Original subtitles

Come on now. Whoop hey'.!

Karl, Otto we're stopping, just for a few minutes.

All right.

Karl, Kirsten, come along now, we have a long way to go.

Kirsten, come along. I'm coming.

Hey, wait for me.

Up! Hey!

Hey!

Now where's Otto? Otto?

Don't shout, I'm not deaf yet.

Hup! Hup!

Are you feeling tired?

We can go on if you like. Wait.

The plague.

We mustn't stay, come quickly!

It's the plague!

Sir, please, I beg you,

don't leave me here, kind sir, take me with you, please.

Who are you?

I'm Arthur Cecile,

Pilgrim to his grace the Earl of Richmond.

Richmond? Yes, sir, Richmond in England.

Well, why are you here?

Who are these people? Do you know them?

I don't know, sir, I was just passing.

I've been traveling for three weeks, sir,

bound for the holy city.

I visited all the great shrines but now my companions, um,

they've left me behind. A misunderstanding.

Don't go near him. The Pilgrim may have the plague.

Oh, no, sir, no, sir,

by the almighty I assure you, I assure you,

besides, I'm protected by my holy relics.

Look, look, look.

A sock. It belonged to Thomas Beckett.

Look here, the splinter from the very cross of our lord.

Does he eat much? No, no very little.

I can promise you, my friends, very little.

Only the bread of sorrow

and my relics bless me, they can protect you too.

Very well. We'll take you as far as Hanover.

Oh, my kind friends may the lord reward your generosity.

But you'll have to help us. Oh, yes, sir.

I've learnt many trades.

Hup! Come on!

Ah, liquor delight!

The sweet fragrance.

Three weeks it's been and not a drop to drink.

No, not a drop.

But now the lord will tempt me with this cup.

Ways of the lord, who am I to question them?

Ah, music! What peace it brings to my soul.

How did you get here?

With my pipe and my music.

It's a black night to be traveling, isn't it?

Don't be afraid of me, I mean you no harm.

I was seeking shelter and I heard your music.

How could you hear? I can always hear music.

Very well, you're welcome to share what we have.

Come.

There's some bread and some cheese

if you're feeling hungry. No, thanks.

This is my wife, this is my father,

these are my children.

We're on our way to Hanover. Bread and cheese.

Oh, and this is Arthur Cecile.

It's too late to go to Hanover. Music, let's have some music.

Be quiet! Too late?

So the plague has reached Hanover'?

My relics, oh, my relics, sweet St. Augustine.

So where are you going?

To Hamelin.

Oh, excellent! Excellent.

They're building a cathedral there, Hamelin.

Yes, there's a wedding on Sunday.

The baron's son is going to marry

the Burgomaster's daughter.

A wedding, Mattio.

Well, Hamelin's not far. We might get some work there,

then turn north to Amsterdam.

Are you all actors?

Actors, dancers, jugglers, fire-eaters,

anything you can think of. What about you?

Well I'm just a minstrel, nothing else.

Well, we could do with another musician, couldn't we?

♪ Riding homeward, it's time to go home ♪

♪ Over the ocean of life ♪

♪ We must row ♪

♪ And when you get there ♪

♪ Say hello for me ♪

♪ For I've along, long way to go ♪

♪ There may be stormy days ♪

♪ There will be mild ♪

♪ There will be valleys ♪

♪ With mountains to climb ♪

♪ And when you get there ♪

♪ Say hello for me ♪

♪ For I've along, long way to go ♪

Hey! Hup!

Hey, stop that wagon!

The city of Hamelin is closed.

Forty days quarantine by order of the town council.

We're actors, we've come for the wedding.

Where's your pass? We haven't got one.

Nobody enters this place without a pass.

You better camp down there with the others.

Forty days quarantine, those are my orders.

Make way there, you scum!

Move! Out of the way there!

Gavin?

What's all that noise about? I don't know.

I can't see properly.

One of the masons, I think, on the cathedral.

They started work yesterday.

Franz again.

The town's become a battlefield since he got back.

Yes.

We were better off when the English had him.

We should have left him there.

They say there was a comet in Pisces last night.

Yes, I saw it. What does that mean?

It could be the plague, religious strife,

death of the mighty, if you believe in that sort of thing.

How often? Two spoonfuls a day.

All right. Thank you, Melius.

Will Lisa really marry him, do you think?

Who?

Franz, that toad. How can she?

She has no choice, I'm afraid.

Well, how's it going? It's not finished yet.

Oh, it's very good though. Getting closer.

I haven't seen her for a week.

Don't worry. Now, back to your lessons.

Where were we?

Um, Papius the elder?

No, no, no, no, Herodotus, it's up there.

Oh!

Damn! Damn this leg.

I'm useless, I can't walk, I can't even move.

Gavin! I'm worthless.

Stop complaining. I've told you a hundred times.

But what can I do?

You can be less selfish and self centered.

What am I teaching you for?

Are you Melius the Jew? Yes, what is it?

The Burgomaster sent for you

his daughter's ill and you're to come right away.

