The Pied Piper
The Pied Piper makes a cameo appearance in the first Shrek, sitting on a log, piping his tune, surrounded by rats.
He returns in Shrek Forever After in the employ of the dastardly Rumpelstiltskin. It seems that the talented Piper has a flute for every occasion -- even one that can compel ogres to dance. The Pied Piper is an unusual story -- perhaps both legend and folk tale. It has a specific location -- the town of Hamelin in Germany and can be found in a 14th century stained glass window in a cathedral in that town. It is found in the Grimm's stories, but was made popular in the 19th century by Robert Browning's poem, The Pied Piper of Hamelin. You can see a version illustrated by Kate Greenaway on the web at: http://www.indiana.edu/~librcsd/etext/piper/ |
The Pied Piper of Hamelin by Robert Browning, illustrated by Anatoly Ivanov. Lothrop, Lee and Shepard, 1986.
The Pied Piper of Hamelin as told and illustrated by Mercer Mayer. Macmillan, 1987.
Breath by Donna Jo Napoli. Atheneum, 2003.
Napoli envisions what might have happened to the town of Hamelin during the Middle Ages . . . what horrible events might have led to the town employing a piper to rid them of the rats. The story is told from the point of view of Salz, a boy who suffers from cystic fibrosis. Every breath is precious to him. He is a compelling character who has extraordinary strength in the face of adversity -- he has had to struggle all his life to survive. He lives on the family farm with his father, three older brothers, and grandmother (grossmutter) in 13th century Germany. He is smart and is part of the local coven as well as being devout. With dark undertones, violence, and vague sexual references, this is definitely a book for older readers. Despite all of Salz's hardships and coming close to despair, somehow there is still a bit of hope at the end. |