by Robert Browning

    I

    Hamelin Town's in Brunswick，

    By famous Hanover city；

    The river Weser， deep and wide，

    Washes its wall on the southern side；

    A pleasanter spot you never spied；

    But， when begins my ditty，

    Almost five hundred years ago，

    To see the townsfolk suffer so

    From vermin， was a pity.

    II

    Rats！

    They fought the dogs and killed the cats，

    And bit the babies in the cradles，

    And ate the cheeses out of the vats¹，

    And licked the soup from the cooks' own ladle's，

    Split open the kegs of salted sprats，

    Made nests inside men's Sunday hats，

    And even spoiled the women's chats

    By drowning their speaking

    With shrieking³ and squeaking⁴

    In fifty different sharps and flats.

    III

    At last the people in a body

    To the town hall came flocking：

    "'Tis clear，" cried they， 'our Mayor's a noddy；

    And as for our Corporation——shocking

    To think we buy gowns lined with ermine

    For dolts⁶ that can't or won't determine

    What's best to rid us of our vermin！

    You hope， because you're old and obese⁷，

    To find in the furry⁸ civic⁹ robe ease？

    Rouse up， sirs！ Give your brains a racking

    To find the remedy we're lacking，

    Or， sure as fate， we'll send you packing！"

    At this the Mayor and Corporation

    Quaked with a mighty¹⁰ consternation¹¹.

    IV

    An hour they sat in council，

    At length the Mayor broke silence：

    "For a guilder I'd my ermine gown sell，

    I wish I were a mile hence！

    It's easy to bid one rack one's brain——

    I'm sure my poor head aches again，

    I've scratched it so， and all in vain

    Oh for a trap， a trap， a trap！"

    Just as he said this， what should hap¹²

    At the chamber¹³ door but a gentle tap？

    "Bless us，' cried the Mayor， "what's that？"

    （With the Corporation as he sat，

    Looking little though wondrous¹⁴ fat；

    Nor brighter was his eye， nor moister

    Than a too-long-opened oyster¹⁵，

    Save when at noon his paunch grew mutinous¹⁶

    For a plate of turtle， green and glutinous¹⁷）

    "Only a scraping of shoes on the mat？

    Anything like the sound of a rat

    Makes my heart go pit-a-pat！"

    V

    "Come in！"——the Mayor cried， looking bigger：

    And in did come the strangest figure！

    His queer long coat from heel to head

    Was half of yellow and half of red

    And he himself was tall and thin，

    With sharp blue eyes， each like a pin，

    And light loose hair， yet swarthy skin，

    No tuft on cheek nor beard on chin，

    But lips where smiles went out and in——

    There was no guessing his kith and kin²！

    And nobody could enough admire

    The tall man and his quaint¹⁸ attire¹⁹.

    Quoth one：  "It's as if my great-grandsire，

    Starting up at the Trump²⁰ of Doom's tone，

    Had walked this way from his painted tombstone！"

    VI

    He advanced to the council-table：

    And， "Please your honors，" said he， "I'm able，

    By means of a secret charm， to draw

    All creatures living beneath the sun，

    That creep or swim or fly or run，

    After me so as you never saw！

    And I chiefly use my charm

    On creatures that do people harm，

    The mole²¹ and toad²² and newt and viper²³；

    And people call me the Pied Piper."

    （And here they noticed round his neck

    A scarf of red and yellow stripe，

    To match with his coat of the self-same check；

    And at the scarf's end hung a pipe；

    And his fingers， they noticed， were ever straying

    As if impatient to be playing

    Upon this pipe， as low it dangled²⁵

    Over his vesture so old-fangled.）

    "Yet，" said he， "poor piper as I am，

    In Tartary I freed the Cham，

    Last June， from his huge swarm²⁶ of gnats²⁷；

    I eased in Asia the Nizam

    Of a monstrous²⁸ brood of vampyre-bats：

    And as for what your brain bewilders——

    If I can rid your town of rats

    Will you give me a thousand guilders？"

    "One？ Fifty thousand！" was the exclamation²⁹

    Of the astonished Mayor and Corporation.

