First published 1893
The Pied Piper arrives in Hamelin when the town faces a terrible rat infestation. The mysterious stranger promises to rid the community of its rodent problem using only his enchanted flute. Town officials agree to pay him handsomely for this service. The Piper plays his instrument and leads every rat out of Hamelin and into the river where they drown. But when he returns to collect his fee, the townspeople refuse to honor their agreement. They dismiss him with insults and empty promises. The betrayed Piper decides the citizens must face consequences for breaking their word. He raises his magical pipe once more and plays a different tune. This time the melody calls to something far more precious than rats. The children of Hamelin follow the Piper's music, dancing through the streets toward the mountains. Parents watch helplessly as their sons and daughters disappear forever, leaving behind a town that got exactly what it deserved.
Genres: literary-fiction, fantasy, folklore, fairy-tale-retellings
Vibes: dark, emotional, whimsical
Tropes: betrayal, consequences, deal-with-the-devil
Setting: Hamelin
Period: 19th-century
128 pages · Hardcover · Canongate Books
Content warnings: child-death