Oh! Lisa ill?

Yes, of course. Is it serious?

I don't know. Can I come with you?

Who's this? My assistant.

He didn't ask for anybody else.

Well, you stay there, Gavin. I'll be back soon.

Where is she, Frau Poppendick?

Upstairs. She's not at all well.

By this holy unction and his gracious mercy,

may the lord pardon thee whatever sin thou has committed

aside hearing, smell, taste and speech, touch or step.

Amen. Lord have mercy upon us.

Christ have mercy upon us.

Lord have mercy!

Christ have mercy.

But is this necessary? The last sacrament's all ready.

Give her a chance, hm?

...The earth as a judge appeased...

But she's not dying, is she?

We don't even know if she's got it.

Hail Mary, full of grace. Blessed art thou...

Oh. god!

Quickly, Melius, your herbs, your medicines, do something.

Hurry before they carry us all to the grave.

Burgomaster, this is no place for a mere physician

this child is dying.

Her death bed is a sacred shrine.

The child is not dying. Lord be praised.

Nonsense! Blasphemy!

Sacrilege!

This is not the plague but only a common fever.

Possibly a case of tarantism.

She needs calm, rest

perhaps some music would help. Music?

Music is an ancient remedy in these cases,

a well known cure. Burgomaster?

These superstitious philanderings

have been denounced by Pope Clement himself

and by our holy mother the church.

On pain of excommunication.

Shh!

I am not of your faith, your grace.

Who is this man?

Er, yes, Dr. Melius, meet the grace, uh...

Melius?

To take medicine from a Jew, my lord,

is to enter into a contract with Lucifer!

By all the saints!

Your grace?

Shhh! Listen.

Where is she, burgo...

What's going on here? What are you all doing?

Look.

Look, her eyes are open.

Officer, have that Piper found.

Guard?

Fetch that Piper up here.

Which of you lot was playing just then?

I was.

All right, follow me.

If I come, we all come.

All of you? Yes, all of us.

Very well then. Open up gates.

Let 'em through. Let's go, come on.

Enough of this clap-trap Burgomaster!

Will this girl stand up at the altar?

That's all the baron needs to know.

My lord, if you want the wedding...

Me? You want it!

All I want is the dowry.

Look, watch his fingernails, holiness.

These people are agents of the devil!

Enough, Burgomaster.

I cannot bear witness to these heathen practices!

What the hell are you doing here?

You sent for me. Of course, come in.

My daughter, she was listening to your music.

Quickly now, play for her. I must be alone.

What? Alone.

He knows what he's doing.

Who is this beggar'? Piper, a traveler.

His music will relieve the fever.

What's he doing now?

He's stopped playing,

he's given her one of those flutes.

And a doll. Listen,

so long as she can stand up, Burgomaster,

I don't give a care in hell what he does.

That daughter of yours is the biggest nuisance.

Franz.

At least she'll survive until the wedding.

And what are you staring at, you idle fool?

Throw that water away.

My greatest work. What majesty.

What grace!

Now hopeless.

I shall be dead before it's finished.

My lord.

Then they must be made to work faster, my lord.

With what?

Now my money.

How am I going to pay the Mason?

The lord will guide you.

No, blood sucking merchants,

they won't give me any more money.

They're strangling me with their purse strings.

Do you understand that? The work must go on.

The plague is closing in!

The sword of retribution hangs above us.

Only such a monument as this, my lord,

can assure your salvation.

And your passage to heaven.

That's a new word for you, father.

You've never behaved before as if you believed in god.

How can you buy your to heaven?

Yes, but hell, I can buy my way out of that.

Of borrowed money? With the dowry!

The dowry?

Have you been to see the girl?

Yes, she'll outlive us all.

You anyway. I'll tell you one thing,

I don't intend to waste my dowry on this mausoleum!

Franz! I'm your father.

I arranged this marriage,

it's my money.

I shall spend it on my cathedral.

Our money, my lord.

The reparation of sin and the glorification of god.

You don't need it, Franz, I do.

What? And my army?

How am I going to equip my soldiers

and who's gonna pay for my wars?

What wars?

You've never done anything except lose them

or get yourself captured.

All families have their problems.

Oh, my lord, this is unseemly.

Anyway, your cathedral can be built for nothing.

Your masons don't have to be paid,

they can be whipped. By whom?

By your toy soldiers

fear, father, you must know it well.

You're an idiot, Franz.

But they've gone back to work.

Even masons have to eat.

I can't go on like this.

You have your serfs, your taxes, your rents, your...

Well one way or another I'll get the money I need

and I won't waste it on that tomb!

Why don't you get it from that old woman

hiding in her castle at Avignon?

My lord, we cannot listen to this blasphemy.

Chancellor,

how much money have I got in the treasury?

Huh? Hmm?

How much money have I got in my treasury?

Fifty guilders, sir.

When am I getting my taxes?

The serfs have already paid, my lord,

there's nothing due until winter.

What about a special Levy on salt?

Already paid, my lord. The bank?

