"The Pied Piper of Hamelin" by Robert Browning Quiz

Answer: rats

The rats caused a great nuisance in the town of Hamelin, and the villagers were annoyed that their Mayor and his Corporation had proposed nothing to do about it.

Answer: bit them

The rats 'bit the babies in their cradles'. They licked the soups from the maids' ladles, killed the cats and disturbed the women's chats.

Answer: red and yellow

The Pied Piper is noted for wearing only the colours red and yellow throughout the whole poem. Half his suit is red and the other half is yellow. He is described as having "sharp blue eyes, each like a pin/ And light loose hair, yet swarthy skin/ No tuft on cheek nor beard on chin/ But lips where smile went out and in".

Answer: 50,000 guilders

The Pied Piper had asked in return from the Mayor 1,000 guilders if he managed to rid his town of the rats. Instead of 1,000 guilders, the Mayor promised he would pay him 50,000 guilders if the job was done. After the rats had been drowned in the river, the Pied Piper had returned to the Mayor's office asking for his money.

The Mayor had thought of the money as a joke, and so paid him only 50 guilders.

Answer: Weser

The rats in dozens followed the Pied Piper across the streets of Hamelin while he was playing to the River Weser, unaware that they were going to die.

Answer: the children of Hamelin

The Pied Piper was furious when he did not receive the full pay that had been promised by the Mayor. For revenge, he abducted all of the children of Hamelin by blowing his pipe in order for the children to follow him.

Answer: he was lame

The only child that was left behind didn't make it in time before the Pied Piper stopped playing, which made all the children stand still. The lame child returned the way he came, and never saw Hamelin again. It is said that the Pied Piper led the children to a place similar to heaven that was a 'joyous land' with 'pleasant sights they see'.

Answer: 22 July

It has been known in the town of Hamelin then and now, that since the 22nd of July 1376, any person who plays music on 'Pied Piper Street' would 'lose his labour'.

Answer: give him as much money as he wants

The Mayor travelled North, South, East and West to find the Pied Piper and asked everyone he saw if they had seen him. He agreed that when he would find him he would pay 'Silver and gold to his heart's content' if he returned with the children.

Answer: keep their promise to anyone

The townspeople had learnt their lesson - to keep their promises to anyone who did something for their town, including and especially pipers. They knew that if they didn't, something similar to the Pied Piper's revenge could happen again.