Northern mythology

NORTH GERMAN TRADITIONS. 1 19
THE CHILDREN OF HAMELN.
In the year 1284 the town of Hameln was mtolerably
infested with rats. One day there came a man to the
town^ most singularly clad^ and no one knew from whence,
who gave himself out for a rat-catcher, and offered, for a
certain sum of money, to rid them of those noxious animals.
The townsmen agreed to his proposal, and promised him
the remuneration required. Thereupon the man drew
forth a pipe, and piped, and in an instant the rats came
hurrying forth from every house, cellar and corner, and
in such numbers that the streets were over and over
covered with them. The man then proceeded to the gate
leading to Lachem and Aerzen, and, on reaching the
Weser, tucked up his dress and walked into the river;
and the rats, following his example, plunged into the
water and were drowned. But no sooner were the townsmen
relieved from their torment, than they repented of
their promise, and on the plea that the man was a sorcerer,
refused to pay him the stipulated remuneration. At this
he was furious, and vowed vengeance.
On the 26th June, the day of St. John and St. Paul,
when almost every Christian soul was in church, the
sorcerer again entered the town, but this time in a different
guise. He was clad as a huntsman, with a firered
hat, and had a most terrific countenance. He struck
up a tune, at which all the children were so fascinated,
that they must needs follow him at every step. Slowly
he marched up the narrow street leading to the east gate,
with the children in great number after him ; then, passing
through the gate, proceeded to a mountain called the
Koppelberg, in which they all disappearedo
This was witnessed by a nursery-maid, who related that
the mountain opened, and as soon as the man with the
children (to the number of a hundred and thirty) had