Comprehension - The Pied Piper of Hamelin

Comprehension - The Pied Piper of Hamelin

The Pied Piper of Hamelin

Read the text and answer the Questions

The story so far...

The town of Hamelin has a big problem. Rats! They are everywhere! They are eating all the food and frightening everyone. The Mayor doesn’t know what to do. He calls a meeting of the town council in the Town Hall. He needs to decide how to get rid of the rats. No one has any ideas but, just then, there is a knock at the door.

“Come in,” the Mayor and Council cried,

The strangest figure stepped inside.

His odd long coat from heel to head

Was half of yellow, half of red.

And he himself was tall and thin,

With sharp blue eyes, each like a pin,

He walked up to the council table,

Said, “Please your honours, I am able,

By means of music, never fear,

I can make rats disappear.

I use my quite amazing skill

On creatures that do people ill.

The mole and toad and newt and viper

And people call me The Pied Piper.

I’ll take the rats, both young and old

If you will give me bags of gold.”

The Mayor jumped up. “Yes, yes indeed,

You’ll have your gold if you succeed!”

The Piper left and very soon,

They heard a lovely, simple tune.

When three shrill notes his pipe had uttered,

You heard as if an army muttered.

And then the noise became a grumbling,

And out of the houses the rats came tumbling.

Young and old and thin and fat

Every type and shape of rat!

Brothers, sisters, husbands, wives,

Followed the Piper for their lives.

From street to street he piped advancing.

And step for step the rats came dancing,

Until they reached the river side,

Jumped in, sank quickly and then died!

You should have heard the Hamelin people

Ringing the bells till they rocked the steeple.

The Piper said, “I’ve done the deed,

Now pay me what we have agreed.”

The Mayor looked cross and then he spoke,

“You must know that was just a joke!

The rats have gone, and not returned,

I’ll give you what I think you’ve earned.

Take one gold coin and leave the town.”

The Piper stared and wore a frown.

He told the Mayor, “You’ll rue the day

You cheated me and didn’t pay!

I’ll play a very different tune

And you’ll be sorry – very soon!”

Multiple Choice

What problem do the people of Hamelin have?

• They are very poor

• There are Rats everyone in the town

• There is shortage of food and

  water in the town

Multiple Choice

What does the Pied Piper want in return?

• 1 Gold coin

• 100 Gold coins

• 10 bags of Gold

• 5 bags of Gold

Multiple Choice

What happened to the rats?

• They drowned in the river and died

• Nothing happened to the rats

• They ran out of the city

Multiple Choice

What word rhymes with rat in the poem?

• cry

• fat

• tat

Multiple Select

Who are the main characters?

• Children

• Rats

• The Mayor

• A girl

• Pied Piper

Multiple Choice

Which colour coat was the Pied Piper wearing?

• Only Red

• Orange and Yellow

• Only Yellow

• Red and Yellow

Multiple Choice

What does the Mayor do in return when the Pied Piper got rid of all the rats from the town?

• He gives the Pied Piper ten bags of gold

• He gave him only one gold coin

• He gave him double the prize

Open Ended

The Pied Piper says he will play a very different tune . What do you think he does?