Off we go and now it’s all about avoiding the rats as we approach Hamelin in Lower Saxony. Fortunately we’re not time-travelling and so we don’t find ourselves in the midst of the bubonic plague, or a recruitment drive for the children’s crusade or even a mass emigration into Eastern Europe – all of which are hypotheses for the historical event which gave rise to the legend. What is clear is that the tale of the Pied Piper of Hamelin sends a chill through my heart. I can feel the parents’ devastation and I could weep for that poor disabled boy on crutches, left all alone. His childhood just got so much more difficult.
Best move on quickly before I start weeping. How about some animal magic. What do a donkey, a dog, a cat and a rooster have in common?
Apart from the fact that they talk, can make a lot of noise and are excellent at evicting robbers. They are, of course, the Musicians of Bremen, who now reside in the centre of the city, and whose statue, 600 km (370 miles) from Hanau, constitutes the end of the official Fairy Tale Road.
Our trip, however, does not end here. We have one more surprise stop to make on this Grimm Readathon and it’s another 800 km away. Just as well Cinders loaned us a magical carriage …..
Lizzy's Literary Life (Volume One) 
I’ve re-read a few stories over the last couple of days. The Town Musicians was one. I remember my mother having a lovely linen bound volume of Grimm Tales with the classic image of the 4 animals embossed on the front. It’s amazing how the magic image of the 4 animals piled on top of each other has been used frequently in other films/books/stories to scare off bad ‘uns. Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheaffler’s Room on the Broom has a great version to scare the dragon.
I’ve found with re-reading, that some of the stories are gorier than I remember and certainly not Disney! But some of them are also short, strange and finish abruptly. I’m not sure I would read many of them to my kids!
Good to see the animals highlighted 🙂
By the way, my final post will be out on Thursday evening (your time). The bus is heading north, and I’ll be treating the group to lunch at a very unusual restaurant…