Completing Story: The Mayor & the Piper of Hamelin (Class 6, 7, 8, 9, SSC, HSC)

* Once, the town named Hamelin was infested with rats. The people were in much danger as there were rats everywhere. The town dwellers became very intolerant of rats. Rats damaged their crops, clothes, things for domestic use, and whatnot.......

The Mayor & the Piper of Hamelin

Once, the town named Hamelin was infested with rats. The people were in much danger as there were rats everywhere. The town dwellers became very intolerant of rats. Rats damaged their crops, clothes, things for domestic use, and whatnot. They chirped and ran to and from in their houses without the least fear of the cats. Rather, they chased the cats, and the latter fled away.

The town dwellers talked and talked, but found no way out. At last, they decided to go to the Mayor to seek his help. They came to the Town Hall and said to the Mayor, “Do something about the rats or we will send you packing.” The Mayor was trembling in fear. He called a meeting of his councilors and discussed the problem for hours, but they could not find a solution. They were in despair.

At that moment, a tall, thin stranger entered the Hall. His dress was made of pieces of cloth of different colours. He went up to the council tables and said, “People call me the Pied Piper. If you pay me a thousand guilders, I will rid your town of rats.”

The Mayor and his councilors were surprised at the sight of such a stranger. The Mayor said, “I will pay you a thousand guilders, but after you have removed all the rats from my town.” The Pied Piper agreed. He went out of the council room and started playing on a strange flute.

Hearing the flute, all the rats, big and small, started following the Pied Piper. The Pied Piper was going towards the river playing on the flute. When he reached the bank of the river Weser, all the rats started jumping into the river.

Thus, all the rats were removed from the town. Then the Pied Piper demanded his guilders from the Mayor. But the Mayor refused to give him one thousand guilders. The Pied Piper became disheartened and again started playing on another strange flute.

Hearing the flute, the children, big and small, started following him like rats. The piper took them to the mountains and disappeared with the children. Thus, the town lost all the children.