12/03/2017 ThePiedPiperofHamelin

ThePiedPiperofHamelin
byRobertBrowning(/author/robertbrowning/biobooksstories)

RobertBrowningwrotethispoemin1842,ThePiedPierofHamelin,AChild'sStory.We'veselectedthe1888editionfeaturingillustrationsbyKateGreenaway.
YoungreaderscontinuetoenjoyBrowning'srhymedverses,usuallyintroducedingrades23.

https://americanliterature.com/author/robertbrowning/poem/thepiedpiperofhamelin 1/19
12/03/2017 ThePiedPiperofHamelin

I.

HamelinTown'sinBrunswick,
ByfamousHanovercity
TheriverWeser,deepandwide,

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Washesitswallonthesouthernside
Apleasanterspotyouneverspied
But,whenbeginsmyditty,
Almostfivehundredyearsago,
Toseethetownsfolksufferso
Fromvermin,wasapity.

II.

Rats!
Theyfoughtthedogsandkilledthecats,
Andbitthebabiesinthecradles,

Andatethecheesesoutofthevats.

Andlickedthesoupfromthecook'sownladles,

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Splitopenthekegsofsaltedsprats,
Madenestsinsidemen'sSundayhats,

Andevenspoiledthewomen'schats,

Bydrowningtheirspeaking
Withshriekingandsqueaking
Infiftydifferentsharpsandflats.

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III.

Atlastthepeopleinabody
TotheTownHallcameflocking:
"Tisclear,"criedthey,"ourMayor'sanoddy
AndasforourCorporationshocking
Tothinkwebuygownslinedwithermine
Fordoltsthatcan'torwon'tdetermine
What'sbesttoridusofourvermin!
Youhope,becauseyou'reoldandobese,
Tofindinthefurrycivicrobeease?
Rouseup,sirs!Giveyourbrainsaracking
Tofindtheremedywe'relacking,
Or,sureasfate,we'llsendyoupacking!"
AtthistheMayorandCorporation
Quakedwithamightyconsternation.

IV.

Anhourtheysateincouncil,
AtlengththeMayorbrokesilence:
"ForaguilderI'dmyerminegownsell
IwishIwereamilehence!
It'seasytobidonerackone'sbrain
I'msuremypoorheadachesagain,
I'vescratcheditso,andallinvain
Ohforatrap,atrap,atrap!"
Justashesaidthis,whatshouldhap
Atthechamberdoorbutagentletap?
"Blessus,"criedtheMayor,"what'sthat?"
(WiththeCorporationashesat,
Lookinglittlethoughwondrousfat
Norbrighterwashiseye,normoister
Thanatoolongopenedoyster,
Savewhenatnoonhispaunchgrewmutinous
Foraplateofturtlegreenandglutinous)
"Onlyascrapingofshoesonthemat?
Anythinglikethesoundofarat
Makesmyheartgopitapat!"

V.

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"Comein!"theMayorcried,lookingbigger:
Andindidcomethestrangestfigure!
Hisqueerlongcoatfromheeltohead
Washalfofyellowandhalfofred,
Andhehimselfwastallandthin,
Withsharpblueeyes,eachlikeapin,
Andlightloosehair,yetswarthyskin
Notuftoncheeknorbeardonchin,
Butlipswheresmilewentoutandin
Therewasnoguessinghiskithandkin:
Andnobodycouldenoughadmire
Thetallmanandhisquaintattire.
Quothone:"It'sasmygreatgrandsire,
StartingupattheTrumpofDoom'stone,
Hadwalkedthiswayfromhispaintedtombstone!"

VI.

Headvancedtothecounciltable:
And,"Pleaseyourhonours,"saidhe,"I'mable,
Bymeansofasecretcharm,todraw
Allcreatureslivingbeneaththesun,
Thatcreeporswimorflyorrun,
Aftermesoasyouneversaw!
AndIchieflyusemycharm
Oncreaturesthatdopeopleharm,
Themoleandtoadandnewtandviper
AndpeoplecallmethePiedPiper."
(Andheretheynoticedroundhisneck
Ascarfofredandyellowstripe,
Tomatchwithhiscoatoftheselfsamecheque

Andatthescarf'sendhungapipe
Andhisfingerstheynoticedwereeverstraying
Asifimpatienttobeplaying
Uponhispipe,aslowitdangled
Overhisvesturesooldfangled.)

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"Yet,"saidhe,"poorPiperasIam,
InTartaryIfreedtheCham,
LastJune,fromhishugeswarmsofgnats,
IeasedinAsiatheNizam
Ofamonstrousbroodofvampyrebats:
Andasforwhatyourbrainbewilders,
IfIcanridyourtownofrats
Willyougivemeathousandguilders?"
"One?fiftythousand!"wastheexclamation
OftheastonishedMayorandCorporation.

