Larry's Fairy Tales - Part 6

The Pied Piper

The story of the Pied Pier, unlike other fairy tales and legends, is very specific: it happened in the German town of Hamelin in the year 1284.  There was a stained-glass window in the local church, dating to c. 1300, showing the children being led away.  This has led historians to believe that the departure of the children of Hamelin actually happened, though not necessarily following a pied piper.

In my version, it's the young men who are led away, not the children.  I have used a few of Arthur Tress' surrealistic photos as illustrations.  Some people find them disturbing, but I think they're a good fit for this story.

Once upon a time, the town of Hamelin was plagued by an infestation of rats.  The mayor tried everything, but to no avail.

(Photo: Mousetrap by Arthur Tress, 1977)

Then a pied (multi-colored) piper came to town.  He said he would get rid of the rats for 100 guilders.  The mayor readily agreed.

(Photo: World Naked Bike Ride participant with body paint, 2008) 

The piper played a strange tune on his pipe.  Everywhere in the town, the rats emerged and followed the piper into the river, where they drowned.

(Photo: J. Laurie Wallace by Thomas Eakins, c. 1883)

The piper returned to the mayor for payment.  Instead, the mayor had him thrown in prison, saying, “That wasn’t worth 100 guilders.  It hardly took any time.  You’re trying to cheat us!” 

(Photo: Rat Trap by Arthur Tress, 1977)

When he was released from prison, the piper began to play again, different music and even stranger.

(Photo: J. Laurie Wallace by Thomas Eakins)

All the young men of Hamelin, as if hypnotized, stripped off their clothes and followed the pied piper out of town.

The piper led the young men away into the woods.

(Video: from the AMG movie “Homeland Nudists #2”)

They reached a mountain, and with a rumbling noise, a passage opened up.  The young men followed the piper inside, and they were never seen again.

Only one young man was left behind.  He was crippled and couldn’t keep up.

(Photo: Fallen Man by Arthur Tress, 1977)

    The townspeople asked him what he had heard in the piper’s music.  “It sounded so queer,” they said.
    “You don’t know the half of it,” he replied.  “It promised … wonderful things.”  And that was all he would ever say.