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Now it can be told: The seductive music that the Pied Piper played to woo the children of Hamelin was jazz. At least, that's the take in this installment from the delightful HBO series, Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child. Mixing old tales with new world vision, this series adds other races to the white European stereotypes. Here, the selfish King of Hamelin (voiced by Samuel L. Jackson) loves to dismiss all politics so he can count his money. Unfortunately, the rat problem becomes so severe that plans must be put into action. When a smooth, jazz-playing stranger (Wesley Snipes) wanders into town proclaiming that he can address the problem, the city council is ready to give him riches. When they fail to deliver the reward, they pay a high price. Sharply animated and wonderfully scored, The Pied Piper is another high-quality 30-minute short from this great series. (Ages 5 and older) --Doug Thomas

From the Back Cover

Fairy tales have always been a source of family pleasure, for parents and children alike. Now, some of the best loved classics are being retold in this vibrantly original and musical animated series, Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child. Each tale features a hip, contemporary all-star cast of voices, and all-new songs the entire family will enjoy! Classic fairy tales become fresh and fun, told as if for the very first time. So share the magic and wonder with your children as we invite you to enter the wonder-filled world of...The Pied Piper. When the town of Hamlyn finds itself overrun with rats, the Mayor and his council turn in desperation to a mysterious piper. They promise to pay him a fortune if he'll rid them of their plague, but deny him any gold when the rats disappear. Now the piper has a trick up his sleeve to teach the townsfolk a lesson, and the lesson must be