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What Happened in Hamelin
After the townspeople of Hamelin refuse to pay the gypsy piper for ridding their city of rats, the piper's young apprentice discovers his master's horrifying scheme to revenge himself on Hamelin's children. Reprint.
177 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1979
1 person is currently reading
93 people want to read
About the author
Gloria Skurzynski
90 books31 followers"May you live in interesting times."
That ambiguous wish was not meant to be kind, because interesting times can be difficult. You and I certainly live in interesting times - dangerous, challenging, and fascinating.
My parents were born just before the start of the twentieth century; my youngest grandchild arrived in this century's final decade. The years in between have been the most dynamic in the history of the human race. Technical knowledge has exploded; so has the Earth's human population. We can create almost anything, yet each day we lose parts of our planet that can never be replaced.
I'm greedy: I want to write about all of it - the history, the grief, joy, and excitement of being human in times past; the cutting-edge inventions of times almost here.
--from the author's website
Gloria Skurzynski has also co-written books with her daughter Alane Ferguson.
That ambiguous wish was not meant to be kind, because interesting times can be difficult. You and I certainly live in interesting times - dangerous, challenging, and fascinating.
My parents were born just before the start of the twentieth century; my youngest grandchild arrived in this century's final decade. The years in between have been the most dynamic in the history of the human race. Technical knowledge has exploded; so has the Earth's human population. We can create almost anything, yet each day we lose parts of our planet that can never be replaced.
I'm greedy: I want to write about all of it - the history, the grief, joy, and excitement of being human in times past; the cutting-edge inventions of times almost here.
--from the author's website
Gloria Skurzynski has also co-written books with her daughter Alane Ferguson.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
June 8, 2017
. . . sheep are always ready to follow anyone who pretends to have authority.
This was a pretty good retelling of the old Pied Piper tale we've all heard many times.
The story is told by Geist, an indentured servant, who spends his waking hours slaving away in a bakery. One day a mysterious stranger arrives in town, and quickly convinces the fearful townsfolk that their rat infestation will lead to a deadly plague. He offers a solution, though his method does not use alluring, pretty music. (The rat "disposal" scenes are rather graphic, and may be upsetting for younger readers.) In this version, the piper doesn't lead the children away in revenge for nonpayment, but as part of a sinister, predetermined plan.
I was surprised by how much I like this book. Skurzynski provides enough twists that you should be intrigued even if you're not a fan of the original tale. The story itself is actually more legend than fairy tale, and may not be entirely fictional. As the author explains in her excellent afterword, something real and terrible did happen in Hameln, Germany. The same details emerge again and again: the date --- June 26, 1284, the feast day of Saints John and Paul; the number --- 130 children; the stranger --- always dressed in bright clothes . . .
Knowing that makes everything just a little bit creepier.
*Note to any Goodreads librarians - this is the hardback version. The isbn is correct. There are 177 pages. The publisher is Four Winds Press, A Division of Scholastic Magazines/ 1979
This was a pretty good retelling of the old Pied Piper tale we've all heard many times.
The story is told by Geist, an indentured servant, who spends his waking hours slaving away in a bakery. One day a mysterious stranger arrives in town, and quickly convinces the fearful townsfolk that their rat infestation will lead to a deadly plague. He offers a solution, though his method does not use alluring, pretty music. (The rat "disposal" scenes are rather graphic, and may be upsetting for younger readers.) In this version, the piper doesn't lead the children away in revenge for nonpayment, but as part of a sinister, predetermined plan.
I was surprised by how much I like this book. Skurzynski provides enough twists that you should be intrigued even if you're not a fan of the original tale. The story itself is actually more legend than fairy tale, and may not be entirely fictional. As the author explains in her excellent afterword, something real and terrible did happen in Hameln, Germany. The same details emerge again and again: the date --- June 26, 1284, the feast day of Saints John and Paul; the number --- 130 children; the stranger --- always dressed in bright clothes . . .
Knowing that makes everything just a little bit creepier.
