THE PIPER OF HAMELIN

The story is about a city a Germany. The people who lived in the city were
unhappy. They were unhappy because there were a great many rats in all the
houses. They were very big rats.
They fought the dogs and killed
the cats! They bit little babies!
They ate all the food that they
could find. They made their nests
inside men´s hats.
The made a lot of noise.
One day the Governor of the city
asked all people to come to a
meeting. They talked for a long
time but they could not decide
what to do. While they were talking, they heard a knock on the door.
“Come in!” the said Governor.
The door opened and a stranger came in. He was a tall, thin man. He wore a long
coat which reached down to his heels. Half of it was red and half was yellow. He
was carrying a pipe. He said to the Governor.
“When I play my pipe, I can make all animals run after me. If I take away all the rats
from your city, will you give me a thousand pieces of gold?”.
The piper walked outside and raised the pipe to his lips. He began to play. When
the rats heard the music, all of them came out of the houses. Big ones, small ones,
old ones, young ones, they all ran after the Piper. Down the street he went, and
across the field. When he came to the river, he stopped did not stop. There was a
splash as the first one fell in. Then all the rats splashed into the river and drowned..
But the rats.
The Piper went back to the Governor and said: “All the rats are dead. Please give
me the thousand pieces of gold that you promised”.
“A thousand pieces of gold is a great deal of money”, said the Governor. “I will give
you fifty pieces”.
“That is not fair”, said the Piper angrily. “If you do not keep your promise, I will
blow my pipe again. Then you will be sorry”.
We are not afraid of you!” said the Governor. “All the rats are dead now. You can’t
make them alive again!”.
“You will see”, said the Piper.
He walked outside and raised the pipe to his lips.
The Piper began to play again but this time he played differently. When they heard
the wonderful sound, all the children came out of the houses and ran after the
Piper. At first he took them towards the river. All the people were very frightened.
They thought the children would fall into the river, like the rats. The Governor and
the people stood still. They could not move or speak.
But the Piper turned towards a mountain. The Governor said: “When he climbs
that mountain, he will stop playing his pipe. Then our children will return to us”
“Yes”, said all the people, and they felt happy again.
But when the Piper reached the mountain, he did not try to climb it. A great
hole opened in the side of the mountain. The Piper and all the children went inside,
laughing and singing! The hole closed and people of the city never saw their
children again.
That was how the Piper punished the people because they did not keep
their promise. They were very sorry now. They sent men riding on horses to the
North, South, East and West. They ordered them to find the Piper. They said:
“We will give him all the gold and silver in our city if he will bring back our
children!” But they never found the Piper.

Title: THE PIPER OF HAMELIN

Author: René R. Khawam
Grade/Specialty: INITIAL EDUCATION SPECIALTY Section/Cycle: NINTH
CYCLE
Name and surname: LUDEÑ A HILARIO ROSY TATHIANA

A. New words and sentences

Discuss the meaning of each of the words and phrases in class. If there are some
meanings which are not clear to you after the discussions, look them up in the
dictionary and report your findings to the class. Use the new words in sentences:
1. Kill v.i. deprive of life.

The boy killed a cockroach

2. Noise n. clamor; any sound.

My head hurts from so much noise

3. Governor n. person to guide a town, province or country.

The governor is humble.

4. Heel n. back part of the foot; part of the shoe supporting this.

I doubled the heel.

5. Pipe n. a musical instrument consisting of a single tube played by

blowing

Claudia plays the pipe on Mother's Day.

6. Thousand a. or n. ten times one hundred.

That city has two thousand years of creation.

7. Gold n. yellow precious metal.

Gold is very precious

8. Because a. and conj. By reason of; on a account of.

Because it's hot in Piura.

B. COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
After you have read the text, answer the following questions:

1. Why where the people unhappy?

Because there were many rats.

2. Where did the rats make their nests?

Inside the hats.

3. What happened when the stranger played his pipe?

All the animals run behind him.

4. What did the rats do when they heard the Piper´s music?

The rats left the houses.

5. Where did the Piper take the rats?

He took them to the river.

6. Why was the Piper angry with the Governoor?

Because he did not keep his promise.

7. Why where the people unhappy?

Because there were many rats.

8. Where did the rats make their nests?

Inside the hats.

9. What happened when the stranger played his pipe?

All the animals run behind him.

10. What did the rats do when they heard the Piper´s music?
The rats left the houses.
11. Where did the Piper take the rats?

He took them to the river.

12. Why was the Piper angry with the Governoor?

Because he did not keep his promise.