A fun satire of our times, a tale of romance and corruption, set around real historical characters and events of 1284 in Saxony, inspired by today’s London Borough of Barnet fraud.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

The Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg is ruled by Prince Bishop Konrad, acting as regent for his late brother’s three sons Heinrich, Albrecht and Wilhelm Welf. Whoever rules the duchy has a chance of being elected Holy Roman Emperor.

THE PLOT

Fifteen-year-old drum-piper cadet Blodwyn Draxfort is the star of the Brunswick Carnival. Fourteen-year-old Frida and ten-year-old Agnethe are the Mayor of Hamelin’s daughters who do not get on with their step-mother Malinka or fifteen-year-old step-sister Greta. Attending the Yuletide Ball at Burg Dankwarderode palace, Malinka is determined Greta will marry a Welf.

Heinrich joins Judge Staufen’s plot against Albrecht, accusing Blodwyn and his father of forging guilders, a capital offence. Escaping to Hamelin, Blodwyn gets a job on the council, meeting Siegfried, the Hamelin treasurer’s abused trained rat.

Hamelin Council votes to ignore the Edict of Hanover, one voice is raised in protest and his catastrophic predictions swiftly come true. A sinister piper solves the problem but disaster befalls all those watching, including Frida and Agnethe.

When the Mayor refuses to pay, blood is spilt and 130 children, including Agnethe are taken by the piper. They are followed by Blodwyn and Frida who are hunted by Judge Staufen’s men but joined by three strong treidlers, River Weser bargemen, along with the Musicians of Bremen in a race to save Blodwyn’s father from the gallows in Hamburg.