The city of Hamelin is infested with rats. They are everywhere. You can find them in your closets, on the roads, under the tables. Everywhere! The rats even dare to go on the tables to steal food right from the plates and play in people's beds while the citizens try to sleep. They are a clear and present danger. And nobody knows how to get rid of them.
The citizens are desperate. The major and the city council are powerless. Rats don't listen to decrees. They just follow their instinct.
Then, a stranger in funny-looking clothes appears. He gets to the city council and makes a proposition. He is willing to solve the problem with the rats. But he wants to be paid. The people of Hamelin are hopeful again. Yes, they are willing to pay the stranger. Whatever he wants. They agreed on the price, and the stranger in colorful clothes can start.
Then, a stranger in funny-looking clothes appears. He gets to the city council and makes a proposition. He is willing to solve the problem with the rats. But he wants to be paid. The people of Hamelin are hopeful again. Yes, they are willing to pay the stranger. Whatever he wants. They agreed on the price, and the stranger in colorful clothes can start.
He has a pipe, and he starts playing. It's a strange song. Nobody ever heard something like that before. The rats seem to like it. They come from their hideouts to listen. There are more and more rats around the piper. He starts walking through the city, and the rats follow him.
New and new rodents come out of their hideouts. They come from basements and attics, bushes and staircases. The rats act like being hypnotized with the piper's melody. They are following him, and their number is rising every minute.
New and new rodents come out of their hideouts. They come from basements and attics, bushes and staircases. The rats act like being hypnotized with the piper's melody. They are following him, and their number is rising every minute.
It's a long walk. Hamelin is not a small city. There must be millions of rats. All of them follow the piper, who is slowly leaving the town. He leads the procession of little nasty rodents to the river, where all the rats sink. Hamelin is clear. No more rats for the citizens! Now, they can finally continue with their normal lives.
The piper returns to Hamelin and goes to the city hall. He demands the agreed payment. But Major has second thoughts. Why pay good money if the problem is already solved? The rats are drowned, aren't they? They won't come back, right? The city council thinks the same.
They won't pay the piper. They don't need him anymore, so he can just leave. Bye!
The piper returns to Hamelin and goes to the city hall. He demands the agreed payment. But Major has second thoughts. Why pay good money if the problem is already solved? The rats are drowned, aren't they? They won't come back, right? The city council thinks the same.
They won't pay the piper. They don't need him anymore, so he can just leave. Bye!
The piper is furious. Whou wouldn't be? He is ready for revenge. Pipers shall be paid one way or another. If the citizens of Hamelin can't keep their word, they must be punished. The piper will return. But when he returns, he will not go for rats.
One day, the piper comes back to the city of Hamelin. He still has the pipe. It's the same pipe as it was when he led the rats out. Yet, this time, he plays a different tune. This time, he is not playing for rats.
Somebody else starts listening to his mesmerizing melody. Children start coming closer and closer. They look like being in a trance. Their parents can listen to the tune, too. But they can't move. When the piper starts a procession, more and more kids join him. They go slowly throughout the city, just like he led the rats not so long ago.
Somebody else starts listening to his mesmerizing melody. Children start coming closer and closer. They look like being in a trance. Their parents can listen to the tune, too. But they can't move. When the piper starts a procession, more and more kids join him. They go slowly throughout the city, just like he led the rats not so long ago.
Children from Hamelin follow the piper. Nothing can stop them. Their parents are paralyzed. They helplessly watch how their offspring, the future of the city, leaves town. Kids follow the piper out of Hamelin. Nobody ever sees them again. Nobody knows what happens to the children of Hamelin.
But we all know one thing for sure. You shall always pay the piper!
***
The dark legend about the Piper of Hamelin has many interpretations. None of them can serve hard evidence. Yes, there are theories, and yes, something definitely happened to the children of Hamelin, but we'll very likely never know what. The story inspired numerous artists through centuries, and will undoubtedly stay with us for some time.
If you like to explore different visions of the same legend, here are a few links to the artists who illustrated Piper of Hamelin on different occasions:
https://brinsley-le-fanu.mystrikingly.com/blog/piper-of-hamelin
http://vintagebooks.canalblog.com/2024/03/the-pied-piper-in-pudding-lane.html
https://past-tense.mystrikingly.com/blog/ratcatcher-of-hamelin
https://vintageillustrators.weebly.com/pied-piper-of-hamelin-kate-greenaway.html
Or just explore other postcards by Oskar Herrfuth. We will add more, if and when possible.
Bookmark this page so you won't miss anything!
But we all know one thing for sure. You shall always pay the piper!
***
The dark legend about the Piper of Hamelin has many interpretations. None of them can serve hard evidence. Yes, there are theories, and yes, something definitely happened to the children of Hamelin, but we'll very likely never know what. The story inspired numerous artists through centuries, and will undoubtedly stay with us for some time.
If you like to explore different visions of the same legend, here are a few links to the artists who illustrated Piper of Hamelin on different occasions:
https://brinsley-le-fanu.mystrikingly.com/blog/piper-of-hamelin
http://vintagebooks.canalblog.com/2024/03/the-pied-piper-in-pudding-lane.html
https://past-tense.mystrikingly.com/blog/ratcatcher-of-hamelin
https://vintageillustrators.weebly.com/pied-piper-of-hamelin-kate-greenaway.html
Or just explore other postcards by Oskar Herrfuth. We will add more, if and when possible.
Bookmark this page so you won't miss anything!
