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question about "It�s Time to Pay the Piper" meanin

 
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carinakao



Joined: 06 May 2012
Posts: 2

PostPosted: Mon May 07, 2012 12:38 am    Post subject: question about "It�s Time to Pay the Piper" meanin Reply with quote

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

PostPosted: Mon May 07, 2012 9:27 am    Post subject: Re: question about "It�s Time to Pay the Piper" me Reply with quote

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.
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carinakao



Joined: 06 May 2012
Posts: 2

PostPosted: Mon May 07, 2012 8:58 pm    Post subject: Re: question about "It�s Time to Pay the Piper" me Reply with quote

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

PostPosted: Mon May 07, 2012 9:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

No problem! Glad it was helpful Wink
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