Already spent, there are also some debts.

Debts? Nonsense, not now.

Bishop? Bishop!

My lord? Summon the Papal Nuncio.

Let him see the cathedral, he can pay for everything.

This is a matter for the Pope.

For the whole church.

Salomoniac.

And what happened? What did he do?

Arsenic. I don't really know.

He, er, played that tune again very beautifully.

No, no, no, moonwort, get me some more.

And then?

The music calmed her and took away the pain.

Now quicksilver, hurry.

Melius. Yes?

Do you think you'll ever find it?

Find what? The philosopher's stone.

Ch, of course, ha-ha, it's just a matter of time.

If the world is composed of four elements,

there has to be a combination.

Ha-ha, anyway, it was an excellent explosion.

What a mess. And could he cure her?

Who? The Piper.

Cure her? No, no, no, no.

He just did what the others couldn't.

He took her into his own world.

I wish I could. Hmm?

I can't even paint her portrait.

Ah, nonsense.

It's a beautiful painting.

You must persevere.

You live too much for the end result.

It's what you learn on the way that matters.

I've heard of a school in the Netherlands,

that's where I'd like you to go one day.

♪ I come from a land of windy wonder ♪

♪ Born on a stormy evening under ♪

♪ Great green oaks by the mountain craggy ♪

♪ Air bell blue and the bracken draggy ♪

♪ Not very many of you know my name ♪

♪ And not very many of you guess my game ♪

♪ I'm known to some by the name of piping ♪

♪ Peter peace when the Piper plays

♪ and people call me the pied Piper ♪

♪ la-Ia-Ia-Ia-Ia, Ia-Ia ♪

♪ Not very many of you

Know my name ♪

♪ And not very many of you

Guess my game ♪

♪ I'm known to some by the name of pipey ♪

♪ Peter peace when the Piper plays ♪

♪ And people call me the pied Piper ♪

Where's your stallholder's tax?

Stallholder's tax? Yes.

Never heard of it, I suppose?

We didn't know we had anything to pay.

I wasn't talking to you, woman.

Now don't try your impertinence on me.

Just get back to your job, whatever it is.

Stop that noise when I'm talking, damn you.

Go on, get out of here!

We've burnt three witches this year

on less evidence than we've got against you.

Now come on, five guilders, quick!

We haven't work

we'll pay the tax but we've got to earn something first.

All right. We'll come back tomorrow.

As for you, take care.

I paint as well. I mean, I'd like to be a painter.

Oh, I just do scenery, you know?

My name's Gavin.

Ah, glad to know you, I'm Mattio.

Look, this is mine.

She's lovely. Is she your lady?

Well, sort of. Not exactly.

Would you like to help me? Can I really?

Of course you can help me paint some angels.

Hello. Hello.

You're the one that cured Lisa, aren't you?

Could you cure me, do you think?

What's the matter?

Well, I thought you might... Well, you know...

It's an absolute disaster.

The world's gone mad. It's all over anyway.

What's all over, Pilgrim?

No, no, nothing. Nothing and everything.

Just... Absolutely exhausted.

Oh, dear.

What's wrong, Pilgrim? I'm tired.

Tired of wandering around from one shrine to the next,

tired of all this mess, tired of myself.

Doesn't sound like me, does it?

It's all pointless. This cathedral's a sham.

The architect should be hanged.

You're just depressed, that's all.

No, it's true.

They don't know how to do anything anymore.

There's no craftsmanship left these days,

no standards, just greed.

Makes me wonder if I believe in god.

Not on there, you idiot, on the windowsill!

Kulik?

Kulik, come here!

Gretel, that's no good at all.

How do you feel, my love?

I feel a little pale.

That's no good, are you blind?

She needs more, more bust, more presence.

I mean, can't you fill her out more here?

Yes, ma'am.

What do you think men are interested in any way?

What do you think they look for in a woman?

Kulik?

Now, I said no beef and no mutton, is that clear?

I want the best, only the best.

Have the swans arrived yet? No.

What about the vultures? Yes.

I don't feel very well, it's all that blood.

If you can't stand the smell of blood,

then you're marrying the wrong man.

Be quiet, Agnes!

Now how many times do I have to tell you

to get on with your work?

Make way for the Papal Nuncio.

Hear ye! Hear ye! Guardian of the church

his holiness baron of Brunswick.

...And the afore-mentioned holiness, Pope Clement VI.

Hear ye! Hear ye! Make way for his eminence the Papal Nuncio.

Hear, ye, hear ye!

All right, everybody, back to work.

Maria, have those fowl been gutted yet?

No. Kulik, has the venison arrived?

Not yet.

We're never gonna get everything for this castle on time.

Lisa?

Lisa? Gavin.

Can I come in? I want to show you something.

What is it? Something.

Be careful they don't see you.

Come over here. Are you better?

Yes, a Piper came and played to me.

I know, I met him.

It was so beautiful, Gavin, you can't imagine.

So what was it you wanted to show me?

It's nice, but she's not very pretty.

It's supposed to be you.

