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carinakao
Joined: 06 May 2012 Posts: 2
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Posted: Mon May 07, 2012 12:38 am Post subject: question about "It�s Time to Pay the Piper" meanin |
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Dear teachers:
I was bewildered about this sentence meaning.It confuse me recently.
I would like to know what "It�s Time to Pay the Piper" means. Sometimes I will see this sentence in article or even the title of the article. However I just can't understand its meaning.
Thanks a lot
best wishes,
Carina Kao |
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askeladd
Joined: 05 Jan 2010 Posts: 89 Location: Chicago area, USA
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Posted: Mon May 07, 2012 9:27 am Post subject: Re: question about "It�s Time to Pay the Piper" me |
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carinakao wrote: |
Dear teachers:
I was bewildered about this sentence meaning.It confuse me recently.
I would like to know what "It�s Time to Pay the Piper" means. Sometimes I will see this sentence in article or even the title of the article. However I just can't understand its meaning.
Thanks a lot
best wishes,
Carina Kao |
This expression comes from the tale "The Pied Piper of Hamelin." It's the story of a town that is overrun by rats. The people in the town are so desperate to get rid of the rats, but they don't know how. A man playing a magic flute (the Pied Piper) comes to town and promises to get rid of the rats, but the people think he's asking too much money. However, the rats are such a problem that they finally agree to pay him. The Pied Piper gets rid of the rats, but then the people don't pay him all the money that they had agreed on. The Pied Piper gets his revenge by taking away all the children of the town, except for a couple of children who were lame. The people realized that they should have paid the Piper. Because they didn't pay the Piper, all their children disappeared.
So, "to pay the piper" means to pay the (unpleasant) price for something you have done. _________________ Helping ESL students since 2001!
www.summit-esl.com |
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carinakao
Joined: 06 May 2012 Posts: 2
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Posted: Mon May 07, 2012 8:58 pm Post subject: Re: question about "It�s Time to Pay the Piper" me |
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Dear Teacher:
Thank you very much!!
I heard this story before but I don't know "It�s Time to Pay the Piper" comes from here!
Wow, now I fully understand.
Thanks for the great help. |
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askeladd
Joined: 05 Jan 2010 Posts: 89 Location: Chicago area, USA
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Posted: Mon May 07, 2012 9:32 pm Post subject: |
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No problem! Glad it was helpful  _________________ Helping ESL students since 2001!
www.summit-esl.com |
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