The Pied Piper of Hamelin story
Told entirely in the original poem as a bedtime story to a young boy in 1840 England, the Mayor, Town Council and the whole German town of Hamelin in the year 1376 learns the heavy price of going back on their promise to the magical Pied Piper who helped rid their village of rats. Starring and narrated by Eric Idle. Written and directed by Nicholas Meyer.
10 total · 1 choice · 5 major · 4 minor
| Theme | Level | Motivation |
|---|---|---|
| the importance of keeping one's promises | choice | The town counselor learned this valuable lesson when the Pied Piper avenged the council's reneging on paying him the 1,000 guilders he was owed by abducting most all of the town's children. |
| coping with a loved one being missing | major | The conclusion of the story was that the townspeople were punished by having their children taken away from them. The townspeople were distressed in the wake of the Pied Piper having made off with their children. |
| facing a vermin infestation | major | The town of Hamelin was suffering from a terrible rat infestation. |
| human childhood | major | The main story is told to a young boy who would rather not be going to bed. The Pied Piper conversed with a young lad and promised him protection. |
| life in medieval Europe | major | Albeit in jocular spirit, the story was said to be set in England 1376. |
| the desire for vengeance | major | The Pied Piper avenged the town counselor reneging on their agreement to pay him 1,000 guilders by taking away most all of their children. |
| alchemy | minor | Alric the Alchemist had failed to help with the infestation, we heard. |
| corruption in society | minor | The town counselor were exceedingly corrupt. At one point they merrily voted to give themselves a very much undeserved raise. |
| magic portal | minor | The Pied Piper took the children through a magic portal in the mountain side. |
| mobility impairment | minor | The only child spared was a lame boy who could not dance speedily enough into the magic portal. |