I didn't know I had a squint.

You don't have a squint.

I was trying to capture your soul.

My Soul?

Yes, but obviously you're too insensitive

to understand that.

Gavin, you talk such nonsense sometimes.

How can your soul be beautiful

if you're gonna marry that pig Franz?

You know I don't like him.

He's not even my friend or anything like that, besides...

Besides what? Oh, nothing.

Why can't you just admit that you haven't learnt to paint yet?

I'm only an apprentice. Melius says it takes years.

I could do it better if I saw you more often.

I'm sorry. I do like it, really.

You're right, the eyes are wrong.

Look, the Piper gave me this, isn't it lovely?

Yes.

Rat! Run! Quick, run!

Oh! Look out, child! Watch where you're going.

Rat! Rat!

Nonsense. You've been dreaming again.

Now go and find Gretel, she's got your dress ready.

Melius! Ah, Gavin.

I was just wondering... Melius, look!

A rat! Don't touch it!

Good grief, boy, are you mad?

It's dead.

It doesn't matter, don't touch it.

It makes no difference. Whatever you do, don't touch it.

It's a black rat, they're deadly.

They carry the plague. I'm sure of it.

That's why I brought it. I remembered you telling me.

I thought if it was dead... There, that jar over there.

No, no, not that one, the one above it.

The one with the spirit.

And now wash your hands. But...

Don't argue!

Use some of this. What is it?

Vinegar.

Where did you find this?

In Lisa's garden, there was lots of them.

How many? Hundreds.

Hundreds?

Well, lots. Anyway I killed three of them.

Just as I thought. What?

Rattus veianosus.

They didn't bite though. No.

Black rats don't bite.

That's why nobody except de chaliaque

believes that they carry the plague.

I'm sure there's a connection somewhere,

if only I could find it. Could you learn to cure it?

Mm, perhaps. I hope so.

Now, take those rags out into the garden.

Not with your hands!

With the tongs, and burn them, with mastic and Juniper.

The plague is everywhere, your eminence,

just as the Saracens approach the gates of Jerusalem,

so the plague closes in on the entire Christian world.

Could you come more precisely to the point?

As your eminence is no doubt aware,

the cathedral at Sienna has had to abandoned

because of the plague.

And where then can we find that essential expression of faith

that must become the salvation of the world

from the devil and his diseases and so on and so forth?

Your eminence... Chancellor!

I haven't got the time to... Hamelin, your eminence.

Hamelin has been miraculously protected from the plague.

Protected by the very stones of the cathedral

we're building here.

Why, every single stone is worth it's weight...

Salvation, baron? They tell me salvation

has become a costly business

your eminence... Come to the point, baron.

The cathedral building must continue.

But can we be expected to bear the cost alone?

Can Hamelin be expected to carry the sins of the world

on its own, without support? Baron?

Whereas if his holiness could see his way

to lending us a small sum of money.

And just what sum did you have in mind?

A million guilders. Only one million?

Oh! This cathedral of yours is indeed a generosity.

Oh, your eminence,

who are we to haggle over the price of salvation?

My lords, I will most happily convey your proposals

to his holiness Pope Clement.

I feel sure that you will receive a reply

within the next few years.

However, personally I feel that

if you could manage to get your cathedral built

at least as far as the flying buttresses

we might at that stage manage to reach some sort of agreement.

But enough of this. I didn't come to Hamelin

just to listen to architectural gossip.

My mission here is to inform you that his holiness, Pope Clement.

Charges you with a conscription from your province

of a Levy of troops to bear arms

in the forthcoming Italian campaign.

Italian campaign?

Yes, the Pope wants a new emperor

because the emperor wants a new Pope.

Needless to say your services will be paid for in gold.

What earthly use is this offer to me,

if I have to pay the soldiers?

Besides, there aren't any men available.

I can't concern myself with details.

Now see that my carriage is made ready immediately.

I must cross the mountains before nightfall.

But, uh... But...

Uh...

I want a cathedral.

The Pope wants a war.

My daughter's wedding will benefit us all at court.

We will have influence, leverage.

Therefore, gentlemen, I think it only fair

that the town as a whole should share in the cost involved.

Come on, Poppendick, stop that nonsense.

You know perfectly well, Poppendick,

that the town is in quarantine. Trade is suffering.

You mean that the town is penniless?

Yes, yes, I was thinking along the lines of some new tax.

What new tax? Wool.

Already taxed by the baron. Shoes.

Already taxed by us.

Sugar, then.

A gentle and temporary sugar tax.

But nobody uses sugar.

Except us.

I'm sorry, Poppendick, but I have to leave.

Oh, that's helpful, that's very helpful.

What do you expect us to do?

Burgomaster? What's this?

Burgomaster,

the baron requests

your immediate attendance at the castle.

Of course, of course. At once, officer.

Influence at court. Fiddlesticks!

Is the Burgomaster here?

Not now Melius, not now.

This is a matter of great urgency.

What do you want? The Burgomaster's at the castle.

There are rats in this city.

Rats? Nonsense.

