Pied Piper of Hamelin, illustrated by Payne brothers

The Pied Piper of Hamelin by Robert Browning

Illustrated by Arthur C. Payne and Harry Payne

Published by Artistic Lithographic Publishing, New York, and Artistic Lithographic Company, London, around 1895.

An interesting tidbit about the book: it was printed in Munich. That is how much better printing techniques were in Germany than in other parts of the world. This superiority lasted until the beginning of the First World War.

Hamelin is a town in Germany. It lies not far from Hanover, by the river Wesser. It's not big, but it has over three thousand years of history. The story starts in the 13th (give or take) century.

There was a problem in the Town of Hamelin. Rats. A lot of Rats. They were everywhere. The citizens couldn't get rid of them. The cats and dogs couldn't get rid of them. There were actually cases of rats attacking them, not the other way around!

The people of Hamelin blamed the Mayor. The city council had no idea how to get rid of the vermin. Rats were everywhere.

But maybe there was a solution. A stranger appeared in front of the city council and gave them a proposal. They didn't take him seriously at first. His colorful clothes were looking too strange.

Then, they started to listen. He told them he might help the city get rid of the rats. They could get normal life again.

He had already helped other cities to get rid of the vermin. It was his specialty.

He said he was in control of a special charm. All creatures have to follow him if he plays a specific tune. He used his powers on moles, reptiles, toads, and vipers.

Yes, vampire bats, too!

The Pied Piper wanted one thousand coins for his work and the Mayor offered him 50 times more not believing something like that is even possible.

But when the piper started playing his magic tune, rats immediately stopped whatever they were doing. They followed him, one by one, in a long, long line, right to the river. And into the river, where they drowned!

The town celebrated as never before. They were finally free of vermin! There was not a single rat to see!

The Pied Piper returned for his payment. One thousand coins.

But the Mayor wasn't prepared to pay him. He said the town was affected by rats so hard that they couldn't afford so expensive service. Anyway, what can the piper do? Bring drowned rats back?

He offered him a glass of wine and fifty coins. This should be enough for a funny-dressed stranger.

The Pied Piper wasn't happy with the Mayor's decision. He told him he could play other tunes as well. His pipe wasn't tuned for rats only.

But the Mayor told him to leave. He wasn't in the mood to listen to complaints and threats.

So the piper left. Indeed, he started playing another tune on his pipe.

All the children followed him.

Every kid from town got in line behind the Pied Piper. Their parents couldn't move. They could just watch their children leaving the town. The Mayor cried he would pay whatever the piper wanted just to return the kids, but the stranger didn't stop.

The line came to the hill, which opened, and everybody entered. Everybody but a child with a lame leg, who was too slow.

The last kid from Hamelin was desperate. He wanted to follow other children. He believed they went to a better place. He wanted to play with them in the land of magic.

He wanted to ride the winged horses!

The Mayor couldn't help. Nobody could help.

Nobody ever saw the Pied Piper again. Nobody saw the children of Hamelin again.

Their story is still written on the window in an old church.

Some believe children went to Transilvania. Some strange-looking folk in colored clothes appeared there, and nobody, including them, knows how that happened.

There are many rumors.

One thing is for sure. If you promised something to somebody, you should keep your word. A given word is your bond.

And always pay the piper!

Brothers Payne perfectly caught the dark tones of The Pied Piper of Hamelin, an intriguing legend with numerous possible explanations and zero satisfying solutions.

Instead, we can offer you a bit lighter graphic interpretation of Pied Piper by Kate Greenaway and a story inspired by the legend but with a completely different ending, The Piper from Pudding Lane by Sarah Addington (writer) and Gertrude Alice Kay (illustrator). For hardcore fans, there is also a set of vintage postcards with illustrations of the Pied Piper designed by Oskar Herrfurth.

Enjoy!