The Pied Piper
by Unknown · from More English Fairy Tales
Adapted Version
Once upon a time, in a little town. Many Rats lived there. Oh dear! The Rats were naughty. They ate food. They ate cheese. They ate bread. The town had many, many Rats.
The townspeople were very sad. The Rats made much noise. The Mayor was very worried. The Town Leaders were worried too. They did not know what to do. The Rats were too many.
A kind man came to town. He wore bright, happy clothes. He was The Piper. He had a pipe. The Piper said, "I can help." He asked for money. He asked for much money.
The Mayor thought about it. He wanted the Rats gone. The Mayor said, "Yes." He promised to pay.
The Piper played his pipe. The music was sweet and magic. The Rats heard the sweet sound. They came out. They followed him. The Rats followed The Piper.
The Piper walked to the water. The Rats followed him there. They went into the water. The Rats swam far, far away. They did not come back.
The Rats were gone. Hooray! The Piper asked for his money. The Mayor was naughty. He said no. He did not keep his promise. He offered The Piper less money.
The Piper was sad. He was cross. He said, "Other songs." Mayor did not listen. He laughed at The Piper. The Mayor was not kind.
The Piper played his pipe again. This song was a happy song. The Children heard the music. They loved the happy sound. The Children wanted to follow.
The Children came out to play. They danced and laughed with joy. They followed The Piper. They were happy. He led them to a secret place. It was a magical, happy land. The Children went there.
The grown-ups watched them go. They were sad. They missed them. The Children were gone now. The grown-ups felt very sad. They missed their happy Children.
The town was a little sad. They learned a big lesson. It is good to keep promises. The Mayor did not keep his word. The Children were in a happy place. They were very happy there.
Original Story
The Pied Piper
Newtown, or Franchville, as 't was called of old, is a sleepy little town, as you all may know, upon the Solent shore. Sleepy as it is now, it was once noisy enough, and what made the noise was—rats. The place was so infested with them as to be scarce worth living in. There wasn't a barn or a corn-rick, a store-room or a cupboard, but they ate their way into it. Not a cheese but they gnawed it hollow, not a sugar puncheon but they cleared out. Why the very mead and beer in the barrels was not safe from them. They'd gnaw a hole in the top of the tun, and down would go one master rat's tail, and when he brought it up round would crowd all the friends and cousins, and each would have a suck at the tail.
Had they stopped here it might have been borne. But the squeaking and shrieking, the hurrying and scurrying, so that you could neither hear yourself speak nor get a wink of good honest sleep the live-long night! Not to mention that, Mamma must needs sit up, and keep watch and ward over baby's cradle, or there'd have been a big ugly rat running across the poor little fellow's face, and doing who knows what mischief.
Why didn't the good people of the town have cats? Well they did, and there was a fair stand-up fight, but in the end the rats were too many, and the pussies were regularly driven from the field. Poison, I hear you say? Why, they poisoned so many that it fairly bred a plague. Ratcatchers! Why there wasn't a ratcatcher from John o' Groat's house to the Land's End that hadn't tried his luck. But do what they might, cats or poison, terrier or traps, there seemed to be more rats than ever, and every day a fresh rat was cocking his tail or pricking his whiskers.
The Mayor and the town council were at their wits' end. As they were sitting one day in the town hall racking their poor brains, and bewailing their hard fate, who should run in but the town beadle. "Please your Honour," says he, "here is a very queer fellow come to town. I don't rightly know what to make of him." "Show him in," said the Mayor, and in he stepped. A queer fellow, truly. For there wasn't a colour of the rainbow but you might find it in some corner of his dress, and he was tall and thin, and had keen piercing eyes.
"I'm called the Pied Piper," he began. "And pray what might you be willing to pay me, if I rid you of every single rat in Franchville?"
Well, much as they feared the rats, they feared parting with their money more, and fain would they have higgled and haggled. But the Piper was not a man to stand nonsense, and the upshot was that fifty pounds were promised him (and it meant a lot of money in those old days) as soon as not a rat was left to squeak or scurry in Franchville.
Out of the hall stepped the Piper, and as he stepped he laid his pipe to his lips and a shrill keen tune sounded through street and house. And as each note pierced the air you might have seen a strange sight. For out of every hole the rats came tumbling. There were none too old and none too young, none too big and none too little to crowd at the Piper's heels and with eager feet and upturned noses to patter after him as he paced the streets. Nor was the Piper unmindful of the little toddling ones, for every fifty yards he'd stop and give an extra flourish on his pipe just to give them time to keep up with the older and stronger of the band.
Up Silver Street he went, and down Gold Street, and at the end of Gold Street is the harbour and the broad Solent beyond. And as he paced along, slowly and gravely, the townsfolk flocked to door and window, and many a blessing they called down upon his head.