Oh!

Disgusting!

Revolting, take it away. Don't be afraid, it's in spirit,

it's not dangerous,

but there are more of these rats in the city already.

And it is quite certain

that they will bring the plague with them.

Unless you act immediately.

That's cold, you blundering idiot.

Hey, Poppendick, what about the dowry?

Dowry? Yes, dowry.

The dowry is due on the 31st day after the wedding.

What of those marriage lists?

Cissy the seamstress applied to marry Thomas the farmer.

Yes, granted.

Maria from the bath house

applied to marry Roland the woodcutter.

Granted, I want an advance. But, my lord,

surely this is most irregular, most unusual.

What's the difference? The wedding is upon us anyway.

But my lord, I've made no preparations, no provisions.

Besides if your lordship recalls I've already made an advance.

What advance?

Begging your pardon, sire, the ransom, sire.

Surely you haven't forgotten the ransom I paid, Sire.

For his lordship Franz after the battle of Crecy?

That's enough, you old nun,

there's still time to cancel the wedding, you know.

Heaven forbid.

Well, what about soldiers then?

How about raising some soldiers?

Papal Nuncio has expressed an interest

in paying for an army. That is impossible.

Every available man is working on the cathedral.

Don't tell me what I know already, Poppendick!

I'm tired of your impossible this

and impossible that!

How did you make all your money, eh?

You must have a trick or two up your sleeve somewhere.

Think of something. Yes, my lord.

Now get out. Yes, my lord.

Good day, my lord.

Father.

Father, I've had an idea.

What is it?

Suppose I can provide you with soldiers

who don't need to be paid? What? What's that you said?

I said perhaps I could find you soldiers

who don't need to be paid. That's ridiculous, Franz.

But it's not!

Look, there were children fighting at Crecy.

Think of it. Boys of twelve and thirteen

dying as nobly as the next. Poppycock!

Besides, where in Hamelin would you find children

willing to die for you or for me or for any old plump?

Even if I provided them with some fools' gold?

Fools' gold? Yes.

Where are you going to get anything here

that remotely looks like gold?

Leave that to me.

If I can,

can we then share the Nuncio's payments?

Well, you get it first, hmm?

Then we'll see.

Gentlemen?

The baron refuses to donate...

What's that? A rat.

It should be obvious enough. A rat?

Caught only an hour ago.

Brought here by Melius the alchemist.

He predicts that the plague will follow.

Gentlemen, really now.

Melius is an old quack.

A woolly-headed hysteric.

Eric, well known charlatan.

Well, something has to be done.

Of course, gentlemen, of course.

But the wedding.

Are we gonna postpone the wedding

just because someone found a rat?

Gentlemen, this is preposterous.

It's only a matter of one day, a few hours.

Nothing can be done which might disturb

our very delicate political situation.

Now, remove that horrible thing.

Bury it in the garden.

Ointment. What?

Your paintings have given me an idea.

If I could just make an ointment against the plague.

Something to cover the skin with.

Gavin, go and get me some aloes.

And some myrrh.

Anything else? No.

Yes, yes, more Amber.

Melius? Now don't disturb me now,

I'm busy. So am I.

Oh, my lord, I didn't realize.

But there are rats in the town, black rats.

The plague will follow, it's inevitable.

I was working on some medicine, there's very little time.

No! No! My lord! No! Please! Oh my god, this is terrible!

Now listen to me, old Jew. It's heresy to claim

that the plague has natural causes, you know that.

Yes, but... Nonsense?

Never mind.

The inquisitors may be very interested in your case

and you know what that would mean, don't you?

But you have one chance.

You can make me some gold.

But if I have no gold?

I don't mean real gold.

I'm not asking for the impossible.

I want something to look like gold, that's all.

You're an alchemist, it shouldn't be beyond you.

I have no time, sire.

All this at once, I-i can't, sire.

We shall all die unless... I have no time to argue, Meliusl

I'll give you two days to produce the metal.

Two days.

Otherwise the consequences for you will be predictable.

I hope I've made myself clear.

Cheer up, hmm?

Well, that's very good, very good.

If you can do my portrait,

I might even make you an official painter at court.

We need painters, some frescos perhaps,

like the Italians have nowadays.

A history of my campaigns would be good, wouldn't it?

Oh, that is impossible.

Gavin is going to the Netherlands to school shortly.

Oh!

What a PW-

Good day, Melius.

What did he want? What was all that about?

Nothing. nothing.

Gavin, did you get the myrrh? Yes.

And the aloes? Yes, but...

Good, good.

Now, if we can just work quickly.

Amusing, isn't it?

Have them come to the wedding feast tomorrow.

Hurry UP!

The bells have been ringing for ten minutes.

We're gonna be late.

Oh, this dress is too tight, Poppendick!

You look wonderful, my little plum, wonderful.

Oh shut up! You don't know what you're talking about.

The color's terrible, I've always said so.

Gretel? Yes ma'am.

We're going to be late, my plum.

Can't you do something? This pleat's all wrong.

