The Pied Piper of Hamelin
A myRead Production
Publisher Description
Story Summary
The Town of Hamelin has a rat problem! The mayor hires a mysterious Pied Piper to get rid of them and the town watches as the rats follow him to their death. When the mayor refuses to pay the Piper, the Piper pipes for the children, leading them all away. The children find themselves in a distant land far from home, and the mayor finally learns that you should always keep your promises.
About Robert Browning
Robert Browning (1812-1889) wrote poetry as a child and collected it into a book by the time he was 12 years old. However, that book was soon destroyed by Robert himself when no one would publish it. He continued to pursue poetry and learned French, Greek, Latin, and Italian to aid in his love for literature and verse. He became well known in London as a poet and later married Elizabeth Barrett, who was a poet herself. The story of The Pied Piper is believed by some to be based on a historical incident that happened in 14th century Hamelin Germany when the children of the town were lost by a plague or by the migration out of town due to overpopulation.
About myRead
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PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Browning's poem, a classic, is based on a legend from medieval times. It tells of a brightly-clad stranger who offers to rid the town of Hamelin of rats, for an agreed-upon sum of money. When he plays a haunting tune on his pipe, the rats follow him to their deaths in the river, but the mayor won't pay the piper. In revenge, the piper lures the children out of town into a cave, forever separated from their parents, though in a Utopian land of beauty. The poem's language is rich and lyrical, although spots are difficult for children to grasp, which is why many of the versions for children are adaptations. Here is a new, unabridged edition, dramatically illustrated in glowing colors (sometimes verging on gaudy). It's full of motion and expression, capturing the spirit of the poem and the details of the medieval town, as well as the Eden-like land where the children are taken. (59)
Customer Reviews
Nightly Read
Since downloading, not a night has passed that my granddaughter hasn't wanted one of these stories played for her on my iPad. Sometimes she'll even let ME read the stories to her. She's captivated by the easy animation and pleasant voice actors. She keeps wanting me to download more of the "coming" stories. Although "free" is an excellent price, there will be plenty of value in paying for some of the upcoming tales. Kudos to MyRead Productions for quality work.
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My children love it!