As for getting near him there were too many rats. And now that he was at the water's edge he stepped into a boat, and not a rat, as he shoved off into deep water, piping shrilly all the while, but followed him, plashing, paddling, and wagging their tails with delight. On and on he played and played until the tide went down, and each master rat sank deeper and deeper in the slimy ooze of the harbour, until every mother's son of them was dead and smothered.
The tide rose again, and the Piper stepped on shore, but never a rat followed. You may fancy the townsfolk had been throwing up their caps and hurrahing and stopping up rat holes and setting the church bells a-ringing. But when the Piper stepped ashore and not so much as a single squeak was to be heard, the Mayor and the Council, and the townsfolk generally, began to hum and to ha and to shake their heads.
For the town money chest had been sadly emptied of late, and where was the fifty pounds to come from? Such an easy job, too! Just getting into a boat and playing a pipe! Why the Mayor himself could have done that if only he had thought of it.
So he hummed and ha'ad and at last, "Come, my good man," said he, "you see what poor folk we are; how can we manage to pay you fifty pounds? Will you not take twenty? When all is said and done, 't will be good pay for the trouble you've taken."
"Fifty pounds was what I bargained for," said the piper shortly; "and if I were you I'd pay it quickly. For I can pipe many kinds of tunes, as folk sometimes find to their cost."
"Would you threaten us, you strolling vagabond?" shrieked the Mayor, and at the same time he winked to the Council; "the rats are all dead and drowned," muttered he; and so "You may do your worst, my good man," and with that he turned short upon his heel.
"Very well," said the Piper, and he smiled a quiet smile. With that he laid his pipe to his lips afresh, but now there came forth no shrill notes, as it were, of scraping and gnawing, and squeaking and scurrying, but the tune was joyous and resonant, full of happy laughter and merry play. And as he paced down the streets the elders mocked, but from school-room and play-room, from nursery and workshop, not a child but ran out with eager glee and shout following gaily at the Piper's call. Dancing, laughing, joining hands and tripping feet, the bright throng moved along up Gold Street and down Silver Street, and beyond Silver Street lay the cool green forest full of old oaks and wide-spreading beeches. In and out among the oak-trees you might catch glimpses of the Piper's many-coloured coat. You might hear the laughter of the children break and fade and die away as deeper and deeper into the lone green wood the stranger went and the children followed.
All the while, the elders watched and waited. They mocked no longer now. And watch and wait as they might, never did they set their eyes again upon the Piper in his parti-coloured coat. Never were their hearts gladdened by the song and dance of the children issuing forth from amongst the ancient oaks of the forest.
Story DNA
Moral
Breaking promises and acting out of greed can lead to devastating and irreversible consequences.
Plot Summary
The town of Franchville is plagued by rats, leading its desperate Mayor and Council to hire a mysterious Pied Piper who promises to rid them of the vermin for fifty pounds. The Piper successfully lures all the rats to their death in the river, but the greedy Mayor reneges on the full payment. In retribution, the Piper plays a different tune, enchanting all the town's children, who follow him into a forest and are never seen again, leaving the town in profound sorrow and regret.
Themes
Emotional Arc
relief to despair
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
The story is often associated with the town of Hamelin, Germany, and a historical event in 1284, though the exact nature of the event is debated (e.g., mass migration of children, plague, or a military recruitment drive).
Plot Beats (12)
- The town of Franchville is severely infested with rats, causing widespread destruction and nuisance.
- The townspeople, including the Mayor and Council, are desperate and have exhausted all conventional methods to get rid of the rats.
- A strange, colorfully dressed man, the Pied Piper, appears and offers to solve their problem for a fee of fifty pounds.
- The Mayor and Council, despite their reluctance to part with money, agree to the Piper's terms.
- The Piper plays a shrill tune on his pipe, and all the rats in the town emerge and follow him.
- He leads the rats to the Solent river, where they all drown.
- The Piper returns to collect his promised payment, but the Mayor, now feeling the task was easy and the rats are gone, reneges on the deal and offers only twenty pounds, insulting the Piper.
- The Piper warns the Mayor that he can play other tunes, but the Mayor dismisses his threat.
- The Piper then plays a new, joyous tune, which enchants all the children of Franchville.
- The children, filled with glee, follow the Piper out of the town and into a deep, green forest.
- The elders watch in horror as their children disappear into the woods, never to be seen again.
- The town is left in profound grief and silence, forever paying the price for the Mayor's broken promise and greed.
Characters
The Pied Piper
Tall and thin build, with a somewhat mysterious and imposing presence. His movements are deliberate and grave when leading the rats, and later the children.
Attire: A coat made of many different colors, described as 'parti-coloured' or having 'every colour of the rainbow'. This suggests a patchwork or striped garment, possibly of a medieval or Renaissance style, made from various fabrics like wool or linen. He wears practical clothing suitable for travel.