VII.

IntothestreetthePiperstept,
Smilingfirstalittlesmile,
Asifheknewwhatmagicslept
Inhisquietpipethewhile
Then,likeamusicaladept,
Toblowthepipehislipshewrinkled,
Andgreenandbluehissharpeyestwinkled,
Likeacandleflamewheresaltissprinkled
Anderethreeshrillnotesthepipeuttered,
Youheardasifanarmymuttered

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Andthemutteringgrewtoagrumbling
Andthegrumblinggrewtoamightyrumbling
Andoutofthehousestheratscametumbling.
Greatrats,smallrats,leanrats,brawnyrats,
Brownrats,blackrats,greyrats,tawnyrats,
Graveoldplodders,gayyoungfriskers,
Fathers,mothers,uncles,cousins,
Cockingtailsandprickingwhiskers,
Familiesbytensanddozens,
Brothers,sisters,husbands,wives
FollowedthePiperfortheirlives.
Fromstreettostreethepipedadvancing,
Andstepforsteptheyfolloweddancing,
UntiltheycametotheriverWeser
Whereinallplungedandperished!
Saveonewho,stoutasJuliusCsar,
Swamacrossandlivedtocarry
(Ashe,themanuscripthecherished)
ToRatlandhomehiscommentary:
Whichwas,"Atthefirstshrillnotesofthepipe,
Iheardasoundasofscrapingtripe,
Andputtingapples,wondrousripe,
Intoaciderpress'sgripe:
Andamovingawayofpickletubboards,
Andaleavingajarofconservecupboards,
Andadrawingthecorksoftrainoilflasks,
Andabreakingthehoopsofbuttercasks:
Anditseemedasifavoice
(Sweeterfarthanbyharporbypsaltery
Isbreathed)calledout,'Ohrats,rejoice!
Theworldisgrowntoonevastdrysaltery!
Somunchon,crunchon,takeyournuncheon,
Breakfast,supper,dinner,luncheon!'
Andjustasabulkysugarpuncheon,
Allreadystaved,likeagreatsunshone
Gloriousscarceaninchbeforeme,
Justasmethoughtitsaid,'Come,boreme!'
IfoundtheWeserrollingo'erme."

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VIII.

YoushouldhaveheardtheHamelinpeople
Ringingthebellstilltheyrockedthesteeple
"Go,"criedtheMayor,"andgetlongpoles,
Pokeoutthenestsandblockuptheholes!

Consultwithcarpentersandbuilders,
Andleaveinourtownnotevenatrace
Oftherats!"whensuddenlyuptheface
OfthePiperperkedinthemarketplace,
Witha,"First,ifyouplease,mythousandguilders!"

IX.

Athousandguilders!TheMayorlookedblue
SodidtheCorporationtoo.
Forcouncildinnersmaderarehavoc
WithClaret,Moselle,VindeGrave,Hock
Andhalfthemoneywouldreplenish
Theircellar'sbiggestbuttwithRhenish.
Topaythissumtoawanderingfellow
Withagipsycoatofredandyellow!
"Beside,"quoththeMayorwithaknowingwink,
"Ourbusinesswasdoneattheriver'sbrink
Wesawwithoureyestheverminsink,
Andwhat'sdeadcan'tcometolife,Ithink.

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So,friend,we'renotthefolkstoshrink
Fromthedutyofgivingyousomethingtodrink,
Andamatterofmoneytoputinyourpoke
Butasfortheguilders,whatwespoke
Ofthem,asyouverywellknow,wasinjoke.
Beside,ourlosseshavemadeusthrifty.
Athousandguilders!Come,takefifty!"

X.

ThePiper'sfacefell,andhecried,
"Notrifling!Ican'twait,beside!
I'vepromisedtovisitbydinnertime
Bagdad,andaccepttheprime
OftheHeadCook'spottage,allhe'srichin,
Forhavingleft,intheCaliph'skitchen,
Ofanestofscorpionsnosurvivor:
WithhimIprovednobargaindriver,
Withyou,don'tthinkI'llbateastiver!
Andfolkswhoputmeinapassion
Mayfindmepipeafteranotherfashion."

XI.

"How?"criedtheMayor,"d'yethinkIbrook
BeingworsetreatedthanaCook?
Insultedbyalazyribald
Withidlepipeandvesturepiebald?
Youthreatenus,fellow?Doyourworst,
Blowyourpipetheretillyouburst!"

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XII.

Oncemorehesteptintothestreet,
Andtohislipsagain
Laidhislongpipeofsmoothstraightcane

Andereheblewthreenotes

(suchsweet
Softnotesasyetmusician'scunning

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Nevergavetheenrapturedair)

Therewasarustling,

thatseemedlikeabustling

Ofmerrycrowdsjustlingatpitchingandhustling,

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Smallfeetwerepattering,woodenshoesclattering,

Littlehandsclappingandlittletongueschattering,

And,likefowlsinafarmyardwhenbarleyisscattering,

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Outcamethechildrenrunning.

