The Pied Piper of Hamelin Pl 12
1910
Kate Greenaway brings the legendary Pied Piper to life in this charming 1910 illustration, capturing the moment he stands at the threshold of Hamelin. Dressed in his iconic half-red, half-yellow motley coat and a long, drooping hat, he holds his magical pipe ready to lead the town's rats—or perhaps its children—away forever. Greenaway was famous for her delicate, nostalgic style in children's books, and here she gives the mysterious piper a surprisingly gentle, almost melancholic expression. It's a far cry from the dark, scary versions of the tale we often hear today!