Most Popular Books by ROBERT BROWNING

Presents the history of the Byzantine Empire from the sixth to the fifteenth century in terms of the political events, art, literature, and thought of Byzantine society.

THE PIED PIPER OF HAMELIN The town is suffering from a serious rat infestation. A mysterious piper stranger dressed in multicolored (""pied"") clothing appeared, known as the Pied Piper. He promised the mayor a solution to their problem with the rats. He says that he can cast a spell over rats by playing his flute. The mayor promises to pay the Piper handsomely if he rids the town of the rats. When the Piper gets rid of the vermin, however, the mayor offers him much less money than he originally agreed to give him. The angry Piper plays his flute again and makes all of Hamelin''s children follow him out of town.

The Pied Piper pipes the village free of rats, and when the villagers refuse to pay him for the service he exacts a terrible revenge.