一个孩子的故事。(写给并题词:w.m. the Younger._)著名的汉诺威市，布伦瑞克的I. Hamelin Town;又深又宽的威悉河冲刷着南面的城墙;这是你从未见过的好地方;但是，当我的小曲开始的时候，差不多五百年前，看到镇上的人如此遭受害虫的折磨，是一种遗憾。2老鼠!他们与狗搏斗，杀死猫，咬摇篮里的婴儿，吃大桶里的奶酪，舔厨师自己勺子里的汤，劈开盐鲱鱼的桶，在男人的礼拜天帽子里筑巢，甚至破坏女人的谈话，用五十种不同的尖声和尖声淹没她们的谈话。3“很明显，”他们嚷道，“我们的市长是个酒鬼; ``And as for our Corporation---shocking. ``To think we buy gowns lined with ermine ``For dolts that can't or won't determine ``What's best to rid us of our vermin! ``You hope, because you're old and obese, ``To find in the furry civic 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 mighty consternation. 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 hap At the chamber door but a gentle tap? ``Bless us,'' cried the Mayor, ``what's that?'' (With the Corporation as he sat, Looking little though wondrous fat; Nor brighter was his eye, nor moister Than a too-long-opened oyster, Save when at noon his paunch grew mutinous For a plate of turtle green and glutinous) ``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 kin: And nobody could enough admire The tall man and his quaint attire. Quoth one: ``It's as my great-grandsire, ``Starting up at the Trump of Doom's tone, ``Had walked this way from his painted tombstone!'' VI. He advanced to the council-table And, ``Please your honours,'' 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 mole and toad and newt and viper; ``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 cheque; 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 dangled 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 swarms of gnats; ``I eased in Asia the Nizam ``Of a monstrous 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 exclamation 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 adept, 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 shrill notes the pipe uttered, You heard as if an army muttered; And the muttering grew to a grumbling; And the grumbling grew to a mighty rumbling; And out of the houses the rats came tumbling. Great rats, small rats, lean rats, brawny rats, Brown rats, black rats, grey rats, tawny rats, Grave old plodders, gay young friskers, Fathers, mothers, uncles, cousins, Cocking tails and pricking whiskers, Families by tens and dozens, Brothers, sisters, husbands, wives--- Followed the Piper for their lives. From street to street he piped a