Rats ruin fountain in Pied Piper's town

HAMLIN, Germany, May 24 (UPI) -- Officials in Hamlin, the German hometown of the Pied Piper, said modern-day rats have taken revenge on the city by chewing through a cable powering a fountain.

Thomas Wahmes, spokesman for the Hamlin town council, said the rats gnawed through an electric cable powering the fountain near the city's transport station, The Local.de reported Thursday.

Wahmes told the newsapaer Suddeutsche Zeitung the rats were likely attracted to the area by food people have scattered for birds near the fountain.

The Brothers Grimm tale tells the story of how the Pied Piper used his music to lead all of the rats out of the city in 1284 and took the town's children when residents refused to pay.

The city still employs an official rat catcher, but his position is mostly ceremonial and is more focused on piping than pest removal, The Local.de said.