Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 2 1884.djvu/217

 Rh people of Erfurt were attacked, left their homes, and were found again at Arnstadt, where they had fallen down in the streets worn out by their exertions. May not a similar occurence have led to the loss of the children of Hamelin? It seems that these dancers were called "Dancers of St. John" (Johannes tänzer). From the 24th to the 26th of June the Midsummer festivals were held, at which many of the ancient heathen customs were carried out. Wild dances formed an essential part of the festival, for whoever danced through a burning fire was free from illness for that year. Such occasions as these might easily give rise to the dreaded epidemic, and hence probably the name "Dancers of St. John." We must remember that it was on the 26th of June, the last day of the Midsummer festival, that the children of Hamelin vanished. Is it not probable that the youth of the town were celebrating the festival, and that musicians were among them? Whether the mania originally began at Hamelin, or whether dancers from other districts infected the people of that town, is difficult to decide. We will assume that they were infected, and that, headed by a musician wearing the gay dress of his class, the young inhabitants of Hamelin began their journey, and disappeared from sight behind the Koppelberg. The story of the Erfurt children leads us to think that the Hamelin children in their wanderings may have gone to a distant place fixed by popular fancy in Transylvania, and have been brought back from there. When the old chronicler subsequently wrote down the brief record of what had taken place the children were said to have disappeared not behind but into the mountain. Beside such a wonder other circumstances seemed trivial indeed in the eyes of the people; it was impossible that such a simple thing as dancing should lead to such a catastrophe. How was it brought about? The Piper who led the crowd became the cause of the tragedy, the vague memory of myths and traditions came to the aid of the people; the Piper became a man with magic powers who revenged himself on the people of Hamelin when they refused to give him his promised reward, and the legend assumed the shape in which it has come down to us.

June 20th, 1884.