The Pied Piper of Hamelin

Short Version

Long ago, the town of Hamelin had a serious rat problem. Rats were everywhere. The people became angry and asked the mayor to do something. They warned him, “If you cannot solve this problem, we will fire you.”

The mayor and his councilors sat in a meeting to find a solution. Suddenly, a strange piper came into the room. He said, “I can take all the rats away if you give me one thousand guilders.” The mayor agreed.

The piper played his pipe, and all the rats followed him to the river. There they drowned.

But the mayor did not keep his promise. He refused to pay the full money.

The angry piper played another tune. This time, the children followed him to a hill. The hill opened, and they went inside. They never came back.

Moral: We should always keep our promises.

Expanded Version

Long ago, the town of Hamelin had a terrible rat problem. Rats were everywhere. They ran through houses, ate food, and frightened the people.

The townspeople became very angry. They went to the mayor and said, “You must do something. If you cannot solve this problem, we will fire you.”

The mayor and his councilors quickly held a meeting. They talked for a long time, but they could not find a good solution.

Suddenly, a strange piper entered the room. He wore unusual clothes and carried a pipe. He said, “I can take all the rats away if you pay me one thousand guilders.”

The mayor and the councilors agreed.

The piper went into the streets and began to play a special tune. At once, rats came out from every house. They followed the piper through the town and all the way to the river. The piper walked into the water, and the rats followed him. They drowned.

The people were delighted. But when the piper returned for his money, the mayor refused to pay the full amount he had promised.

The piper became angry and left.

Later, he returned and played another tune. This time, the children of Hamelin came out of their homes and followed him. He led them to a hill. The hill opened, and the piper and the children went inside.

The hill closed behind them. The children never came back.

The people of Hamelin deeply regretted breaking their promise.

Moral: We should always keep our promises.