The Tale of the Pied Piper

Welcome back to Myths & Mischief! This is your Lovable Lord of Lore, today’s mischievous myth is in a series of letters regarding the Pied Piper.

Letters to the Mayor

---

April 15, 1284

Mayor Henrich,

I am unsure if you are aware, but the disease that is spreading is far more dangerous than first reported. People are dying, and there is little information that suggests why. It could be the devil’s work, but it seems to be spreading at a rapid rate.

I have recently visited the Jewish community on the outskirts of town. They don’t seem to be impacted as much as the rest of the town. With your permission, I would like to investigate and see what can be learned from them so we can get past this plight on our town.

Advisor to the Mayor, Gerhard.

---

April 22, 1284

Mayor Henrich,

Thank you for agreeing to my investigation of the Jewish community. I have been there for the last week. At first, it appeared that there were no differences from the rest of the town. The people have been welcoming, and they are also concerned about the spread of this disease that has impacted so many of us. There are some people who have died, but nothing like the numbers in my neighborhood.

As the week went on, I have noticed something that is different. The people in this community bathe more regularly and prepare food in a different manner. Also, they store food differently so that the rats don’t have access to them. Now that I see these words written, I haven’t seen many rats around, if there are any. There may be a link between them and this awful illness. I have my doubts about this, but it is the only thing that is truly different. I don’t understand how these little pests could cause so much death.

Please inform me on how you wish me to proceed.

Advisor to the Mayor, Gerhard.

---

April 30, 1284

Mayor Henrich,

I got your reply, I am sorry you feel my investigation is a waste of time, but I would like to relay my experience upon my return to my home after spending the week with the Jewish Community. I found that many of my neighbors have passed. They weren’t even sick when I left. Also, there are rats everywhere! Even if they are not connected to people dying, they have become an infestation that needs to be dealt with. Banishing the cats seems to have been a mistake, so I suggest addressing this issue. I heard rumors of a man that has a reputation for dealing with rat problems.

I would like your permission to seek this man out and hear his pitch and report back to you. I think it would be a good look for you if it is portrayed as you finding solutions to problems even if we can’t figure out why all these people are dying. It may aid your public perception in these trying times if you are seen making their lives a little better. At least it would offset you being blamed for your decision for getting rid of the cats, even if it was a suggestions from the church. The best case scenario, is that the plague on the people is connected to the rats and you will be the town’s hero for saving it.

Please let me know how you would like me to proceed.

Advisor to the Mayor, Gerhard.

---

June 14, 1284

Mayor Henrich,

I have located this man in Hanover that claims he can cure the problems with the rats. I don’t trust him, I’ve got a bad feeling about this. He gives a great sale’s pitch. When I met him, I was awed by his appearance and his spectacular clothes. He came across as affable, and has a commanding presence, but something is off about him.

People that I have spoken to in town have reported that this man was successful in ridding the towns of Lemgo and Erfurt of their rat infestations. The rumor is that the rats are gone, and the plague has subsided. It was unclear how they got this information, it may be from the this man, this exterminator.

Aside from my personal feelings, I met with him and he offered to rid us of our rat infestation for a significant fee, 1,000 guilders. Even if it works, I don’t think we will be able to afford his services. With the reduction of taxes collected since the dying offer little support. However, I have been unable to come up with an alternative solution. I will stay here and await your word in how you wish to proceed. Please let me know if you would like to meet with him in order to make an arrangement.

Advisor to the Mayor, Gerhard.

---

June 16, 1284

Mayor Henrich,

I was surprised that you would like to meet with this man, considering our treasury is nearly depleted. With that said, I will inform him and return as soon as I can garner a ride. This man offered me transportation when I informed him of the meeting with you, but I would be more comfortable finding other arrangements even if it takes me longer to get back. I was also planning on visiting Lemgo and Erfurt to see if the rumors check out.

I think it may be beneficial to wait until I return so you will have a better idea of who you are making a deal with.

Advisor to the Mayor, Gerhard.

---

June 18, 1284

Mayor Henrich,

I have arrived in Lemgo, There are no rats to be seen, and they seem to have been able to bury the bodies of the dead. With that said, the townspeople actively avoid me. I don’t know what to make of it. At first I thought it was because they feared I was spreading the illness that is devastating Hamlin. When I approach them, they quickly dismiss me and retreat. I went into a tavern, they served me, but no one offered me their counsel. This avoidance seems stronger when I inquire about the man that you are meeting with, so I am less convinced it is about the disease.

In addition to the lack of hospitality here, and my initial gut feeling of this man, I feel as if there are dark forces at work. I will acknowledge that perhaps my bias may stem from all of the death and suffering I have seen, but there is some piece to this puzzle I can’t see yet. Unfortunately, I have nothing else to report, I will travel to Erfurt at once and will send word on what I find there.

Advisor to the Mayor, Gerhard.

---

June 21, 1284

Mayor Henrich,

Upon my arrival in Erfurt, I witnessed the same circumstances that I saw in Lemgo. Neither place had rats that were easily observable, and the people were standoffish.

I did come across a distraught woman while I was walking through town. She told me a wild tale that she was very emotionally connected to, and it caused her much distress. She told me of a different disease that spread through the children of the town. They were inflicted with what was described as a “dance fever” and the children left the town and danced all the way to Hildesheim. Some of the children died from what she described as exhaustion because they couldn’t stop dancing. I don’t know what to make of this and I cannot get anyone to corroborate her story.

