The Flutist

Play it and they will follow

 

 

The Flutist

by jack

 

“This kingdom is overrun with rats!” shouted one of the people to King Badarse.

 

The rodents had overtaken the streets of the village and his subjects were becoming more and more annoyed; they demanded something be done. The King, recalling the tale of Hamlin and the piper they enlisted to end their problem, summoned Musicus to his chambers.

“Musicus, the kingdom has become inundated with rats.”

 

“I have noticed the cute little creatures, Your Highness,” he responded.

 

“They are not cute, they are a menace and I want you to rid them from the streets with your instrument just like that piper fellow,” commanded the King.

 

“But, I am merely a flute player, not an exterminator,” he replied

 

“Then I will make it simple; use your flute to eliminate the pests or I will become the exterminator and eliminate you! Is that understood?”

 

Musicus wasn’t sure what to do because he actually found the rats to be very friendly and cute. Often when he would play his flute they would gather at his feet and listen for hours on end; while the villagers constantly complained about “the noise.”  He felt that the rats were more mannerly than anyone he had ever met in this village including the King; but he had to do something or it would be his neck. So he practiced and practiced until he found a hauntingly beautiful melody that placed each and every one of them under his musical spell. The more he played it, the more they followed his every move.

 

Walking up the pathway to the mountain, he glanced back and saw thousands of them in a nice neat line behind him. He led them directly to the edge of a cliff and watched as one by one, they all plunged to their death. The last to go over was the King himself.

 

“Now I have rid the kingdom of all pests,” he proclaimed triumphantly.

 

They lived happily ever after, Musicus, his flute and his rats. 

      

Author's Note

Thank you for reading

Reviews

[navah74]

I'm sorry I misread that.

[Jack...]

No problem, at times Flash Fiction can be confusing trying to fit an entire story into 400 words or less.

[navah74]

Great story very clever did not hit you over the head with the message. Two things, the last dialogue line can be removed and wouldn't affect the story it would just make it stronger and the last line says they lived happily ever after Musicus, his flute and his rats, but the previous line says the rats plunged to their death. Even so it was a great story.

[Jack...]

Thank you for your review, but nowhere does it say that the rats went over the cliff. And the last line is his definition of pests, the villagers and the king are gone.

[Marie]

Wonderful take on "The Pied Piper". A triumphantly happy ending.

[Jack...]

Thanks Marie, I thought you might like it.

[DIVYA]

I laughed so much Jack. Pied Piper in reverse!
So true...Who's to decide which are the pests!
"They lived happily ever after, Musicus, his flute and his rats" - Awesome!

Thanks for an entertaining read! Give us more such! :)

[Jack...]

Thanks so much Divya. It was a Flash Fiction I wrote for a contest.

[DIVYA]

It made for a very nice read. Original and entertaining. Welcome Jack.