THE PIED PIPER OF HAMELIN The town is suffering from a serious rat infestation. A mysterious piper stranger dressed in multicolored (""pied"") clothing appeared, known as the Pied Piper. He promised the mayor a solution to their problem with the rats. He says that he can cast a spell over rats by playing his flute. The mayor promises to pay the Piper handsomely if he rids the town of the rats. When the Piper gets rid of the vermin, however, the mayor offers him much less money than he originally agreed to give him. The angry Piper plays his flute again and makes all of Hamelin's children follow him out of town.