“Never give a promise that you can’t keep, or you’ll regret later “ Post By Mrs.Jayasree M.S, PRT

STORY RETOLD 

PIED PIPER OF HAMELIN

                                                            By   Robert  browning

Literature is like a vast ocean with lots of treasure hidden in it .Each country, has its own myths and stories .I’m sure you’ve already heard so many stories of our country. So are you interested to hear a story from a faraway land? O.K .Then what are you waiting for?  Come with me all the way to Germany

where this story happened.

                                      “ Pied Piper of Hamelin “ is written by the great writer  Robert Browning .This story is developed from

an actual incident that happened long, long back .Let me begin my story. There is a river in Germany called Weser. On the banks of it stood a beautiful city, Hamelin, which is still there. Hamelin was a rich city. People lived there happily. They worked hard, grew crops, traded with other countries and made a lot of money .Life was peaceful at Hamelin.

                                          Then, one day, a rat appeared in the town. It was a big rat with round eyes and fat body .People didn’t care much. But, next day there were more rats and on the third day , still more .They appeared from nowhere . What to tell, my dear friends? !Within a few days , the whole town of Hamelin was full of rats .There were big rats , small rats , brown rats ,black rats ….my God ! !!  They were not ordinary one, because they were not even afraid of cats .They bit dog, jumped over babies, ate their food , broke the furniture and  , yes ,spoilt the peace of Hamelin . People got angry and upset .The Mayor of the town called for a meeting and declared a reward to anyone who will  help him to get rid of this menace.

                          As everyone stood there thinking what to do, there appeared a man who looked very strange .He was tall, lean with sharp eyes and wore a peculiar long dress .He had a pipe ( it is a musical instrument ) in his hands .He said to the Mayor , “If you promise to give me a thousand pieces of gold , I’ll get rid of these rats  with  my magic power .”    “A THOUSAND! I’ll give you fifty thousand!!” cried the Mayor, “Just destroy them “ .

                                       That night, when the moon rose and the silence fell, people of Hamelin heard a strange haunting tune played by the Pied Piper .Then they couldn’t believe their eyes!!! The rats   started following the Piper as if they were hypnotized .All rats followed him through the road, lanes, and streets. The Piper went towards the river Weser. Then he commanded to the rats, “JUMP!!!” pointing at the river and they did the same. They all disappeared in the strong current of the river.

                                        Next morning, the citizens found their town neat and clean again. The Pied Piper knocked at the Mayor’s door demanding his reward. The Mayo, a very cunning fellow, laughed at him.” A thousand gold pieces for a   rat catcher? Are you mad?! Here, I’ll give you fifty coins. Take it or leave it.” Saying this he banged the door at the Piper’s face .Piper left without a single word.

                                           That night, again as the moon rose and the silence fell, Piper played a merry tune on his pipe. GOD IN THE HEAVENS!!!!!! This time it was the children who followed him. All the children of Hamelin went after the Piper clapping, singing, dancing merrily .Whatever their parents did to stop them was of no use. They followed him as if hypnotized. Big ones carried the small ones and they walked leaving behind their parents and dear ones .The Mayor’s kids were also with them.

The Piper took them out of the town, towards the mountains .As the people of Hamelin stood perplexed, shocked, a door appeared on the mountain. The Pied Piper, still playing the pipe, followed by all the kids of Hamelin went through the door and it closed!! Parents waited with tearful eyes and broken hearts, but in vain. Nobody knows, till this day , what happened to them .

                           This story tells us the simple moral that “Never give a promise that you can’t keep or you’ll regret later “ .So , my dear children , did you like my story ?Do you want more such stories ? I’ll tell you a trick .Read books. They are our best friends. They will take us to the wonderful world of imagination. There you can fly without wings, swim without fins, play with princes and princesses and what not!! ??!!

                                   BYE!!!  See you later!!!---

LOVE AND BEST WISHES FROM -------Jayasree M.S. PRT