The Pied Piper Of Hamelin By The Grimm Brothers

For hundreds of years fairy tales have been apart of many lives. Whether people know it or not fairy tales have an affect on them throughout their life. As children, fairy tales bring enjoyment and help expand thinking and knowledge of life lessons, as adolescents the lessons learned come into play, and as adults people compare those in their life to fairy tale characters and judge them accordingly. Fairy tales have been around for hundreds of years and will continue to be told to youth forever. They will be around forever because the lessons they teach are universal and will always be valuable. These tales can also always be altered to fit a new generation. “The Pied Piper of Hamelin” originally by the Grimm Brothers is a fairy tale that has …show more content…
“The Pied Piper of Hamelin” is a famous story based on events that transpired in the German town of Hamelin. The story goes that the town was overrun with rats and the people of Hamelin desperate to get rid of them. Then on came along a peculiar man in strange clothes who said he could rid the town of the rats for a large sum of money. The town, desperate they were, agrees to pay the money and the piper does what he said he could do, and leads the rats away forever with the music from his flute. The town’s people were in disbelief to what they just saw, but were overjoyed that the rats were finally gone. However, the Piper returns to the town and asks for his money. And the town’s mayor, who unwisely agreed to pay the money because he did not believe the piper could do it, would not pay the Piper, so the Piper left the town bitterly. Some time later the Piper returns to Hamelin and he is seeking revenge. He begins to play a different tune from his flute and the mayor and all the grown people of the town are frozen, yet Hamelin’s children were flocking towards the Piper and followed …show more content…
This story has a simple moral and that is to never go back on one’s word, or as the people of Hamelin say it at the end of their story: “If we’ve promised them aught, let us keep our promise!” (Browning 303). Fairy tales “portray life issues in miniature” and this specific tale provides an example of a group of people who do not stay true to their word (which is something very easy to do) and have horrendous consequences because of this (Young). It has the example of people who went back on their word losing their children forever. This is a powerful message because it teaches its reader that when one does something wrong, someone must be punished, and by doing something wrong they may hurt those close to them. This tale is directed toward a younger audience and that is perfect because as they get older they will make friends that they care about and grow closer to their family. Then hopefully as this happens, they will keep this story’s lesson in mind, and when they consider going back on their word or doing something they should not, they will remember they are putting their loved ones in danger because a consequence will come for their actions. The Grimm Brother’s “The Pied Piper of Hamelin” serves many purposes to its readers, but the most