The Pied Piper of Hamelin

The legend of the Pied Piper of Hamelin isn’t Robert Browning’s creation, but a traditional folktale with roots in real recorded history. It is documented that in 1284, many or all of the children living in the German town of Hamelin disappeared. A plaque on one of the town’s timber houses states: “A.D. 1284, on the 26th of June, the day of St. John and St. Paul, 130 children born in Hamelin were led out of the town by a piper wearing multicolored clothes. After passing the Calvary near the Koppenberg they disappeared forever.” Additionally, the earliest known written record in the town’s archives dates from 1384: “It is 100 years since our children left.” These clues have, understandably, intrigued historians and storytellers for generations.

The earliest form of the story as we know it today dates back to the 16th century, using elements of the story already in place, such as the Pied Piper figure, and adding the rats. Historians believe this version combines two or more pre-existing tales, with the rats alluding to the black plague (which was not present in Hamelin at the time). Some scholars suggest that the story may have been a metaphor for a mass illness, with the Piper representing death. One possibility points to certain kinetic diseases that can produce movements reminiscent of dancing; an epidemic of one of these illnesses may have suggested that children were dancing their way out of town until they collapsed from overexertion. Another theory is that the specific date on the plaque falls near traditional pagan midsummer celebrations; this might mean that the children (along with the piper) were victims of genocide or forced conversion by local religious authorities. Other theories suggest the children may have been part of mass migration to escape poverty or forced conscription into labor.

Today, the Pied Piper legend is a lucrative cultural icon for the town of Hamelin, which has retained much of its medieval architecture. Many local businesses capitalize on the fairy tale by offering dishes or products inspired by the legend, and Pied Piper tours showcase notable places and its origins. The story has also found its way into numerous contemporary adaptations, including a Disney version, various television episodes, and literary adaptations by writers like Harlan Ellison and Terry Pratchett.