Pied piper: パイド・パイパー.児童文学や伝説で知られるキャラクターです。彼は魔法の笛を吹くことで、子供たちを魅了し、従わせることができるとされています。
devour /dɪvάʊə/: むさぼり食う、がつがつ食う;
guilder /gíldə/ 1 ギルダー銀貨;
drowned: おぼれ死んだ;
rejoice (…を)喜ぶ、うれしがる、祝賀する、喜ぶ;
vanish (突然)消える、見えなくなる
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Once upon a time, in a faraway town, rats caused trouble. They fought dogs, killed cats, and even bit babies in their cradles. They devoured all the cheese and even made nests in people’s hats! The townspeople thought of leaving the town to the rats. But then, a peculiar man appeared before the Mayor and Council. He wore a long, colorful coat and played a magical pipe. He offered to get rid of the rats for a thousand guilders. Excited, the people agreed. The man played his pipe, and like magic, all the rats followed him to the river and drowned. The town rejoiced! However, when the man asked for his reward, the Mayor only offered fifty guilders, thinking it was a joke. Angry, the man played his pipe again. This time, all the children followed him, except for a little lame boy who couldn’t keep up. The door closed, and the children vanished with the man. From that day on, the Mayor and Council learned the importance of keeping promises, displayed for all to see in the town: “Always keep your promise!” (A story from “World Stories Retold for Modern Boys And Girls by William James Sly)
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