A Long, Long Time Ago, in a small town in the US, there was a severe rat infestation. These rats scurried everywhere, gnawing on people's clothes and stealing food, which made the townspeople extremely miserable.
One day, a mysterious man came to the town. He was dressed in a colorful robe and wore a tall hat. Most strikingly, he held a flute in his hand. The mysterious man said to the townspeople, "I can help you drive all the rats away, but you have to give me a generous reward." The townspeople, who were really tortured by the rats and had no other choice, agreed to his request.
Just then, the mysterious man stood in the middle of the town street, put the flute to his lips, and began to play. The sound from the flute was melodious and strange, as if it had a kind of magic. Soon, countless rats emerged from every corner. These rats, as if bewitched, gathered around the mysterious man one after another. They formed circle after circle at the man's feet, their eyes fixed on the flute in his hand, swaying their bodies to the rhythm of the flute.
While playing the flute, the mysterious man slowly walked out of the town. The rats, as if tied by a rope, closely followed him. The townspeople, seeing this scene, were so astonished that their jaws dropped. They could hardly believe that the rats that had troubled them for so long were so easily lured away.
The mysterious man led the rats all the way to a river beside the town. The river flowed ceaselessly. Standing on the riverbank, the mysterious man made the sound of the flute more rapid. The rats, as if driven by an invisible force, jumped into the river without hesitation. One by one, the rats struggled in the river and were soon submerged by the water.
After completing his task, the mysterious man returned to the town. He asked the townspeople for the reward they had promised before. However, seeing that the rats had all been eliminated, the townspeople began to go back on their word. They thought that this mysterious man just blew a flute and wanted so much reward, which was really too much. So, they refused to pay.
Hearing what the townspeople said, the mysterious man was very angry. He looked at those greedy townspeople angrily, said not a single word, and then turned around and left the town. The townspeople thought that this matter was over like this and were secretly happy that they had solved the rat problem without paying.
However, it wasn't long before strange things happened in the town again. This time, it was not the rats, but the children in the town. The children, as if summoned by something, ran out of their homes one after another and walked towards the outside of the town. Their eyes were empty, as if they were hypnotized.
It turned out that this mysterious man was the legendary Pied Piper. His flute could not only attract rats but also punish those who didn't keep their promises. Only then did the townspeople realize their mistake, but it was already too late. They could only watch helplessly as their children followed the Pied Piper further and further away.
Since then, the people in this town have always remembered this lesson and understood the importance of keeping promises. And the story of the Pied Piper has also been passed down in this area, always reminding people to be honest and trustworthy.
