13
And
ere
three
shrill
notes
the
pipe
uttered,
You
heard
as
if
an
army
muttered;
And
the
muttering
grew
to
a
grumbling;
And
the
grumbling
grew
to
a
mighty
rumbling;
And
out
of
the
houses
the
rats
came
tumbling.
Great
rats,
small
rats,
lean
rats,
brawny
rats,
Brown
rats,
black
rats,
grey
rats,
tawny
rats,
Grave
old
plodders,
gay
young
friskers,
Fathers,
mothers,
uncles,
cousins,
Cocking
tails
and
pricking
whiskers,
Families
by
tens
and
dozens,
Brothers,
sisters,
husbands,
wives—
Followed
the
Piper
for
their
lives.