    VII

    Into the street the Piper stept，

    Smiling first a little smile，

    As if he knew what magic slept

    In his quiet pipe the while；

    Then， like a musical adept³⁰，

    To blow the pipe his lips he wrinkled，

    And green and blue his sharp eyes twinkled，

    Like a candle-flame where salt is sprinkled；

    And ere three shrill³³ notes the pipe uttered，

    You heard as if an army muttered；

    And the muttering grew to a grumbling³⁴；

    And the grumbling grew to a mighty rumbling³⁵；

    And out of the houses the rats came tumbling.

    Great rats， small rats， lean rats， brawny³⁶ rats，

    Brown rats， black rats， gray rats， tawny³⁷ rats，

    Grave old plodders， gay young friskers，

    Fathers， mothers， uncles， cousins，

    Cocking tails and pricking³⁸ whiskers，

    Families by tens and dozens，

    Brothers， sisters， husbands， wives——

    Followed the Piper for their lives.

    From street to street he piped advancing，

    And step for step they followed dancing，

    Until they came to the river Weser

    Wherein all plunged³⁹ and perished！

    ？Save one who， stout⁴⁰ as Julius Caesar，

    Swam across and lived to carry

    （As the manuscript he cherished）

    To Rat-land home his commentary：

    Which was， "At the first shrill notes of the pipe，

    I heard a sound as of scraping tripe²⁴，

    And putting apples， wondrous ripe，

    Into a cider-press's gripe：

    And a moving away of pickle-tub-boards，

    And a leaving ajar of conserve-cupboards，

    And a drawing the corks⁴¹ of train-oil-flasks，

    And a breaking the hoops⁴² of butter-casks：

    And it seemed as if a voice

    （Sweeter far than by harp⁵ or by psaltery

    Is breathed） called out， 'Oh rats， rejoice！

    The world is grown to one vast dry-saltery！

    So munch⁴⁴ on， crunch⁴⁵ on， take your nuncheon，

    Breakfast， supper， dinner， luncheon⁴⁶！'

    And just as a bulky sugar-puncheon，

    All ready staved， like a great sun shone

    Glorious scarce an inch before me，

    Just as methought it said 'Come bore me！'

    —— I found the Weser rolling o'er me."

    VIII

    You should have heard the Hamelin people

    Ringing the bells till they rocked the steeple.

    Go，" cried the Mayor， "and get long poles！

    Poke⁴⁷ out the nests and block up the holes！

    Consult with carpenters and builders

    And leave in our town not even a trace

    Of the rats！"—— when suddenly， up the face

    Of the Piper perked⁴⁸ in the market-place，

    With a， "First， if you please， my thousand guilders！"

    IX

    A thousand guilders！ The Mayor looked blue；

    So did the Corporation too.

    For council dinners made rare havoc⁴⁹

    With Claret， Moselle， Vin-de-Grave， Hock；

    And half the money would replenish⁵⁰

    Their cellar's biggest butt⁴³ with Rhenish.

    To pay this sum to a wandering fellow

    With a gypsy coat of red and yellow！

    "Beside，" quoth the Mayor with a knowing wink³¹，

    "Our business was done at the river's brink⁵¹；

    We saw with our eyes the vermin sink，

    And what's dead can't come to life， I think.

    So， friend， we're not the folks to shrink

    From the duty of giving you something for drink，

    And a matter of money to put in your poke；

    But as for the guilders， what we spoke⁵²

    Of them， as you very well know， was in joke.

    Beside， our losses have made us thrifty⁵³.

    A thousand guilders！ Come， take fifty！

    X

    The Piper's face fell， and he cried，

    "No trifling⁵⁴！ I can't wait！ Beside，

    I've promised to visit by dinnertime

    Bagdad， and accept the prime

    Of the Head-Cook's pottage， all he's rich in，

    For having left， in the Caliph's kitchen，

    Of a nest of scorpions⁵⁵ no survivor——

    With him I proved no bargain-driver，

    With you， don't think I'll bate⁵⁶ a stiver！

    And folks who put me in a passion

    May find me pipe to another fashion."

    XI

    "How？" cried the Mayor， "d'ye think I brook⁵⁷

    Being worse treated than a Cook？

    Insulted by a lazy ribald

    With idle pipe and vesture piebald？

    You threaten us， fellow？ Do your worst，

    Blow your pipe there till you burst！"

    XII

    Once more he stept into the street

    And to his lips again

    Laid his long pipe of smooth straight cane⁵⁸；

    And ere he blew three notes （such sweet

    Soft notes as yet musician's cunning

    Never gave the enraptured⁵⁹ air）

    There was a rustling⁶⁰ that seemed like a bustling⁶¹

    Of merry crowds justling at pitching and hustling⁶²，

    Small feet were pattering， wooden shoes clattering⁶³，

    Little hands clapping， and little tongues chattering⁶⁴，

    And， like fowls⁶⁵ in a farm-yard when barley⁶⁶ is scattering⁶⁷，

    Out came the children running.

