The piper of Hamelin

A long time ago, there was a town called Hamlyn. In that town, there were a lot of rats causing trouble. They ate up all the food, bothered babies trying to sleep, and made loud noises. The people in the town were tired of the rats but didn't know what to do. Even the cats couldn't get rid of the rats.

One day, a strange man with sharp eyes arrived in the town. People called him the Pied Piper. He went to the Mayor and asked, "What will you give me if I get rid of all the rats in your town?" The Mayor said he would pay the Pied Piper fifty pounds. The Pied Piper was happy with this offer. He began playing his special pipe. When the rats heard the high, piercing sound of his pipe, they all came out of their hiding places and started following him. The Pied Piper played his pipe and the rats followed him. He led them to the harbor, and the rats followed him into the water. They drowned in the water and the town was finally free from the rats. The people were very happy.

Once all the rats were gone, the Pied Piper went back to the Mayor to get his money. But the Mayor changed his mind and said he would only give the Pied Piper twenty pounds for the job. The Mayor thought it was an easy task since the rats were gone. But the Pied Piper wanted to teach the Mayor a lesson. This time, he played a different tune on his pipe. When the children in the town heard his music, they came out of their houses and started following him. They danced and laughed while following the Pied Piper. The grown-ups couldn't believe their eyes as they watched the Pied Piper lead the children away, far from the town.

The Mayor sent people to find the Pied Piper and bring the children back, but they couldn't find them anywhere.

And that's the story of the Piper of Hamelin.