Once, the people of the small town of Hamelin had a big problem. Their town was overrun by rats! There were rats everywhere—in the houses, on the streets, and even in the grocery stores. The people of Hamelin were desperate and didn’t know what to do.
One day, a mysterious man dressed in bright, colorful clothes arrived in the town. He carried a flute and introduced himself as the Pied Piper. The Piper told the townspeople that he could rid them of the rats, but only for a fee. Desperate, the mayor agreed to pay him a large sum of gold if he could save the town.
The Piper smiled and began to play a sweet tune on his flute. As he walked through the streets of Hamelin, the rats, mesmerized by the music, started to emerge from every corner. They followed him, forming a long line as he played. The Piper led them all the way to the Weser River, and the rats, completely entranced by the music, jumped into the water and drowned.
The people of Hamelin were overjoyed and celebrated their victory over the rats. However, when the Piper came to collect his reward, the mayor refused to give him the promised gold. Instead, he offered only a small amount, thinking the Piper would accept it.
The Piper was furious and warned the townspeople that they would regret breaking their promise. But the mayor and the people laughed and told him to go away. The Piper left, but soon returned, playing a different tune on his flute. This time, it wasn’t the rats who followed him—it was the children of Hamelin. Enthralled by the music, the children joyfully followed the Piper as he led them out of the town.
The Pied Piper led the children to a hidden mountain, where they disappeared, never to be seen again. The townspeople were heartbroken and regretted not keeping their promise.
From that day on, Hamelin became a sad and lonely place. The people learned a hard lesson: always keep your promises, especially to those who help you.
Moral: Keeping promises is important, and breaking them can have serious consequences.
