had heard the words of the keeper, they slapped their faces, and seized her with their hands, saying to her, "We gave thee not permission save to give the comb." She replied, "He did not mention to me a comb." And they seized her and took her up to the judge, and when they had presented themselves before him, they stated to him the case; whereupon he bound the keeper to restore the purse, and bound a number of her debtors to be answerable for her. be So she went forth perplexed, not knowing her way; and there met her a boy, whose age was five years; and when the boy saw her so perplexed, he said to her, "What is the matter, O my mother?" But she returned him not an answer, despising him on account of the smallness of his age. And he repeated his question to her a first, a second, and a third time. So at length she told him what had happened to her. And the boy said to her, "Give me a piece of silver that I may buy some sweetmeats with it, and I will tell thee something by which thy discharge may got." The keeper therefore gave him a piece of silver, asking him, "What hast thou to say ?" And the boy answered her, "Return to the judge, and say to him, it was agreed between me and them that I should not give them the purse save in the presence of all the four." So the keeper returned to the judge, and said to him as the boy had told her; upon which the judge said to the three men, "Was it thus agreed between you and her?" They answered, "Yes." And the judge said to them, "Bring to me your companion and take the purse.' Thus the keeper went forth free, no injury befalling her, and she went her way. They fought the dogs, and killed the cats, And ate the cheeses out of the vats, And licked the soup from the cook's own ladles; And even spoiled the women's chats, To the town hall came flocking. "Tis clear," cried they, "our mayor's a noddy; To think we buy gowns lined with ermine Rouse up, sirs! Give your brains a racking To find the remedy we're lacking, Or, sure as fate, we'll send you packing." An hour they sat in council. At length the mayor broke silence: "For a guilder I'd my ermine gown sell; Just as he said this, what should hap He advanced to the council table: And, "Please your honours," said he, “I'm able, All creatures living beneath the sun- On creatures that do people harm— Upon this pipe, as low it dangled Over his vesture so old-fangled. "Yet," said he, "poor piper as I am, In Tartary I freed the Cham, Last June, from his huge swarms of gnats; I eased in Asia the Nizam Of a monstrous brood of vampyre bats: Will you give me a thousand guilders ? " Smiling first a little smile, As if he knew what magic slept In his quiet pipe the while; Then, like a musical adept, To blow the pipe his lips he wrinkled, Like a candle flame where salt is sprinkled; Grave old plodders, gay young friskers, (As he the manuscript he cherished) To rat-land home his commentary, 66 Which was- At the first shrill notes of the pipe And a moving away of pickle-tub boards, (Sweeter far than by harp or by psaltery Is breathed) called out, oh rats, rejoice! The world is grown to one vast drysaltery! And just as a bulky sugar puncheon, Just as methought it said, come, bore me! You should have heard the Hamelin people |