THE PIPER´S PRICE

There once was a plague in Hamelin,
the rats crawled around on everything,
they stole the grain, they bit and gnawed,
and no one could stop this hungry horde.

A piper came and his cloak was pied,
his flute shun in the morning light.
He said: "If you want, I can draw them away,
they´ll all be gone by the end of the day....
but pay me in gold, or you will regret,
when I take something else instead ..."

Oh, dance, ye rats, to the piper’s song,
The tune is sweet, the magic strong.
don´t break your word, keep your promise instead,
for the piper’s price must be paid ..

So he played his tune, the vermin ran
through alley, field, and ditching span,
they marched to drown beneath the tide,
the town people cheered: all the rats have died !

The piper asked for his reward,
when the people said, they would not afford,
to pay such price for a simple tune,
he just replied: "you´ll regret this soon !"

You have to follow the piper’s song,
The tune is sweet, the magic strong,
and woe to those, who break their word,
another price must be conferred:

He played again at morning red,
the children all rose from their bed,
they followed him barefoot through the glen,
and never were seen again ...

Play Pied Piper, play your tune,
ghosts are dancing beneath the moon,
a promise was broken, and those who betrayed,
are despaired at the price they have paid.