*Note to any Goodreads librarians - this is the hardback version. The isbn is correct. There are 177 pages. The publisher is Four Winds Press, A Division of Scholastic Magazines/ 1979
August 23, 2025
What Happened in Hamelin (which was first published in 1979) is definitely tenaciously steely, is textually gripping, and yes, Gloria Skurzynski's story also offers up, also features a nicely realistic sense of historical time and place. However, if potential readers of What Happened in Hamelin are looking for a retelling of The Pied Piper of Hamelin (or of Der Rattenfänger von Hameln as the story is known in German) which keeps the folkloric content and its magic (either from Robert Browning's poem or from the multiple prose versions) in any way even remotely intact they should probably and immediately consider looking elsewhere. For Skurzynski through her meticulous research of medieval manuscripts discovering that the premise of The Pied Piper of Hamelin very likely surrounds a real, a true case of deliberate ergot poisoning and slave trafficking and with her then using this as the basis of What Happened in Hamelin, while What Happened in Hamelin certainly reads plausibly enough and realistically, I for one do very much prefer the inclusion of folklore and that Gloria Skurzynski rather removing everything legendary etc., well, What Happened in Hamelin ends up being joyless, frightening and absolutely not in any way even somewhat a reading pleasure for me personally (and that while adult I can to an extent appreciate the historic reality and Skurzynski's research for What Happened in Hamelin, my inner child has both not enjoyed What Happened in Hamelin and also finds the thematics and the contents a trifle overly frightening and as such equally not at all a reading pleasure).
And while Skurzynski's tale for What Happened in Hamelin of a nefariously ruthless, dangerous and frightening stranger (called Gast, which in German means guest but can also have negativity and suspicion attached to its meaning, its etymology) befriending a boy, an indentured baker's apprentice (named Geist) and through ergot laced bread manipulating pretty much everyone in Hamelin into following his orders and obtaining what he, what Gast wants (namely young children to be sold and to be trafficked as salves ) might indeed have been what really happened in Hamelin before the horrid truth became legend and folklore, sorry, but I do very much prefer the the latter, I hugely prefer Robert Browning's poem or the Romanian legend that the Siebenbürger Sachsen, that the German diaspora in Romania are descended from the children of Hamelin, that when they were lead by the Pied Piper into the Koppen Hill, when they remerged, they suddenly were in what is now Romania (and well, I also really like the legend that The Pied Piper of Hamelin, that Der Rattenfänger von Hameln is based on the so-called Chidren's Crusade of 1212, and find it pretty tremendously annoying that Gloria Skurzyinski mentions the Children's Crusade in her author's note but then makes absolutely no textual use of this at all, at all in What Happened in Hamelin).
A story pretty much totally devoid of anything folkloric is What Happened in Hamelin, which quite annoys me (as a folklore lover and aficionado) since this strips all of the magic and the legendary away from the Pied Piper story of What Happened in Hamelin and for me therefore leaves Skurzynski's text for the most part being just painful, just horrifying and with nothing either intriguing or supernatural, nothing wondrous in any way whatsoever. And yes, my original three star rating for What Happened in Hamelin (mainly for Gloria Skurzynski's research and her author's note) will indeed now need to be lowered to but two stars (for I just have NOT at all really enjoyed reading What Happened in Hamelin and that I also find it massively problematic how Gloria Skurzynski makes the main villain in What Happened in Hamelin, makes the character known as Gast a Romani, and not to mention that the homoerotic relationship between Gast and the young baker's apprentice Geist is not only uncomfortable but also feels both artificial and seemingly tacked on for shock value so to speak).
And while Skurzynski's tale for What Happened in Hamelin of a nefariously ruthless, dangerous and frightening stranger (called Gast, which in German means guest but can also have negativity and suspicion attached to its meaning, its etymology) befriending a boy, an indentured baker's apprentice (named Geist) and through ergot laced bread manipulating pretty much everyone in Hamelin into following his orders and obtaining what he, what Gast wants (namely young children to be sold and to be trafficked as salves ) might indeed have been what really happened in Hamelin before the horrid truth became legend and folklore, sorry, but I do very much prefer the the latter, I hugely prefer Robert Browning's poem or the Romanian legend that the Siebenbürger Sachsen, that the German diaspora in Romania are descended from the children of Hamelin, that when they were lead by the Pied Piper into the Koppen Hill, when they remerged, they suddenly were in what is now Romania (and well, I also really like the legend that The Pied Piper of Hamelin, that Der Rattenfänger von Hameln is based on the so-called Chidren's Crusade of 1212, and find it pretty tremendously annoying that Gloria Skurzyinski mentions the Children's Crusade in her author's note but then makes absolutely no textual use of this at all, at all in What Happened in Hamelin).