I was informed of your meeting that will take place tomorrow and if you receive this letter in time, I still advise that you put off the meeting until I can find more information. Perhaps schedule the meeting for after the Feast of Saints John and Paul.

Advisor to the Mayor, Gerhard.

---

June 22, 1284

Mayor Henrich,

I am hoping that you have postponed the meeting with this man. I know this was the day you were scheduled to meet with him, but I have new concerns. I am hearing wild stories here at Hildesheim. The people here told me that they have heard stories that there are elaborately clad people traveling around the area looking for desperate people and convincing young people, some of them children to relocate to somewhere near Berlin. It doesn’t seem to be the case here, but it is what was reported to me. As far as the “dance fever,” they did acknowledge that children did show up. They didn’t know where they came from, but they told me that some of them were in a state of exhaustion and that they couldn’t do anything to help them.

When I pressed them further for details, they told me that the children were in some sort of trance, and they were dancing to the music of a fancily dressed flute player. They didn’t connect their account with the rumors, but it seems like it is more than a coincidence. I am returning home at once in the hopes that you have postponed the meeting so I can convey this message to you in person. I am sending this note in case the courier makes better time in their travels than I do.

Advisor to the Mayor, Gerhard.

---

June 24, 1284

Mayor Henrich,

I just arrived to the outskirts of town. It was late, so I stopped in the Jewish community where my investigation started. I was informed that you made a deal with the man in question, and if I understand correctly, he walked through town with his silver flute and all of the rats followed him into the Weser River. They describe it as a miracle and it has provided them with hope for the future that they have been lacking since the plague hit.

For me, when I heard their description of the silver flute, my heart sank. This man is not to be trusted. I am sending a courier to you with this letter because I am exhausted from my travels. It is my intention to return home, then to seek you out. I still believe that this man cannot be trusted and I implore you to have me present when you meet with him so I can ask some clarifying questions.

Advisor to the Mayor, Gerhard.

---

June 25, 1284

Mayor Henrich,

I have been delayed with family issues that I needed to resolve straight away. Several of my family have passed, the issues were exasperated with me being on the road. I did receive word that you refused to pay the exterminator, I assume because we didn’t have the funds that you agreed to, but I wish you had waited for me. Please send me the location of this person so I can resolve this issue and celebrate the Feast of Saints John and Paul tomorrow with my family then we can tend to the funeral services.

Advisor to the Mayor, Gerhard.

---

June 26, 1284

Mayor Henrich,

What happened!?! I came to look for you yesterday, but you weren’t in your office. I never heard back from you about the locations of this man. I am hearing from my neighbors that he walked through town playing his flute and lured away the children. I went to my neighbor’s house and his children were gone. I started going to all of the homes that had children that I knew of. The only children I was able to locate were disabled in some way. I spoke with a child that was blind, and he said he heard the music, but was unable to follow it. I got a similar account from a child who was lame. He told me he wanted to follow the music but he was unable to travel. The third child I found was deaf, and they would have been unable to hear the music. Everyone is panicking. I will look for you and any evidence of what happened in an attempt to find the children. I will report back whatever I find.

Advisor to the Mayor, Gerhard.

---

July 1, 1284

Mayor Henrich,

It is with a heavy heart that I have nothing to report. I traveled with some of the mothers of the missing children to nearby towns but there were no sign of them. I tried to retrace the path of this Pied Piper. I nearly lost the trail at the Weser River. There was some evidence that someone or several people made their way to Koppenberg Mountain. I have not been able to locate any of the people of interest. I am returning home to share in the grief of the town and the funerals of my family. I apologize in my failure to identify any clues or insight into what happened. I feel responsible for this great tragedy.

Advisor to the Mayor, Gerhard.

---

There are multiple theories of what really happened in this small town. All of them include an man in fancy clothes playing a flute and luring away 130 children except for one.

Optimistic Theory: The Piper lured away the infestation of rats and remedied the plague which provided hope to the people of the town. (The plague may have been added to the story hundreds of years later since the dates down match).

Very Dark Theory: The piper led the children out of town to a mountain cave or hill and ate their brains.

Worrisome Theory: The children were led to Transylvania or some place to repopulate an area in other parts of Germany like around Berlin.

Wet Theory: The children were led into the Weser River and just like the rats, they were drown.

The Art of the Deal Theory: Once payment was refused, the Piper took the children until the town paid several times what they had promised before the children were returned. (This does not coincide with the dread felt in the various accounts)

Child labor theory: Unemployed children were recruited by “lokators” who were brightly dressed and conniving as they lured children due to the German plan to colonize new settlements in Eastern Europe.

Dance fever theory: There was pandemic reported called the St Vitus’ Dance that was a form of mass hysteria causing people to dance for up to weeks at a time including leaping, singing, hallucinating, and dancing as far as 20 kilometers away from their town sometimes to death. Survivors were reported to have chronic tremors long after their recovery.

The Hamelin street named Bungelosenstrasse (“street without drums”) is believed to be the last place that the children were seen. Ever since, music or dancing is not allowed on this street. The town has used the story as a tourist attraction as well as a source of income for their town including plaques that describe the horrible disappearance of the 130 children.