LittleBearhadneverheardofthePiedPiperofHamelinwhoridthetownofrats,andthen,whenhewentbackforhispromisedpay,wasonlylaughedat,sothathepipedawayallthechildrenofHamelintownandneverpipedthembackagain. MotherBearhadnevertoldLittleBearthatstory. However,shehadtaughtherchildtokeephispromises,whichwasveryfortunate,becauseonedaythePiedPiperappearedwhenLittleBearwasaloneinthesunbrightclearingwhichwashisfavoriteplayground. IthappenedthatdaythatLittleBearfoundhisplaygroundfullofcaterpillars,andhedidnotlikecaterpillars. Theywereeverywhere—ontheground,onthegrass,onflowers,onthetrees,humpingalongandhumpingalong,eatinggreenleaves. “Oh,youoldhumpty-humps,”exclaimedLittleBear,“Iwishyouwouldgoaway!” Butthecaterpillarswouldnotgoaway.TheyevenbegancrawlingoverLittleBear. Heshookthemoffandwasabouttorunawaywhenalongcamethatman,tallandthin,withasharpchinandamouthwherethesmileswentoutandin,andtwoblueeyeseachlikeapin. Andhewasdressedhalfinredandhalfinyellow,andaswehaveoftenbeentold,hereallywasthestrangestfellow. Aroundhisneckheworearedandyellowribbon,andonitwashungsomethinglikeaflute,andhisfingerswentstrayingupanddownitasifhewishedtobeplaying. “Iunderstandthatyoudonotlikecaterpillars,”saidthisqueerfellowtoLittleBear. “MencallmethePiedPiper,”hewentonwhenhesawthatLittleBearwastoosurprisedtospeak. “AndIknowawaytodrawaftermeeverythingthatwalksorfliesorswims! WhatwillyougivemeifIridyourplaygroundofcaterpillars?” “Ishallgiveyoumyporridgebowl,”answeredLittleBear,“ifyoucantakeawaythesecaterpillars.” LittleBearafterwardtoldhisfatherandmotherthathedidnotbelievethatthePiedPipercoulddoit. StraightwaythePiedPiperputthelongpipetohislipsandbegantoplayatune—astrange,highlittletune. AndbeforethepipehadutteredthreeshrillnotesthecaterpillarshumpedafterthePiper—thinones,plumpones,skinnyones,woollyones,stripedones,plainones,greatcaterpillars,smallcaterpillars,leanones,brawnyones,browncaterpillars,blackcaterpillars,grayones,tawnyones,theyallfollowedthePiperfortheirlivesuntiltheycametotheedgeoftheriver. ThenthePipersuddenlysteppedasideanddowntheytumbledand—were—drowned! Onlyonetoo-plumpcaterpillarcamehumpingslowlybacktotheplayground,makinggreatlamentation. “Whatisthematterwithyou?”askedLittleBear,whohadlaugheduntilhewasobligedtowipeawaytearswiththebackofhispawatthesightofsomanycaterpillarsfollowingthePiedPiper. “Ohme,ohmy!”wailedthemournfulcaterpillar. “Hesaidweshouldsleepincradlesofsilkandwakeupwithwingsofpurple! Ithasbeenthedreamofmylifetobeabutterflywithwingsofgoldandpurple!” “Cheerup,”comfortedLittleBear,“youjustspinyourselfacocooncaterpillarfashionandgotosleep,andyouwillsurelyfindyourselfturnedintoabutterflywhenyouwakeup!Mothersaidso!Nowthere! Whydidn’tIrememberthatcaterpillarsturnintobutterflies,beforeIpromisedtogiveawaymyporridgebowl! Ishouldliketohavemyplaygroundfullofbutterflies!IwishIhadthoughtofthat! NowthosepooroldcaterpillarsaregoneandIpromisedtogiveawaymybowl! MaybethePiedPiperwillnotcomeback!” Buthedid.“Ishouldlikemybowl!”saidhe. “Iknowthatapromiseisapromise,”agreedLittleBearpromptlyandsorrowfully.“YouwaithereuntilIrunhomeafteritandIshallgiveyoumylittlebowl!” Andhedid.AsthePipertookthebowlandturnedaway,FatherandMotherBearcameintotheclearing. “WhatareyoudoingwithLittleBear’sbowl?” theydemanded,andwouldhavefollowedthePiedPiper,butheputthepipetohislipsandbegantoplayalittletune-asoftlittletune,sweetandstrange. AndthemusicmadeFatherBearandMotherBearstandstillasiftheirfeethadbeentiedtotheground. “Oh,LittleBear!”theycriedinterror.“ItisthePiedPiper!Oh,LittleBear,donotfollowhim!” “IndeedIcouldnotifIwishedtodoso,”answeredLittleBear,“becausemyfeetwillnotgo! Themusichasmademestandstilltoo,andIhearvoicessinging,‘Stayhomewithyourfather!Stayhomewithyourmother!Stayhome,LittleBear!’” Asthemusicgrewfaintinthedistance,theThreeBearswereoncemoreabletowalkabout,andthenLittleBearexplainedthathehadpromisedtogivehisbowltothePiedPiperifhewouldtakeawaythecaterpillars,andthathehadkeptthepromise,sadashefeltaboutlosinghistreasure. “Come,”saidMotherBear,“Ibelievewebettergohomenowbeforewemeetanymorestrangers!” WhentheThreeBearsreachedhome,therewasLittleBear’sbowlonthedoorstep,andthePiedPiper’spipewasheardplayingsoftlyfaraway. AfterFatherBeartoldLittleBearthestoryofHamelintownhewasmoregladthaneverthathehadkepthispromise.Sowashismother.Sowashisfather. 