Allthelittleboysandgirls,

Withrosycheeksandflaxencurls,

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Andsparklingeyesandteethlikepearls.

Tripping

andskipping,

ranmerrilyafter

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Thewonderfulmusicwithshoutingandlaughter.

XIII.

TheMayorwasdumb,andtheCouncilstood
Asiftheywerechangedintoblocksofwood,
Unabletomoveastep,orcry
Tothechildrenmerrilyskippingby.
Couldonlyfollowwiththeeye
ThatjoyouscrowdatthePiper'sback.
ButhowtheMayorwasontherack,
AndthewretchedCouncil'sbosomsbeat,
AsthePiperturnedfromtheHighStreet
TowheretheWeserrolleditswaters
Rightinthewayoftheirsonsanddaughters!
HoweverheturnedfromSouthtoWest,
AndtoKoppelbergHillhisstepsaddressed,
Andafterhimthechildrenpressed
Greatwasthejoyineverybreast.
"Henevercancrossthatmightytop!
He'sforcedtoletthepipingdrop,
Andweshallseeourchildrenstop!"
When,lo,astheyreachedthemountainside,
Awondrousportalopenedwide,
Asifacavernwassuddenlyhollowed
AndthePiperadvancedandthechildrenfollowed,
Andwhenallwereintotheverylast,
Thedoorinthemountainsideshutfast.

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DidIsay,all?NoOnewaslame,
Andcouldnotdancethewholeoftheway
Andinafteryears,ifyouwouldblame
Hissadness,hewasusedtosay,
"It'sdullinourtownsincemyplaymatesleft!
Ican'tforgetthatI'mbereft
Ofallthepleasantsightstheysee,
WhichthePiperalsopromisedme.
Forheledus,hesaid,toajoyousland,
Joiningthetownandjustathand,

Wherewatersgushedandfruittreesgrew,
Andflowersputforthafairerhue,
Andeverythingwasstrangeandnew
Thesparrowswerebrighterthanpeacockshere,
Andtheirdogsoutranourfallowdeer,
Andhoneybeeshadlosttheirstings,
Andhorseswerebornwitheagles'wings
AndjustasIbecameassured
Mylamefootwouldbespeedilycured,
ThemusicstoppedandIstoodstill,
Andfoundmyselfoutsidethehill,
Leftaloneagainstmywill,
Togonowlimpingasbefore,
Andneverhearofthatcountrymore!"

XIV.

Alas,alasforHamelin!
Therecameintomanyaburgher'spate
AtextwhichsaysthatHeaven'sgate
Opestotherichataseasyrate
Astheneedle'seyetakesacamelin!
TheMayorsentEast,West,North,andSouth,
ToofferthePiper,bywordofmouth,
Whereveritwasmen'slottofindhim,
Silverandgoldtohisheart'scontent,
Ifhe'donlyreturnthewayhewent,
Andbringthechildrenbehindhim.
Butwhentheysaw'twasalostendeavour,
AndPiperanddancersweregoneforever,
Theymadeadecreethatlawyersnever

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Shouldthinktheirrecordsdatedduly
If,afterthedayofthemonthandyear,
Thesewordsdidnotaswellappear,
"Andsolongafterwhathappenedhere
OntheTwentysecondofJuly,
Thirteenhundredandseventysix:"
Andthebetterinmemorytofix
Theplaceofthechildren'slastretreat,
Theycalledit,thePiedPiper'sStreet
Whereanyoneplayingonpipeortabor,
Wassureforthefuturetolosehislabour.
Norsufferedtheyhostelryortavern
Toshockwithmirthastreetsosolemn
Butoppositetheplaceofthecavern
Theywrotethestoryonacolumn,
Andonthegreatchurchwindowpainted
Thesame,tomaketheworldacquainted
Howtheirchildrenwerestolenaway,
Andthereitstandstothisveryday.
AndImustnotomittosay
ThatinTransylvaniathere'satribe
Ofalienpeoplethatascribe
Theoutlandishwaysanddress
Onwhichtheirneighbourslaysuchstress,
Totheirfathersandmothershavingrisen
Outofsomesubterraneousprison
Intowhichtheyweretrepanned
Longtimeagoinamightyband
OutofHamelintowninBrunswickland,
Buthoworwhy,theydon'tunderstand.

XV.

So,Willy,letmeandyoubewipers
Ofscoresoutwithallmenespeciallypipers!
And,whethertheypipeusfreefromratsorfrommice,
Ifwe'vepromisedthemaught,letuskeepourpromise!

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