Wants: To be paid fairly for his unique services and to uphold the sanctity of a bargain. He is driven by a sense of justice, even if it leads to harsh consequences.
Flaw: His unwavering adherence to the terms of a bargain, which can lead him to exact severe retribution when cheated.
He remains largely unchanged in his core personality, but his actions escalate from a helpful service provider to a punitive force when wronged. He demonstrates the consequences of broken promises.
Mysterious, shrewd, determined, vengeful, and powerful. He is a man of his word and expects others to be the same.
The Mayor
Likely a portly man, given the description of him 'racking their poor brains' and his general demeanor of comfortable authority. His build would suggest a life of ease rather than physical labor.
Attire: Period-appropriate official attire for a town mayor in medieval Europe, likely a tunic and hose, possibly with a simple cloak or over-robe, made of sturdy wool or linen. Colors would be muted, reflecting his status as a local official rather than royalty.
Wants: To maintain his position and the town's finances, even at the cost of integrity. He wants to solve problems with the least personal expenditure.
Flaw: His greed and dishonesty, which lead him to break his word and underestimate the consequences.
He begins as a desperate leader, becomes a deceitful one, and ends as a grieving and regretful figure, having learned a harsh lesson about the cost of dishonesty.
Greedy, cowardly, short-sighted, pompous, and deceitful. He prioritizes money over promises and the well-being of his town.
The Town Council
A group of men, likely of varying builds but generally well-fed and established, reflecting their status as town elders or officials. They would appear as typical burghers of a medieval European town.
Attire: Similar to the Mayor, they would wear practical but respectable medieval European attire: tunics, hose, and possibly cloaks, made of wool or linen in muted colors. Their clothing would signify their status as town officials.
Wants: To solve the town's rat problem and manage the town's money, often prioritizing the latter.
Flaw: Their lack of independent thought and their willingness to follow the Mayor's lead, even when it is dishonest.
They begin as desperate, become complicit in deceit, and end in collective sorrow and regret.
Easily influenced, short-sighted, concerned with finances, and ultimately complicit in the Mayor's deceit.
The Rats
Countless rats of all sizes – 'none too old and none too young, none too big and none too little'. They are described as scurrying, squeaking, and gnawing, implying a generally unkempt and numerous appearance. Their fur would be matted and dirty from infesting the town.
Wants: To eat, infest, and multiply. They are driven by basic animal instincts.
Flaw: Their susceptibility to the Piper's magical music, which leads them to their demise.
They are a persistent menace, then are charmed and led to their death, completely removed from the story.
Destructive, numerous, persistent, and easily charmed by the Piper's music.
The Children
A bright throng of children, described as 'little toddling ones' and those from 'school-room and play-room, from nursery and workshop'. They are full of eager glee, dancing, laughing, and joining hands, suggesting healthy and active bodies.
Attire: Simple, practical clothing typical of medieval European children: tunics, dresses, and hose made of linen or wool in various colors, suitable for play.
Wants: To follow the joyous music and the captivating figure of the Piper, driven by curiosity and happiness.
Flaw: Their innocence and trusting nature, which makes them vulnerable to the Piper's magic and the consequences of the adults' actions.
They are introduced as the innocent victims of the adults' broken promise, led away by the Piper, and are never seen again, representing the town's lost future.
Joyful, innocent, trusting, and easily captivated by the Piper's music.
Locations
Franchville (Newtown) Town Hall
A municipal building where the Mayor and town council convene, likely a sturdy, functional structure typical of a medieval English town, possibly with exposed timber beams or stone walls. It's a place of official, if often frantic, deliberation.
Mood: Anxious, desperate, later defiant and greedy.
The Mayor and council debate the rat problem, the Pied Piper arrives and makes his offer, and later they refuse to pay him.
Streets of Franchville (Newtown)
Narrow, winding cobblestone streets, lined with half-timbered houses (Fachwerk style) with thatched or tiled roofs. The streets are initially bustling with rats, then with townsfolk watching the Piper, and finally with joyous children.
Mood: Initially chaotic and infested, then hopeful and relieved, finally joyous and then desolate.
The Piper leads the rats through the streets to the Solent, and later leads the children away from the town.
Franchville Harbour and Solent Shore
The edge of the town where Gold Street meets the broad Solent shore. The harbour features a boat and the tidal mudflats, which become slimy ooze at low tide.
Mood: Relief and wonder as the rats are drowned, later a sense of growing dread and finality.
The Piper leads all the rats into the Solent where they drown in the receding tide.
Cool Green Forest (beyond Silver Street)
A dense, ancient forest composed of old oak trees and wide-spreading beeches, deep and lone, where the laughter of children fades away.
Mood: Magical, mysterious, enchanting, ultimately sorrowful and lost.
The Pied Piper leads the children into the forest, never to be seen again.