A long-standing and mysterious event lies at the heart of the legend first told to the world by the German writers and collectors of folklore by the Brothers Grimm: more than 700 years ago, on June 26, 1284, 130 children disappeared from the city of Hameln forever. The tragedy was caused by an unprecedented invasion of rodents. Streets, houses, cellars were filled with rats. There was no rest from them, neither day nor night.
In June 1284, a stranger appeared in Hameln in a fancy multicolored dress. No one knew who he was or where he came from. He called himself the Pied Piper and offered the residents to get rid of the misfortune for a certain amount. The townspeople agreed to his terms. Then the stranger took out a pipe and began to play. Immediately, noise was heard from everywhere - this, forming in ranks and rows, the rodents were moving after the Pied Piper.
They followed the musician, who, playing a pipe, led them through the streets of the town to the Weser River, in which everyone was drowned. But as soon as the time came to settle accounts with the liberator, the avaricious burghers regretted their agreement and refused to pay the Pied Piper.
Then on June 26, the day of St. John, this mysterious man reappeared in Hameln. He again walked through the streets, playing on his pipe, but now, children over four years old came running to him from everywhere. Only 130 children followed him, fascinated by the wonderful melody, and the adult residents stood rooted to the spot, not yet understanding what could happen.
The sorcerer led the children to the mountain, in which the gates were opened, and the children, following him, went inside, after which the gates slammed. There was only one kid left outside - he was lame and did not arrive in time. When the local burghers approached the mountain, they did not find anything or anyone, it seemed to them that the children seemed to have sunk through the earth.
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The parents of the missing were shedding tears, and the lame boy all his life regretted that he was left alone and would never be able to get to "the land of joy, where there are many streams and orchards, where beautiful flowers grow all year round."
This medieval story - as told by the famous storytellers of the Brothers Grimm - is familiar to every German since childhood. Writers such as Goethe and Bertold Brecht have addressed the Pied Piper. The legend is widely known outside Germany. Thus, one of the most widely read works of Anglo-Saxon literature is the retelling of the Hameln legend by the English poet of the 19th century, Robert Browning.
In the 20s of the last century, a lyric - satirical poem by Marina Tsvetaeva "The Pied Piper" was published in Paris. Under the pen of writers, in the works of famous composers and artists who turned to the theme of the game, the legend each time acquired a new sound and interpretation: some saw in it a dark mystical event, emphasized its dramatic character, others the image of the Pied Piper seemed joyful and light, as in funny cartoon by Walt Disney.
And what exactly does science think about the legend? For a long time, historians have been racking their brains over a mysterious incident. In Hamelin itself, there is no doubt that it took place. There is an entry about him in the books of the municipality, kept in the city hall.
Comparison of various historical evidence has not yet led researchers to a final solution. Some believe that the legend describes the beginning of one of the children's crusades. The young Gamelnians who disappeared without a trace succumbed to the persuasion of one of the then walkers, who called for the development and liberation of lands in the East.
This "recruiter" could well be a rat-catcher in combination - such a profession really existed in the old days and should have been very respectable in such a town as Hameln, where the grain trade has long played an important role, and mills were an integral part of the urban landscape: they suffered from mice flour barns, rats posed a threat to humans.
Another part of historians is inclined to believe that in Hameln there could have been a case of mass hypnosis, under the influence of which the young residents fell into "dancing ecstasy" and drowned in the surrounding swamps or waters of the local Weser River. The legend gives the Pied Piper the features that make him related to the elves, and the latter are known for possessing beauty, enchanting singing and the ability to extract mesmerizing music from various instruments, not characteristic of mere mortals.
Elves came from the north - from the Scandinavian sagas. There they were called "alwami". They very quickly "populated" all of Europe. The distinctive features of the elves are slanted eyes, pointed ears, and extraordinary lightness and grace of movement. And yet - they have the gift of eternal youth. In other words, elves never grow old, for they are immortal. However, they can be killed, but they never die by their own death.
The gift of long life endowed the elves with wisdom - they know everything about everything. Elves know how to talk with plants and animals and are able to subjugate them to their will. Like other evil spirits, elves are prone to werewolves, but most of all they like to pretend to be people - in order to deceive real people and laugh at them.
If you manage to "treat" a mortal with some nasty thing like a fly agaric or a rotten stuff, tricked into a bun or gingerbread - there is no limit to their joy! And the funniest thing is to charm, seduce and fall in love with some guy or girl, so that after all their life these unfortunate people wither away and wait for their mysterious lover to return.
Folk legends agree that elves sing amazingly, playing along with violins, harps and flutes. Anyone who at least once hears the elf playing and singing will never be able to listen to primitive human music … And they also love to dance. Smooth concentric rings of crushed grass, which in our time are considered traces of a UFO landing, used to be called "elf-dance", because people thought that in this place elves circled all night, until dawn.
Elves live "in a world" where time passes differently than on Earth, where they visit from time to time to have fun. Most often, they lure to visit children whom they love and never offend. The child is taught something useful, such as singing and playing musical instruments, sometimes jewelry and even witchcraft.
It seems to a man that only a few hours have passed, but in fact he spent several years visiting the elves, and his parents mourned him a long time ago! When the child grows up and the elves lose interest in him, he returns "to earth". All the stories about those who visited them, having joined the "knowledge", end sadly. A disciple of elves usually yearns and toils and tries to meet them again, and this, according to the unwritten law, is impossible. The man wastes away and soon dies.
Folk legends not only tell about strange creatures living somewhere near us, but also give advice on how to protect ourselves from their evil influence. Prayer is often enough. It is also useful to have something iron with you, for the elves are afraid of cold metal. For some reason, they also do not like mountain ash. A branch of mountain ash over the door of the house - and you are protected from the invasion of unknown creatures …
“Hameln is a glorious town,” Marina Tsvetaeva once wrote. Indeed, it is good, this ancient city, nestled in the bend of the Weser among green fields and meadows. There are no mountains nearby, but the figurine of the Pied Piper is visible everywhere, playing his magic flute. He has become an eternal symbol. The legend lives on, bringing income from tourism today.
Every year on June 26, a solemn procession takes place. When comparing it with the legendary “exodus of children”, at least two differences can be established: firstly, everyone without exception returns home safely, and secondly, not only children participate in the procession, but also such adults as the burgomaster and everyone members of the city council, dressed in medieval costumes.
The procession is led, of course, by the Pied Piper - and everyone who wants to follow at a respectful distance. Just like 700+ years ago, hordes of rats can be seen on every corner … in bakery windows. A traditional Hameln souvenir - rodents of different sizes and colors are baked from the very flour on which they took up arms in the distant past.
Irina STREKALOVA