Der Rattenfänger

The Ratcatcher of Hameln is something like a german fairy tale. There was once the town Hameln that was pleagued by rats. One day there came a traveling bard and said he could make all the rats go away and desperate the townspeople offered him many riches if he just made the rats go away. The bard took his flute and played a song, that made all rats come to him. Without stoping to play he walked out of the town and all the rats followed him. He led them to the river Main and they all ran into the water and drowend. When the bard returned to the townspeople to get his payment they said that the rat-problem had solved itself and that there was no way his playing could be conected to it in any way and so they did not have to pay him. The bard got very angry and left the town that his curse would be horrible if the townspeople would not pay him but they did not really pay attention to it. When the bard returned, he once again toke out his flute and started to play, but this time all the children of the town followed him down the road away from the town. The townspeople where highly frightend by this display of his power and agreed to pay him his reward and he let go all the children.

"The Ratcatcher

I'm the famous singer The far traveled ratcatcher That this old famous town Sourly really needs And even if there would be so many rats And even if there would be weasels, too Of them all I clear this place They all have to come with me

Then the happy singer is Sometimes a childcather, too Who calmes even the wildest When he's singing golden tales And would lads be that stern And would lasses be that overwhelmed In my strings I reach (?, play the lute) They all have to follow

Of them all I clear this place They all have to come with me

When I play a tune (not a translation, but the same meaning) They go away with me With the hole pack (?) I leave this town At night, at night At night, on the hunt

Then the worldwise singer is Somtimes a girlcatcher In no town he arrives Where he's not admired And would lasses be that boring And would women be that prude All of them them feel that excited With magic strings and song

To lough at you all I now take my reward"

Again the tale of the ratcatcher but this time he does not take the childrens with him to get his payment, but the townsmen doughters to be his reward.

This song is based on the poem "Der Rattenfänger" by Johann Wolfgang Goethe, which is of course inspired by the legend.