It's too late,

come, come along. Kulik, kulik.

Don't pull such a long face, cheer up my child, look happy.

Kulik?

Don't forget to send the piglets up

and the blood sausage.

God, what a mess!

Come along everyone, we're late.

For as much as thou has decreed

that all wickedness is but little

to the wickedness of woman,

that her body is filled with vanity and lust

seething with corruption,

yet we beseech thee to Grant this wretched daughter of Eve,

the origin of all worldly sin such humility of mind and body

that she leave her deceitful ways

and submit to the righteous and blessed hand

of her husband, lord and keeper

until she returns to the dust whence she came.

What's that?

Nothing.

Why aren't you eating? I'm not hungry.

It's good.

Try that. I'm not hungry.

Looks to me as though she's had some of the apple already, hmm?

Don't you think so, Bishop?

Yes, it does.

What a waste of money.

This is the happiest day of my life.

Now, if I could just save a little money,

and retire to a small farm, I'd die a contented man.

I'm bored with all this.

How about some of the cake?

Oh, yes, let's have some cake.

That's enough! Send those gypsies away

and bring in the cake!

Bring the cake!

Cake! Cake! Cake!

Oh! Beautiful.

Close the doors and lock the windows!

Summon my bailiff, my marshal, my reeve.

Didn't you go to the wedding?

I wasn't invited. Neither was I.

She was a friend of yours, wasn't she?

Yes.

Don't be sad. You'll see her again.

I promise. Listen to this.

♪ What a waste of time to be unhappy ♪

♪ What a terrible unpredictable bore ♪

♪ It really isn't fair you've had more of your share ♪

♪ Of trouble, worry and care ♪

♪ It's just a state of mind ♪

♪ It will pass in time ♪

♪ The sadness in your eyes,

♪ will teach you by and by ♪

♪ So lift up your eyes ♪

♪ And lose your blue in the sky ♪

♪ What a waste of time to be unhappy ♪

♪ What a precious waste of time and space ♪

♪ You might just take your life but you haven't got a knife ♪

♪ And besides no one would miss you from this life ♪

♪ Life has her ups and downs ♪

♪ She has her smiles and frowns ♪

♪ You should feel lucky to be you I

♪ And when you think your blessings are few ♪

♪ There's always someone worse off than you ♪

Rats! Rats! Rats!

Thousands and thousands of rats!

The castle's full of them. You've seen rats before.

Not like this. Not so many.

Were they black? Yes, and as big as this.

They're everywhere! In the food

in the corridors. The halls.

They're everywhere!

Chaos, catastrophe, the whole town is in an uproar!

Yes and panic. There are rats in every house.

What in the name of Christ crucify

are you doing about it?

Ah, yes, quite, well

we intend to take...

Over there! Look out.

Dutiful measures? Exactly.

Now, listen to me, all of you.

If I catch the plague, you all catch the plague.

That means that I, me, my person must be protected at all costs.

Down there, on the step.

Another one.

At all costs. Do you understand?

Now, Franz told me that this old alchemist, er...

Melius or whatever he calls himself,

thinks that the plague is carried by these,

these filthy crawling animals.

Blasphemy. Heresy, my lord.

A Jewish plot.

Plot or no plot, get rid of the rats!

Exactly, but-but work on the cathedral my lord,

it must stop. Stop? What do you mean?

Yes, when hell is staring me in the face.

Never! But we need men.

We must, we must build traps, ditches,

bonfires, we must have smoke, fumigation.

Nonsense, we need prayers, processions, benediction.

Whores must be expelled.

Gambling must stop. Flesh must be humbled.

More flagellations.

They're in my bed.

Now, let's try this one.

It doesn't look very good.

Let it dry first.

Oh! It stinks enough to keep the devil away.

Melius. is it ready?

Is what ready?

Fools' gold, I gave you two days. Your time's up.

My time is up?

Young man, there is a plague of rats in the city,

the black death will follow,

thousands of us are going to die.

And you have the effrontery to break in here

and talk to me about your private, selfish greed.

Yes, you're quite right, Melius, thousands of people may die.

That is why I don't intend to waste my time arguing with you.

I shall be out of Hamelin just as soon as I get what I need

and that won't take long, will it?

In the meantime, you might find it more conducive

to concentration,

if you take up your quarters in the dungeon.

Sir, you cannot do this!

Of course, if there is anything you need

in the way of materials, they can be provided.

And now if you'd be so kind as to accompany these gentlemen.

Melius?

Pilgrim, they've arrested Melius,

they've taken him to the castle.

Christ have mercy, my poor boy.

How horrible. It's that bastard Franz again.

It's amazing, everything's happening today.

Helga's had her baby, you know?

Charity?

What are these people doing? They're furious.

The town is out of control,

hysteria, mad dancing, flagellation,

it's the end of the world. Gavin, come and see the baby!

Is it a girl?

No, another boy. Another boy.

Another boy, another boy.

It's extraordinary, she felt no pain,

it just happened just like that.

Miraculous, I've never seen anything like it.

