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nPostednon July 22, 2013
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nOnnthis date in 1376, the Pied Piper piped his pipe, and all the rats innthe town of Hamelin, Germany, followed the piper out of town and intonthe nearby river, where they drowned.
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nButnthe mayor of Hamelin went back on his promise to pay the piper fornsolving the rat problem, so the Pied Piper once again piped his pipe,nand he led away all the children of the town—this time, away tonTransylvania. And they never came back!
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Andnall of that is just a silly nursery tale, right?
Andnall of that is just a silly nursery tale, right?n
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nWell…itnis a legend that has been adapted into a nursery story, a poem, andnother formats—but part of it may have been based on a true story!nHistorians point out that there were horrible rat infestations in thentown of Hamelin, and there are several accounts that the populationnof children suddenly dropped to near zero around the time of thenlegend—due to the plague, or a landslide or sinkhole disaster, ornan ill-fated Children’s Crusade, depending on the account.
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nAllnthe varied reports have many different details, including differentnmonths, days, and years for the devastating event—whatever it maynhave been.
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nItnall sounds grim—what a switch from yesterday’s holiday, which celebrates children saving their town! Still, the holidays are celebrated in similar ways! For example, the townspeople of Hamelin reenact the exodus ofnchildren every summer Sunday at noon. This open-air play lasts 30nminutes, and it’s free. There is also a musical called “RATS”nevery Wednesday in the middle of old town—and it lasts 40 minutesnand is also free! Thousands of visitors go to the townnto watch these performances (about 50,000 last summer alone).
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nYouncan also book a tour guide dressed as the Pied Piper to help you enjoy your visit to Hamelin. The PiednPiper is featured in statuary on several fountains in town, in anchurch window, in an inscription on what is supposed to be the piper’s house,nin clockwork figures on the town’s Glockenspiel, and in an entirenmuseum devoted to the tale!
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nChecknout the famous poem by Robert Browning andnthis story version of the Pied Piper of Hamelin.
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nAlsonon this date:
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Casual Pi Day
Casual Pi Day n
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RevolutionnDay in the Gambia
RevolutionnDay in the Gambian
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NationalnTree Planting Day in the Central African Republic
NationalnTree Planting Day in the Central African Republicn
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nBirthdaynof the king of Swaziland
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nAnniversarynof three first-flights-around-the-world
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nPlannahead:
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nChecknout my Pinterest pages on Julynholidays, historicalnanniversaries in July,nand Julynbirthdays.
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nAndnhere are my Pinterest pages on Augustnholidays, historicalnanniversaries in August,nand Augustnbirthdays.
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