A story pretty much totally devoid of anything folkloric is What Happened in Hamelin, which quite annoys me (as a folklore lover and aficionado) since this strips all of the magic and the legendary away from the Pied Piper story of What Happened in Hamelin and for me therefore leaves Skurzynski's text for the most part being just painful, just horrifying and with nothing either intriguing or supernatural, nothing wondrous in any way whatsoever. And yes, my original three star rating for What Happened in Hamelin (mainly for Gloria Skurzynski's research and her author's note) will indeed now need to be lowered to but two stars (for I just have NOT at all really enjoyed reading What Happened in Hamelin and that I also find it massively problematic how Gloria Skurzynski makes the main villain in What Happened in Hamelin, makes the character known as Gast a Romani, and not to mention that the homoerotic relationship between Gast and the young baker's apprentice Geist is not only uncomfortable but also feels both artificial and seemingly tacked on for shock value so to speak).
April 12, 2019
A quirky tale of what happened in Hamelin. A very likely tale, in my opinion.
March 19, 2018
beest book eeeeevvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111111111!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!v !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 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February 8, 2015
Wow. Before I read this, I really had no idea that the story of the Pied Piper of Hamelin was based on a historical event. It makes an already somewhat frightening children's story into a really frightening history.
Skurzynski attempts to recreate the events of the legend, using research and context to build her story. She writes from the perspective of a young boy, Geist, who is the baker's apprentice/indentured servant/slave in the town of Hamelin. When a stranger (Gast) comes into the town with his flute, offering to rid Hamelin of its plague of rats, Geist watches the unfolding events with fascination and awe--as an insider all-too-aware of the dishonesty of the town's leaders and hesitatingly admiring of Gast.
This is a haunting narrative--but what I found just as valuable as the story was the Afterword. If you try this (and I highly recommend that you do), do NOT miss reading the Afterword!
Skurzynski attempts to recreate the events of the legend, using research and context to build her story. She writes from the perspective of a young boy, Geist, who is the baker's apprentice/indentured servant/slave in the town of Hamelin. When a stranger (Gast) comes into the town with his flute, offering to rid Hamelin of its plague of rats, Geist watches the unfolding events with fascination and awe--as an insider all-too-aware of the dishonesty of the town's leaders and hesitatingly admiring of Gast.
This is a haunting narrative--but what I found just as valuable as the story was the Afterword. If you try this (and I highly recommend that you do), do NOT miss reading the Afterword!
February 1, 2021
An interesting retelling on the tale of the Pied Piper, told from the viewpoint of a teenage bakery serf (?) named Geist. I remember the cartoon from CBS Storybreak. It had a sinister ending. Not as much so, here, but still dark. Wrapped up quite nicely, but left several questions to be answered. All in all, satisfying. Id recommend. A quick read. Took two sessions.
May 16, 2019
A strange fairy tale, but it seemed to have no moral or lesson.
March 11, 2022
This took a very dark turn and I honestly do know what to think. I feel like it had a huge build up but was then over too quickly. Also, Geist was super dumb.
November 27, 2025
I remember reading this when I was like 10 years old and being absolutely enchanted.
August 26, 2022
I'd seen the CBS Storybreak adaptation of WHAT HAPPENED IN HAMELIN as a kid, and it friggin HAUNTED me. Something like 15 years ago, I found it briefly on youtube, but then it disappeared, and to this day that episode not been re-uploaded anywhere that I can find. (It actually gives me a Candle Cove vibe, since all I could remember about it was how disturbing I'd found it back then.)