Ah! It's all this excitement, too much excitement,

too much happening.

Oh, I brought you some food.

Pilgrim, I don't know what would we do without you.

You and your charity, eh.

Oh, um, Gavin says they've arrested Melius.

When? Just now.

That's terrible. How can I find him?

Don't worry, we'll help you, we'll think of something.

He can stay we us, can't he? Of course he can.

Why don't you do that? Thanks, but I don't...

Oh, I know the food not so good...

What do you mean?

This can't go on. It's dangerous to stay here.

But, gentlemen, we're broke. We've over-reached ourselves.

We? You have, Poppendick.

If you'd done something about the rats in the first place

we wouldn't be in this position now.

Yes, yes, it's all your fault, Poppendick.

Do any of you wanna take my place?

Oh, no. Is that it?

Oh no. Oh, you're welcome to it.

Don't shirk your responsibilities now.

I'm doing my best, gentlemen.

I've already been to see the baron.

I can tell you I was granted an immediate audience.

No waiting about in the hallway now.

Oh, yes, Poppendick, we know all about that.

Unfortunately, the baron is also

financially restricted at present.

Burgomaster! Burgomaster!

A speech, make a speech.

Calm the crowd. Reassure the people.

Oath a solution. Any solution? Any proposal?

Burgomaster! Burgomaster! Burgomaster!

Friends, friends, put me down.

People of Hamelin!

Good citizens, friends.

Good people of Hamelin, listen to me!

I say unto you, go forth! I say unto you, verily!

A solution, Poppendick, a solution.

We are already

preparing a solution.

Let us be patient for the road will not be easy.

Let us combine in harmony and friendship and together,

the dawn of a new era will lighten our mountain peak.

And finally if anyone's got any ideas, let them speak,

he is welcome.

If I can rid the town of rats,

will you pay me a thousand guilders?

Who said that?

If I can rid the town of rats,

will you pay me a thousand guilders?

A thousand, ha-ha, fifty thousand!

I'm only asking for a thousand.

Oh, so it's you again, is it?

What makes you think you can deal with this mess?

I helped your daughter, didn't I?

Yes, yes, that's true.

Very well, whatever you want.

I've rid the town of rats as I promised.

May I have my thousand guilders?

A thousand guilders?

Yes, a thousand guilders.

Impossible!

Did you hear that? Ridiculous.

Utterly ridiculous.

It's all very well, but surely you can't pretend

it's worth a thousand guilders.

That is what you gave your word to.

Word? What word?

Did I swear'? Did I promise?

I mean to say everyone would like a thousand guilders.

What about all these good citizens?

What about the poor, the unfortunate, the sick,

what about them?

We're not thieves, you know.

We're willing to pay a fair price let's say, uh...

Fifty guilders.

That's pretty good for an evening's work,

isn't it, Piper?

Very fair in fact, extremely generous.

He can't complain about that.

Will you accept fifty guilders then?

No.

You won't?

Well, that's it, eh?

The man's obviously a knave.

A rascal.

Of course if you change your mind, let us know.

Gentlemen, it's getting late.

Ha-ha! Hello.

I wonder where you've been.

Well, you didn't see what happened.

Still, it's just in the nature of things,

that men and rats should be enemies.

I'm sure you don't treat each other as badly as we do.

You're lucky to be out of this town.

"And the river shall bring forth frogs abundantly"

"which shall go up"

and come into thine house

"and into thy bed chamber and upon thy bed"

"and into the house of thy servants"

"and upon thy people"

"and into thine ovens, and into thy kneading troughs."

My lord? My lord?

The rats have left Hamelin.

A miracle!

They're dead? Yes, my lord, all dead.

Dead, how?

Chancellor, this is wonderful news.

A musician, my lord, a Piper. A musician?

He played his music and the rats simply followed him.

He led them to the river

and they all drowned.

Unusual but effective.

The will of our lord.

The cathedral. The work must go on.

Day and night, double the shift.

Franz! Franz!

My lord, the rats have left Hamelin!

Poppendick, why are you always the last person

to know what's going on?

But-but it was I who... Enough, enough, Poppendick.

Franz!

Franz, Melius, the fools' gold.

Where is Melius? In the dungeon.

I imprisoned him yesterday.

A poisonous route, my lord,

a spreader of disease and malediction.

So this is the alchemist?

Is it ready, Melius? No, my lord.

Damn you. I can't make it.

I hope you rot in here forever!

It will make no difference, we shall all be dead very soon.

Dead? The plague.

It will be here by tomorrow.

Blasphemy! The Plague? What plague?

The rats have left, they're drowned.

The black death.

The vengeance of the almighty will strike you down,

retract your heresies!

I gave you your chance, you old fool.

I have nothing to retract.

I cannot change the laws of nature.

Then you will have to answer for this

to the court of inquisition.

This sorcerer must be brought to trial.

Mattio?

What is it, Pilgrim?

Don't come too close, you could catch it.

Do you need something? My relics.

Do you want them? No.

Throw them away.

They're all fakes.

