** Debated amongst Literature majors and history majors. History majors are very set that the Pied Piper was very much real. However exactly why he took the children they themselves argue but most leaning that he took the children in an attempt to start a new colony. Other suggestions being tied to a crusade, a cult or a murderer. The part about the rats, doesn't enter the story until several years after it's spread, making most to discount that part was ever true, the literal people would say that is because the town was so embarrassed the only people who told the truth for the early years were the dumb folk who wouldn't be recorded down until later in history.
** Some of the chief evidence against the idea it's nothing more than a metaphor as your English teacher might tell you ironically has to do with Symbolism. For all accounts Hamelin's town made a stain glass memorial of the event very much depicting the multi-colored Piper. If it was a plague that killed them...why would you pick a piper in multi color dress? Wouldn't any of the religious iconography or some sort of demon of devil worship be much better (and less colorful therefore less work on stained glass) to make? Besides the only symbolism of a Pied Piper meaning death only came AFTER this version of the story got studied.
** Hamelin also apparently had/have a house marked as the Piper's house. But that would be more in line with the more fanciful story so that in itself might be Very Loosely Based on a True Story
Edited by 92.211.191.201Let's just say and leave it at that.
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