In the distant year 1284, in the small German town of Hameln, there was an event that is shrouded in mystery and enigma. On this day, June 26, 130 children suddenly disappeared from the town. This tragedy became the basis for a legend first told by the Brothers Grimm.
The cause of the disappearance was a rodent infestation. Rats flooded the streets, houses and cellars, giving the inhabitants no peace neither day nor night. In such a desperate situation, a mysterious stranger in fancy multicolored clothes appeared before the citizens of Hamelin. He introduced himself as the Pied Piper and offered to help them get rid of the plague for a certain sum of money.
The townspeople agreed to his terms and the Pied Piper took out his pied piper. He began to play it and began to lead a huge number of rats. They followed him in rows and rows until they reached the Weser River, where they all drowned. However, when the time came to pay the Pied Piper, the burghers of Hameln regretted their agreement and refused to pay him.
The mystery of this mysterious man remained unsolved. It was on June 26, St. John’s Day, that the Pied Piper appeared again in Hameln. This time his music attracted all the children over the age of four who followed him. A total of 130 children entered the mountain where the Pied Piper had led them, while the adults stood there not realizing what was happening.
The gates of the mountain closed, and only one lame kid didn’t make it in. When the locals approached the mountain, they found that the children were gone. It was as if they had fallen through the ground. The parents of the missing children were left in despair, and the lame kid regretted all his life that he was left alone and would not be able to get to “the land of joy, where there are many streams and orchards, where beautiful flowers grow all year round”.
The legend of the Pied Piper of Hameln has become part of German culture and is known outside Germany. It has been retold by famous writers such as Goethe and Bertolt Brecht. The legend has also found its way into the works of composers and artists, who have seen various interpretations and interpretations of it.
Historians are still trying to unravel the mystery of this enigmatic event. In Hameln itself, there is no doubt that it happened. The municipality of the city keeps books that contain a record of the event.
The mystery of the “Pied Piper of Hameln” still remains unsolved. The many versions and interpretations of this legend create an atmosphere of mystery and mysticism that continues to attract the attention of researchers and folklore enthusiasts.
