
In a bustling medieval town, a relentless tide of rats overruns every corner, gnawing at food, unsettling infants, and turning daily life into chaos. The townspeople, helpless and embarrassed, scramble to find a solution, their leaders squabbling over how to fund any remedy while the vermin continue their relentless assault.
When a strange, cloaked figure arrives—tall, thin, with a vivid coat and a pipe slung around his neck—he offers a promise that sounds too good to be true. He claims his music can summon and control every creature that creeps, crawls, or flies, and he asks only a hefty fee to rid the town of its pestilence. With hope and desperation mingling, the council agrees, and the Piper begins to play, sending a haunting melody through the streets.
As the first notes echo, the rats respond in a startling, organized exodus, following the unseen rhythm. Listeners are drawn into the tension of whether this magical solution will truly save the town—or lead to an unforeseen consequence.
Language
en
Duration
~13 minutes (12K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Suzanne Shell, Christine D. and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
Release date
2006-05-08
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1812–1889
A leading Victorian poet, he became famous for dramatic monologues that let readers overhear vivid, revealing voices. His best-known works include "My Last Duchess," "Fra Lippo Lippi," and the ambitious book-length poem The Ring and the Book.
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