But you... Do as I say, please.

Throw them away. Burn them.

They won't accept me in the kingdom of heaven

with all that... Baggage.

Don't stay, please. I must be alone.

Any news? No, nothing.

I must try and get into the castle.

Where's the Piper? No one's seen him.

Not since yesterday.

Gavin, the Pilgrim is dying. The plague.

For god's sake don't tell anybody.

There'll be a big panic.

We must leave as soon as possible.

Gavin, listen,

if you want to get into the castle,

there's a charcoal burner who says he'll take you.

But you must go straightaway.

Mattio.

Mattio?

Heaven.

Wait, I'll help you.

But why can't I see my mother?

Because she doesn't live here, that's why.

I can't stand it, I'm bored.

I want to go out to the garden

not to be locked in here with nothing to do.

It's for your own safety, ma'am.

Now be good and I'll bring you some supper later on.

Lisa, it's me, Gavin.

Gavin!

What are you doing here? I'm locked in.

Where's your husband?

I don't know, I haven't seen him.

What happened when you got married?

Nothing, just a bore.

Listen, I'm looking for Melius. He's been put in the dungeon.

Do you know how to get there?

Not really,

but try the stairs down the end of the corridor.

I think they lead to the dungeon,

I'm not sure though.

Thanks.

And, Gavin? Yes?

Try to get me out of here.

Yes, I'll try.

Who's that?

Ah, it's you is

it, you little runt!

What'll I do with him, my lord?

I came about the paintings, the frescos.

I learnt to lie before you were born, you know.

Throw him in the dungeon. But you said I could come.

Come on, boy.

Leave me alone!

It has been established by reference to doctrinal law,

that the plague of rats was sent as a sign.

A warning against the wickedness and depravity

which threatens to engulf us all.

But all this, my lords, Melius denies.

For this is the man who first introduced rats into the city

the man whose witchcraft has been devoted

to the spread of disease and heresy amongst the people.

His imprisonment has brought us respite,

but a temporary respite only.

Unless, my lord, we now make an example of him,

and surely the wrath of god will vent itself again on us,

and the black death carry us all to the grave.

Melius, have you anything to say in your defense?

Will you not at this late time recant your evil teachings?

My lord, I have listened to all the charges laid against me

and I have already replied to each one of them separately,

I claim no special rights.

I believe myself to be a modest man,

I am sure of nothing.

Except perhaps that I am now unfairly judged.

But do you still maintain the plague has natural causes?

I do, my lord,

and I only regret that I have not succeeded in my researches,

for now I shall not be remembered for anything.

I commend myself to your mercy

in the hope that future generations

may learn at least by your mistakes,

if not by my discoveries.

And I hope also, my lords, that they may learn not only

to tolerate each others' differences

but even to rejoice in them.

Anathema!

That is all I have to say, my lord.

Melius, the apothecary,

you have been found guilty

by the duly appointed court of our holy mother church

and you're hereby sentenced to be burned at the stake

until your body is reduced to ashes.

And may the lord have mercy on your soul.

Hear ye, hear ye,

tomorrow morning at six o'clock Melius the Jew

will be burnt at the stake for the heinous crime of heresy

and for practicing heathen witchcraft

against the people of Hamelin.

By order of his holiness the bishop

and the solemn force of our holy mother, the church,

hear ye, hear ye, hear ye, hear ye,

tomorrow morning at six o'clock, Melius the Jew,

sometimes called Melius the apothecary,

sometimes called Melius the alchemist,

will be burnt at the stake for the heinous crime of heresy

and for practicing his witchcraft

against the people of Hamelin. By order of the bishop...

They've all gone mad. Everybody's gone mad.

Hear ye! Here ye!

Gavin?

Gavin?

Why did you come here? Why?

I was looking for you, but they caught me,

the usual good luck. Did they hurt you?

No, they just threw me in here.

You know the Pilgrim's got the plague?

Ah!

So it's come. What have they done to you?

Nothing, it doesn't matter. It's too late.

Did you find the cure?

No.

I was looking the wrong way, I suppose.

Somebody will find it.

It's late, Gavin, listen to me.

I won't always be here to help you.

You must live without me, find your own way, it's...

It's so easy to get lost. Promise me something, will you?

Promise me that you'll go to the Netherlands,

to that school.

Become a painter, will you promise me that?

Gavin?

Gavin?

Lisa?

Lisa!

What is that noise?

What is it?

I don't know, my lord.

I hate it. Sound the drums.

Sound the drums!

It's dawn, my lord.

Bring forward the prisoner. Bring the prisoner.

Bring the prisoner.

This is insane. I cannot watch this.

You can go if you want to.

You can all go.

Lisa!

Lisa!

Lisa!

My lord, may I dismiss the guard?

My lord, may I dis...

My lord, there's something on your face.

What?

Something on your ch

eek... What is it?

Well, what is it?

The plague!

Gavin, come. Leave with us.

There's room in the wagon.

We're going north, to Amsterdam.

Yes, I'll come.

Here, let me help you. No, it's all right.