When I could no longer find the youtube video (before I even had a chance to watch it), I bought the book on Amazon, and it sat on my shelf until yesterday, when I finally decided to give it a read. Read the whole thing in a few hours. And holy shit. It's still haunting.
This is a straight up horror novel, albeit for a 5th grade reading level. And what makes it better is that it's a historically accurate depiction of what all evidence seems to indicate actually happened to the children of Hamelin. And it's supremely F'd up. So, yeah - if you're looking for a LEGIT, but age-appropriate, horror novel to recommend to a kid who's bored with Goosebumps? This is your huckleberry.
When I could no longer find the youtube video (before I even had a chance to watch it), I bought the book on Amazon, and it sat on my shelf until yesterday, when I finally decided to give it a read. Read the whole thing in a few hours. And holy shit. It's still haunting.
This is a straight up horror novel, albeit for a 5th grade reading level. And what makes it better is that it's a historically accurate depiction of what all evidence seems to indicate actually happened to the children of Hamelin. And it's supremely F'd up. So, yeah - if you're looking for a LEGIT, but age-appropriate, horror novel to recommend to a kid who's bored with Goosebumps? This is your huckleberry.
September 29, 2009
This book was an interesting surprise since I'd always assumed the Pied Piper of Hamelin was a fairy tale of sorts. Not so. The historical fact is that on June 26, 1284, 130 children were led away from the little town of Hameln by a piper in bright clothes. The details of this incident are unknown, but Skurzynski links the story to another historical fact: that in medieval times ergot, a purple fungus, sometimes grew on rye grain and anyone who ate bread made from fungus-infected flour suffered pain from constricted blood vessels. Dancing relieved some of that pain by opening the blood vessels wider. The fungus is also the source of LSD, so its victims suffered hallucinations. The author takes all these facts and invents a dark but believable version of the old tale, told in the sympathetic voice of Geist, the one child who didn't consume any of the fungus.
July 26, 2008
If only all YA books were as good as this. Very interested to see the realisation of a medieval setting without the scaffolding of knights, fair maidens and dragons, in our post-harryP. world. Works a treat - doesn't pull back from the cruel lives of child serfs, the oppression of religious fear, the closeness of death, plagues driven by the wind.
The piper's character is well-realised, and could so easily have been a caricature. The power of music, of flattery, of gullibility, all play a part in the tale.
the effects of ergot poisoning and subsequent "St anthony's fire" are believable and chilling.
A morality tale worthy of high praise. It sent me back to the Browning poem immediately.
The piper's character is well-realised, and could so easily have been a caricature. The power of music, of flattery, of gullibility, all play a part in the tale.
the effects of ergot poisoning and subsequent "St anthony's fire" are believable and chilling.
A morality tale worthy of high praise. It sent me back to the Browning poem immediately.
June 4, 2010
A charming retelling of the Pied Piper of Hamelin. Young Geist ("ghost" in German), an orphaned apprentice in the German town of Hamelin, is one of the first to meet the exotic stranger, known only as Gast ("guest", in German). He watches with excitement as Gast charms the entire city, and makes the bargain for the extermination of the rats. But when Gast's deed goes unrewarded by the city fathers, Geist is horrified by his hero's revenge.
A great read, particularly for younger readers, and well worth finding a copy. Boys will love it, it's the rare fairy tale aimed at them, with lots of interesting details about German life during the time period as well.
A great read, particularly for younger readers, and well worth finding a copy. Boys will love it, it's the rare fairy tale aimed at them, with lots of interesting details about German life during the time period as well.
February 18, 2011
Disturbing story about the historically possible truth behind the fairy tale of the Pied Piper. Since "the disturbing" really isn't my thing I had to give it three stars, but it was well written and entertaining.
April 12, 2009
Excellent book, v. hard to find
April 16, 2010
Someone always has to pay the piper. A plausible explanation of what is purported to be a true story. I believe it.
December 17, 2012
I read this as a kid and it is one of my absolute favourites. I need to track down a copy for the kids in my life.
Read
April 13, 2008She totally ruined the story of the Pied Piper of Hamelin. I'm mad at her.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews