It happened in the Middle Ages in a small town in Germany. The citizens of the town 1(worry) by the great number og rats which 2(give) the people no peace day band night. No one knew from where the terrible animals 3(come) to the town or how they could 4(destroy), because none of the means that already 5(use) against the rats were of much help. The citizens went to the Mayor and said: "We 6(lose) all patience. If you 7( not take) radical steps you 8(not remain) our Mayor!"
After that the Mayor declared that he 9(give) a bag og gold to anyone who 10(free) the town from the rats.
One day a young man 11(appear) before the Mayor and said that he 12(hear) about their trouble and 13(be) ready to help if the Mayor 14(keep) his promise. "Of course," the Mayor exclaimed. "If you 15( make) the rats 16(disappear) the bag og gold 17(be) yours."
The young man took an old pipe from his pocket and began 18(play). Suddenly a strange noise 19(hear) all over the town. The citizens 20(see) thousands of rats 21(move) after the piper towards the rover. He continued playing his pipe and never 22(stop) until he 23(reach) the river bank and 24(step) into the water. Deeper and deeper 25(grow) the bottom of the river and the rats which 26(go) after the pipe 27(finde) their death in the water. The young man 28(stope) 29(play) only when there 30(be) no more rats alive: they all 31(go) down to the bottom of the river.
The joyful news soon 32(reach) the town. When the tired piper appeared in the town people 33(dance) and 34(sing) in the streets now that the danger 35(be) over. The young man expected the Mayor 36(keep) his promise but the latter said: "You 37(not do) any work at all. My citizens never 38(forgive) me if i 39(pay) so much og their money just for music."
The piper 40(reply) nothing to that, but 41(take) out his pipe og the pocket and 42(blow) it agai. At once all the little children 43(start) 44(walk) after the piper out of the town and they never 45(return)