What Really Happened In Hamelin?

The town of Hamelin had a serious rat infestation. They were everywhere. Many blamed the poor for attracting the pests. While the poor blamed the rich who enjoyed the crapulence of a life of luxury.

These rats caused all kinds of mayhem for the poorest of Hamelin. They had to deal with rats in their food, rats in their baths and even rats in their beds. The rich weren’t interested though. “Let the bigger rats deal with the smaller rats” they would say dismissively with a cheerful chuckle.

Only when the rats started invading the elegant townhouses of the rich and lazy, did the oafs think about dealing with the ravenous beasts. Bait-laced with poison was laid, traps were set, but the rats managed to outsmart them. The townsfolk even tried shooting them, but actually killed more townsfolk than rats through misfired shots.

All seemed lost until the arrival one day of a fellow proclaiming himself to be the town’s rescuer. Dressed in a resplendent multicoloured outfit and cap, the man claimed, for a humble price, he could rid Hamelin of the rats. Just by playing his pipe.

Everyone laughed and thought he was drunk, mad or both. But he reiterated he could do it.

His humble fee was a home-cooked pie and some gold coins.

The next day, the townsfolk awoke to an astonishing sound. There was music in the air, as if it was part of the atmosphere.

As the townsfolk watched, the sound grew louder as the piper skipped and played his pipe through town, with an army of zombified rats marching behind him.

The pied piper led the rats out of the town and drowned them in a nearby river.

When he returned to collect his payment, the mayor refused to pay him. To say the piper was angry does not do justice to his boiling rage.

He left, gold-less and pie-less. We thought it was over.

Until we awoke to the sound of music again. The piper had returned playing his intoxicating melody through the town once more. This time the rats came back from their water burial and feasted on the townsfolk, gorging on flesh, while the piper ate pie.

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Thanks for reading!

Author's Notes: Had reverted this to Drafts when I was considering expanding it for the Legends Rewritten Challenge, but never did. So apologies for the republish. And another retelling of a fairytale for LC's wonderful challenge that I am enjoying a lot is my take on the events involving Hamelin. Another story that has always stuck with me. I had several ideas how to conclude this one, but went super dark and grissly in the end.

Check out the challenge here:

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