literature

The Tale of the Pied Piper

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Literature Text

Once, there was a beautiful city that was made of pristine glass and gleaming metal. It was called the Gated City of Hamelin, an incredible utopia surrounded by protective walls to fend off attacks from the humble villages and hamlets that were jealous of the city's prosperity.

This city had a problem, though, a problem that kept its citizens locked firmly inside their houses, fearful of what lurked and scurried from the sewers and into the streets above. Though this city was supposedly immaculate, it was being overrun by vermin. Rats, mice, furred little pests of all kinds. The cats could barely keep up with the demand of hunting all these wretched creatures down, and the problem grew worse and worse by the day.

The cityfolk were at their wits' end. In the midst of their desperation, a traveller appeared one day, clothed in such a strange getup with eyes of such a brilliant purple colour, the citizens didn't know what to make of it. No one knew how he had gotten beyond the gates without notice. When questioned, the traveller merely smiled, gave a wink of his odd violet eyes, and spoke. "I had heard that you're in need of pest control. For a certain sum, I would be glad to rid you of your woes." The "certain sum" that he had named was very steep, but it was by a unanimous agreement that whatever the price was, it was worth it. The traveller's grin grew, and he took out a small reed pipe, blowing four high notes, each nine times in a quick succession. There was a great rumbling, and and the young man whispered with a mischievous look to him that they should open the gates and quickly before it was too late. Unsettled, the guardians of the gates quickly scrambled to do as he asked, for all at once, there was the scritching sound of thousands of tiny feet scrabbling on stone, rushing towards the sound of the pipe… and its piper.

He played the notes again and began walking through the streets of the city, and past the now-opened gates, and the rats followed him step by step. On and on, he walked and played his pipe tirelessly, until he paused at the sight of a large stream. Off went his strange garments; naked, he picked up his pipe and began playing once more, walking into the chilled water. The rats followed after, falling in and writhing as they drowned. Only when he was satisfied that every last one of the rats was dead did the piper retreat from the water, wading through rat corpses all the while. He dried off, redressed, and went back to claim his fee.

The city's people were growing anxious. Since watching all of the rats disappear, they could finally breathe easy, however, they were beginning to regret promising such a high amount of money. They told the piper all manner of excuses, from their wasn't enough money in the treasury, to the city's hungriest goat had eaten all he was promised, and the piper began to grow angry. Where there had been an impish young man now stood a vengeful one. Like mice that had just been cornered by one very large cat, the people had become frightened, and told him that he must leave. He responded curtly that he would do so… but one way or another, the price would be paid.

The piper disappeared just as mysteriously as he had come, and though dread hung heavy in the air for some time, it was not long before his warning had been forgotten.

Some months later, as winter had just begun, marked by the first snowfall of the year, the city of Hamelin was having a peaceful night. Until a strange sound could be heard. It seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere all at once, four high notes, played nine times in a quick succession.

Children rose from their beds, spellbound, and could hear nothing but that noise, feeling compelled to follow it. Every child that was able to walk in the city heeded the piper's call, following in a straight line outside the citiy's gates. The adults could do nothing but watch in horror. Mothers sobbed piteously as they saw their children pass by, listening to nothing but the music of the pipe. On and on, they walked together, an army of children heading straight for the mouth of a mountain's cave, swallowed whole by the unforgiving stone and never to be seen again.
My rendition of the classic tale, the Pied Piper. While it is by no means my best, I figured a small taste of my newest work would be nice to share.
© 2012 - 2024 HomestuckMakesMeCry
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Saika1's avatar
Unoriginal, but its good, though you lack the creativity required to come up with your own story(s).

My opinion, don't like it, well I'm sorry.

Sorry if I came off as rude.