Times of Glory 7: The Pride of the Pied Piper

So Piper thought... and then he fought.

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7 The Pride of the Pied Piper

The Water Ladies washed the Piper out into a Glen

They gestured him to look around and see this wonderous land

It was full of falls and trees and many pools of water

For it was the Mermaid's Glen, a place for Ocean's Daughters

"This place once traveled through the air

And our sisters who lived up there

Had scales of Silver, Blue, and White

And splashed in rays of purest light

Both Moon and Sun could love them dear

Until the day the Glen fell here..."

"Why did it fall?" asked the Piper, perturbed

"Because of Goldlust," said the Ladies, disturbed.

"Someone traveled up into the sky

And stole a small Bell, though we don’t know why."

. . . Oops.

Piper looked down at his feet

For their eyes he could not meet

But then, it wasn't he who stole –

Not even the beans from the bowl!

Hunter stole them very well

And it was Jack who took the Bell

Piper Recovers

"This Glen is lovely," Piper said,

"But why bring me here?"

The Ladies said, "We want to play

With children every year!

And since the children love you so

We'll have you bring them here!"

The Golden Bells

On the Outskirts of Nearby, in the Land of Time

Golden Bells of Glory upon a hill would chime

But this hill is in the Glen where Mermaids come to play

For Piper and the children come to visit them each day

So long as there the children play

The Golden Bells will cease to ring

For children's hearts shine Silver

And brighter than anything

But living on the Outskirts

Is all about Prestige

The adults would feel better

If only the children leave

The Children’s Guardian

Children, Children, Go away!

And let our Gold Bells chime!

For if you play here, these Gold Bells

Stay silent for all Time!

Piper wouldn't have it

If the kids wanted to play

Then they would play!

For he'd devised a habit

Of despising all who

Dared get in his way

Adults vs Children

But yea, it proved far difficult

To fight this losing war

For it seemed every adult

Could withstand so much more

They had “Prestige Papers”

That were all backed up by Gold

And the children barely had

A penny they could hold

But Piper hadn't given up

The children found a Giant Tree

And it was very near the Glen

So they'd defend it faithfully

Stationing themselves, the adults swarmed around the Glen

Yet they couldn’t do much else, so they could not get in.

So up in the Tree the children would play

And hope the adults would not get in their way

Winter’s Chill

Piper crafted up a plan

To beat them at their game

But just as he might impliment it

Winter coldly came

When Fire went to Far Away

Winter came to Near

All the children shivered

For it was much colder here…

Piper Determines

Piper asked the Water – "What happened to the Flames?"

Water said to Piper – "We cast it Far Away."

Piper said to Water – "I'll go and bring it back!"

Water said to Piper – "We will not betray dear Jack.

If you should call on Fire, you will quickly learn

Why exactly we will tell you, Pan: Do not return."

But Piper determined to warm up his children

"I'll go to the palace and speak with the King."

The children all wondered if King Cole would listen.

Said Piper, "Surely, I will think of something!"

So Piper thought...

And then he fought.

A Rat Conspiracy

Piper found the Joker at the palace of the King

It was late and it was dark, so they would not be seen

Piper spoke to Joker, "I would beg the King for Fire…"

Joker sniffed, "Good luck with that. He's quite the stubborn Sire."

Suddenly the Joker had a bright epiphany.

"Ah! I just might help you, if you'll do something for me.

Go and fetch our brother, have him caught to be my Thief –

That way I will have some proof to shake Cat's disbelief."

Fetching the Rat

From Nearby to go Far Away, just find a certain hole

It's easier than traveling the Sea by way of bowl

But if you wish to get from Far Away back to Nearby

You will need to beg the Queen to grant your passage nigh

Piper found his brother Far Away within a town

Hunter Thief was merry, many ladies gathered 'round

"Brother, will you help me? For I need a Thieving Rat,

To hand o’er to the King-"

Said Hunter Thief, "Uhm... What wazzat?"

When Piper explained better the plan that had been conceived

And that he'd spring his brother from the cell before too late

That Joker, too, was in on this, then Hunter felt relieved

For all three brothers hated how young Jack became so great.

Said Hunter, "Well then, let it be!

But you realize that we need the Queen?"

An Agreement with Glory

Queen, oh Queen, oh Glory!

Please give ear to our story?

May we go across to Near

By way of your Magic Mirror?

“I'll let you cross, assuredly -

But later, do something for me…”

The Plan Unfolds

Piper caught a Rat for the Merry King Cole

Joker got fat off his stolen pot of Gold

But Joker gave his Silver to his brother Piper Pan

In exchange for helping trick the King out of his land

But Cole would not let Fire come

Into the Nearby lands

And though the Rats lied to him first

They could not understand

Piper cursed the King, and then

Set free his Brother Rat

And this is how it started

That the King would lose the Cat

Piper Pan

"Ladies of the Water - Oh Ocean's lovely Daughters

As promised, I won't come back to the Glen

But if I might ask this, that you grant a simple wish

This Silver, will you take it to the children?"

We do not suffer Fire

So we will not suffer you

But to aid our lovely children

This is something we shall do

"Then I most humbly thank you…"

Piper left for Far Away

To wait for Cole's accursed day

So Piper thought

And then he fought

But how, now, does it seem for naught…