it dangled Over his vesture so old-fangled.)

"Yet," said he, "poor piper as I am, In Tartary I freed the Cham, Last June, from his huge swarms of gnats;

I eased in Asia the Nizam Of a monstrous brood of vampyre bats; And, as for what your brain bewilders,

If I can rid your town of rats Will you give me a thousand guilders?"

"One? Fifty thousand" was the exclamation Of the astonished Mayor and Corporation.

Into the street the Piper stept,

Smiling first a little smile,

As if he knew what raagio slept

In his quiet pipe the while;

Then, like a musical adept,

To blow the pipe his lips he wrinkled,

And green and blue his sharp eyes twinkled

Like a candle flame where salt is sprinkled;

And ere three shrill notes the pipe uttered,

You heard as if an army muttered;

And the muttering grew to a grumbling;

And the grumbling grew to a mighty rumbling;

And out of the houses the rats came tumbling.

Great rats, small rats, lean rats, brawny rats,

Brown rats, black rats, grey rats, tawny rats,

Grave old plodders, gay young friskers,

Cocking tails and pricking whiskers,

Fathers, mothers, uncles, cousins,

Families by tens and dozens,

Brothers, sisters, husbands, wives—

Followed the Piper for their lives,

From street to street he piped, advancing,

And step by step tbey followed, dancing.

Until they came to the river Weser

Wherein all plunged and perished.

Copyright © 1888 by Robert Browning

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