Pied Piper

In the year 1284, a strange man appeared in the town of Hamelin. He wore a coat made of brightly colored, multicolored cloth, which is said to have earned him the nickname the Pied Piper. He claimed to be a rat catcher and promised to rid the town of all its rats and mice in exchange for a payment.

The townspeople agreed to his offer and promised him a fixed reward. The Piper took out a small flute and began to play. At once, rats and mice emerged from every house and gathered around him.

When he believed that none remained behind, he walked out of the town, and the entire swarm followed him. He led them to the River Weser, where he gathered up his clothes and stepped into the water. The rats and mice followed him into the river and drowned.

Once the townspeople were free from the infestation, however, they regretted the reward they had promised. They refused to pay the Piper, making one excuse after another. Furious and deeply offended, he left the town.

On June 26, the Feast of Saints John and Paul, early in the morning according to some accounts, or at midday according to others, he returned. This time he appeared dressed as a hunter, with a frightening face and a curious red hat. Once again, he played his flute as he walked through the streets.

This time it was not rats and mice that followed him, but the children of Hamelin. Boys and girls as young as four years old ran after the enchanting melody, including the mayor's grown daughter. The entire group followed him out of the town and into a nearby mountain, where they disappeared without a trace.

A nursemaid carrying a child witnessed the scene from a distance. She returned to Hamelin and spread the alarming news. The parents rushed to every town gate, desperately searching for their children. Mothers wept and cried in despair. Messengers were sent by land and water to every surrounding region, hoping to find even a single child—but all their efforts were in vain.