Mute: The Story of the Pied Piper

A man ran through a forest at neck breaking pace as a swooping sound could be heard behind him. An evil cackle echoed among the trees and an arrow flew from the man's bow as he continued to run away. The arrow narrowly missed the green flesh of a witches skin but was caught by another and turned into a snake. The witches laughed as the snake slithered away and fell from the sky. Their pointy hats blew in the breeze as they flew faster toward the escaping man below. The man shot another arrow desperately trying to evade their advance in capturing him.

They threw a dark magic dust and suddenly the man fell face first into the dying leaves on the forest floor. The three witches flew about him like a pack of hyena's about to go for the kill. The man's dark blue eyes grew large as fear took over his entire form. He struggled to get to his feet as a breeze went through his short black hair. The three witches squinted their yellow eyes as malicious smiles etched into their features. The man's breathing became erratic and excited the predators in knowing he was afraid of them. He took out his bow and an arrow aiming it at one of the witches but was not given the chance to shoot it.

He was lifted into the air and forced to hang there by magic fearing for his life. It was only a small error made on his part that he crossed into their territory. He was simply trying to hunt for food to keep himself alive. He meant them no harm but still they wished to bring evil upon him. One of the witches, most likely the leader of the three began to speak.

"You have crossed upon our territory and disturbed us, now you must pay the price knave." She hissed

"Yes, pay the price. Pay the price! Hehehehehe!" Another cackled.

"A curse, a curse upon your soul!" The third witch growled.

"A great and terrible curse!" The leader spoke again.

"Curse, curse...a curse foolish man!"

The three witches began to chant and throw about a dark and magic powder. They spun in a circle slowly reciting a poem that chilled the man to the bone.

~Disturb us witches three,

We put a curse upon thee.

Foolish man you are blind,

So now this is what you'll find.

Now when you speak,

Nothing, not even a squeak.

Forever you will be mute,

Forced to play nothing but this flute!~

The three witches continued to chant the curse as the world began to spin around the man. Then finally all sound around him began to fade and the world went black.

The man opened his eyes and looked around realizing that the witches were long gone. He opened his mouth to try to yell because his heard hurt so badly but nothing came not even a squeak. He realized that the witches curse had worked and he was permanently mute forever. Tears came to his eyes and he looked down at the earth as sadness overtook him. That was when he felt something in his hand and he gripped it. He brought it before his eyes to see that it was a flute. The man was curious as he remembered part of the curse that told of the flute.

He put the flute to his lips wetting them slightly before trying the instrument. Suddenly he was playing a tune that he didn't even realize he knew. He got to his feet and began to dance around playing the flute with ease. It seemed the curse had also given him a gift with the instrument. He stopped in his tracks when he realized there were tiny eyes upon him and small tails swaying with the tune. The little rats looked up at him before scurrying away into the darkness.

He cocked and eyebrow and put a hand to his chin as his brain began to comprehend what was happening. His flute playing could control creatures with its special tunes. He began to play the flute again and the rats came back and danced around him in harmony. The man played the flute for hours getting the attention of all sorts of animals including unicorns and other fairytale creatures. As he stopped playing his flute a smile spread across his face and he knew how he could one day get his revenge on the witches.

The animals scurried away as he tucked the flute into his belt. He stood as the wind blew through his cape knowing exactly what he would call himself. The Pied Piper, a name that one day everyone in and beyond Far Far Away would know and respect. His legacy had begun.