Pied Piper and the Children's Crusade

from Citation Needed · host Citation Needed Media

The legend dates back to the Middle Ages. The earliest references describe a piper, dressed in multicoloured ("pied") clothing, who was a rat catcher hired by the town to lure rats away[1] with his magic pipe. When the citizens refused to pay for this service as promised, he retaliated by using his instrument's magical power on their children, leading them away as he had the rats. This version of the story spread as folklore and has appeared in the writings of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, the Brothers Grimm, and Robert Browning, among others. The phrase "pied piper" has become a metaphor for a person who attracts a following through charisma or false promises.[2]

NOW PLAYING

0:00 35:43

1×

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

Share this episode

Similar Episodes

S2 Ep.054: World Leaders' Bizarre Deaths

Jun 24, 2026 ·40m

News Brief: The ADL's Bogus Origin Story and Its Rise as Ideological Enforcer for Empire and Israel

Jun 24, 2026 ·42m

Episode 239: The Vague, Capital-Serving Co-Optation of "Affordability" Politics

Jun 17, 2026 ·80m

S2 Ep.053: Diseases pt. 1

Jun 14, 2026 ·47m

S2 Ep.052: Toxic Masculinity

Jun 3, 2026 ·44m

News Brief: The Call to Boycott—and Delegitimize—the New York Times

May 28, 2026 ·40m

Similar Podcasts

Rushing the Field Mark Hammond Rushing the Field is the college football podcast where chaos reigns supreme! Join ’Evil’ Mark Hammond, an unapologetic SEC shill and West Coast football aficionado, and Eric Stephens, a die-hard Notre Dame fan (yes, we know), as they tackle the wildest, wackiest, and most ridiculous stories from the world of college football. Each week, they break down the big games, roast the latest disasters, and somehow still manage to squeeze in actual analysis.But that’s not all! Tune in for What’s Wrigley Watching, the only cat-based podcast trivia game that matters, and stick around for the grand finale of the season—The Shibbies, an award show you didn’t know you needed, but now can’t live without.If you love college football, pop culture references, and the occasional unhinged rant, this is the podcast for you. Explicit Scale As Needed Podcast FloElite FloElite's Scale As Needed Podcast: where we care just as much about movies, TV shows, and comic books as we do about weightlifting, The CrossFit Games, and strongman. Explicit Visual Revolutionary www.visualrevolutionary.com Because we are interested in people's story, and not what type of gear they use, we introduce a new much needed podcast in the world of photography and cinematography. Featuring in-depth conversations with some of the world's leading photographers, filmmakers, and other visual revolutionaries, we are bringing you the backstory on how some of your favorite artists got to where they are today. Explicit Chubstep Jetty Bois A weekly comedy podcast hosted by Jrad and Steed bringing you updates you never asked for and information you never knew you needed. Explicit

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Citation Needed?

This episode is 35 minutes long.

When was this Citation Needed episode published?

This episode was published on October 9, 2024.

What is this episode about?

Can I download this Citation Needed episode?

Yes, you can download this episode by clicking the download button on the episode player, or subscribe to the podcast in your preferred podcast app for automatic downloads.

URL copied to clipboard!