The Pied Piper

"I so wish I was somewhere far, far away." the Mayor wailed, standing at the head of the long rectangular table. Thirteen councilmen looked up at him. "Why," he said, wrenching out of his gilted overcoat in a fit and throwing it at the table, "I'd give much more than one of these to anyone who could solve this problem of ours." 

"Our days our ending, men! If we do not think of something quick, it will be our destruction!" he scrabbled at his long white wig, displacing in the process. No one in the Council took notice. 

"I've been thinking and thinking and thinking!" the Mayor gesticulated. "But all in vain!" 

Tap. Tap. Tap

There was a gentle knocking on the Council room's door. 

"What's that? Is that a rat?" the Mayor whispered, grabbing the edge of his seat. 

"It seems to be a visitor, Sir." the councilman at his right said in a monotone voice. 

"Why, a visitor!" the Mayor breathed, "He might have come with a solution! Hurry up! Let him in, Let him in." 

A peculiar figure stepped inside the council room. He stood taller than all of the others, and was also much thinner, but did not look weak. Instead, his blue eyes shone with sharpness and energy, observing all of them with a large smile on his lips. His skin was swarthy and pale, and his long dark brown hair was hanging loose and wayward, as if perpetually being blown by wind. 

Most peculiar of all, however, was his overcoat, which seemed a size too big for him, and was half of red and half of yellow. It swished grandly as he moved, only adding to the strangeness of his person. 

The Mayor and his Council stared at the man, unable to speak. The visitor widened his smile and looking around at them all, introduced himself. 

"I do believe that the matter for which I have come is extremely pressing, so I shall say what I have to say quickly and precisely." the man pointed to his scarf, also striped red and yellow, on which hung a long wooden pipe, well polished and cleaned but with telltale sign of use over its edges and how familiarly the man fingered it, as if impatient to play.

"I am known as the Pied Piper," he began. "I have a pipe with a magical charm. It can make any living creature under the sun dance to its tune. I can solve your town's pressing problem quite easily......However," he continued on a serious note, "I am a poor piper, and thus would appreciate a healthy compensation to my services. I have been to Tartary and Asia, working for the Cham and the Nizam. They all are aware of my charm and have benefited from it. I offer the same for you, if you would so kindly provide me a thousand guilders afterwards." 

The council, which had been listening to the Piper's tale with wide eyes and open mouths now came back to its senses. The Mayor jumped from his seat and with an agility which was surprising for someone of his stature, went and grabbed the Piper's hands in his. 

"Why, you are a straight blessing from Providence! It is a miracle!" he exclaimed, shaking his hands, "One thousand? Nay, we shall pay you a fifty whole, my friend! If only you could free us of this wretched vermin!" 

Behind the Mayor various shouts and hoots followed from the serious councilmen.

..................................................

The Piper lightly danced down the steps of the Hall into the street where the people were waiting. The hour was almost up. The afternoon sun put everything in a dark gold hue, the leaves were still, the insects were quiet, no animal was seen about. The villagers saw the Piper step out into the street, stumbling on his feet as if he was in a trance, but it was more like he was swaying to some unknown tune.