    All the little boys and girls，

    With rosy⁶⁸ cheeks and flaxen curls，

    And sparkling eyes and teeth like pearls，

    Tripping and skipping， ran merrily after

    The wonderful music with shouting and laughter.

    XIII

    The Mayor was dumb， and the Council stood

    As if they were changed into blocks of wood，

    Unable to move a step or cry，

    To the children merrily skipping by——

    And could only follow with the eye

    That joyous⁶⁹ crowd at the Piper's back.

    But how the Mayor was on the rack

    And the wretched Council's bosoms⁷⁰ beat，

    As the Piper turned from the High Street

    To where the Weser rolled its water's

    Right in the way of their sons and daughters！

    However he turned from South to West

    And to Koppelberg Hill his steps addressed，

    And after him the children pressed；

    Great was the joy in every breast.

    "He never can cross that mighty top！

    He's forced to let the piping drop

    And we shall see our children stop！

    When， lo， as they reached the mountain-side，

    A wondrous portal opened wide，

    As if a cavern⁷¹ was suddenly hollowed；

    And the Piper advanced and the children followed，

    And when all were in to the very last，

    The door in the mountain-side shut fast.

    Did I say all？ No！ One was lame³²，

    And could not dance the whole of the way；

    And in after years， if you would blame

    His sadness， he was used to say，——

    "It's dull in our town since my playmates left！

    I can't forget that I'm bereft⁷²

    Of all the pleasant sights they see，

    Which the Piper also promised me.

    For he led us， he said， to a joyous land，

    Joining the town and just at hand，

    Where waters gushed⁷³ and fruit-trees grew，

    And flowers put forth⁷⁴ a fairer hue⁷⁵，

    And everything was strange and new；

    The sparrows were brighter than peacocks here，

    And their dogs outran our fallow deer，

    And honey-bees had lost their stings，

    And horses were born with eagles' wings：

    And just as I became assured

    My lame foot would be speedily cured，

    The music stopped and I stood still，

    And found myself outside the hill，

    Left alone against my will，

    To go now limping as before，

    And never hear of that country more！

    XIV

    Alas⁷⁶， alas for Hamelin！

    There came into many a burgher's pate⁷⁷

    A text which says that heaven's gate

    Opens to the rich at as easy rate

    As the needle's eye takes a camel in！

    The mayor sent East， West， North and South，

    To offer the Piper， by word of mouth

    Wherever it was men's lot to find him，

    Silver and gold to his heart's content，

    If he'd only return the way he went，

    And bring the children behind him.

    But when they saw 'twas a lost endeavor，

    And Piper and dancers were gone forever，

    They made a decree that lawyers never

    Should think their records dated duly

    If， after the day of the month and year，

    These words did not as well appear：

    "And so long after what happened here

    On the twenty-second of July，

    Thirteen hundred and seventy-six；"

    And the better in memory to fix

    The place of the children's last retreat，

    They called it the Pied Piper's Street，

    Where any one playing on pipe or tabor

    Was sure for the future to lose his labor⁷⁸.

    Nor suffered they hostelry or tavern⁷⁹

    To shock with mirth a street so solemn，

    But opposite the place of the cavern

    They wrote the story on a column，

    And on the great church-window painted

    The same， to make the world acquainted

    How their children were stolen away，

    And there it stands to this very day.

    And I must not omit to say

    That， in Transylvania there's a tribe

    Of alien people who ascribe

    To the outlandish ways and dress

    On which their neighbors lay such stress，

    To their fathers and mothers having risen

    Out of some subterranean⁸⁰ prison

    Into which they were trepanned

    Long time ago in a mighty band

    Out of Hamelin town in Brunswick land，

    But how or why they don't understand.

    XV

    So， Willy， let you and me be wipers

    Of scores out with all men——especially pipers！

    And， whether they pipe us free， from rats or from mice，

    If we've promised them ought， let us keep our promise.

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