Then came a piper to Hamblin town
Said, "All your rats I will gladly drown.
"They will follow me as I play my ditty
"Scamper out of town and forever stay."
City council met, to the plan acceeded
More golden guilders agreed to pay.
If the pipers magical work succeeded
Rats and piper both would be gone away.
Then went the piper along the street
Playing a queer little tune, "Tweet, tweet."
Out of stores and house the rats stampeded
Following the piper without delay.
Back the piper came
Now his gold demanding.
City council coldly refuse to pay.
Said there'd never been any understanding
Ordered him to leave on that very day.
Than said the piper, "If we can't agree
"All of your children must come with me.
"They will follow me as I play my ditty
"Scamper out of town and forever stay."
Source unknown! Some of the words may be wrong, and their might be another verse, but I learned it in sixth grade and have never been able to find a copy - ANYWHERE! After the song, I would ad lib the part about how one crippled boy was left - that's how we got the story - while the children went into a cave. On the other side of the cave was a magical world where you could have anything you wanted.