Gave the article a quick scan, didn't watch the video, but I had always heard the story of the Pied Piper was based on an event called 'The Children's Crusade,' in which hundreds of children who were whipped into a religious frenzy encouraged by the pope attempted to march to the Holy Lands to help fight in the Crusades. Turns out it was all a scam, & they were sold into slavery before they even got out of Europe. Sad story.