The Pied Piper of Hamlin is a cautionary tale to remind us that there are severe consequences for those who refuse to keep promises. The celebration of Christmas is a kind of promise in that it acknowledges one's desire to participate in God's plan of salvation for mankind. So if you up for celebrating Christmas it might be good for you and your children to remember who you really get your blessings from.
The ancient town of Hamlin was crawling with rats.
“They fought the dogs, and killed the cats,
And bit the babies in the cradles,
And ate the cheeses out of the vats,
And licked the soup from the cook's own ladles,
Split open the kegs of salted sprats,
Made nests inside men's Sunday hats,
And even spoiled the women's chats,
By drowning their speaking
With shrieking and squeaking
In fifty different sharps and flats” (Robert Browning).
The people of Hamlin came to the local council demanding action, they met and they discussed but they could offer no solution. Suddenly in the midst of their prevaricating there was a knock on the door, which when opened at the mayor’s command, revealed, in a long thin coat, one side red the other yellow, an equally thin and strange looking fellow.
He advanced to the conference table and pointing to a pipe hanging from his neck, told the incredulous councillors that for a thousands guilders, payment on completion of contract, he would charm the rats out of town with his music.
The mayor, effected by a rush of blood, promised to pay him fifty thousand. “Done!” said the funny flautist and without a moment’s hesitation was on the street playing his instrument. Within minutes the main street of Hamlin became a mosh-pit of rats swaying with the music of the Piper. When it seemed every last rodent had arrived, he quietly led them out of town, down to the nearby river Weser wherein trancelike, they plunged and drowned.
The townsfolk quickly destroyed the rat’s nests and holes and swept up all the evidence of the rat’s existence so well that in no time they’d forgotten there had ever been a rat in Hamlin.
The Piper returned later that day and up to the council chambers he went to collect his fee of one thousand guilders.
The Mayor was flabbergasted. He claimed it was all a joke and never really intended to pay that kind of money for the mere removal of a few rats. The piper, angry at such a flagrant breaking of covenant, went back into the street and played his pipe once more. The townspeople stood transfixed as they watched every child of Hamlin follow the piper out of town and out of their lives forever.
Serious scholars believe the story comes out of a period of forced, or encouraged migration following the Battle of Bornhoven (1227) where young people from the southern Germanic states were used to re-settle Moravia.
The story is a cautionary tale to discourage the breaking of promises, especially those made to people who have rescued you from terrible situations. It reminds one of the first three commandments which teach the Israelites the incredible danger of worshipping other gods and creating idols to represent supernatural beings.
God’s concern was that such activity would cause them to forget him and their amazing salvation from the slavery of Egypt. This would amount to a reneging on a promise they had made to worship him and obey him only. Such a promise, if kept, would guarantee freedom for them and their children but if broken would place them and their children under condemnation.
It is most important to remember that God is the source of your salvation and all your on-going blessings in this world. All he asks for is acknowledgement and thankfulness.
Making sure you thank the right person for all the benefits you have received at Christmas will go a long way towards ensuring you will keep your children for eternity.
