“And so, dear friends, let us not be gripers in dealing with people - especially pipers! Sometimes it’s not in our power to choose just what we keep and what we lose. And those who can’t see beyond the cost should consider this tale and what was lost. It ought to sway even a doubting Thomas: Better to lose your purse and keep your promise!”
“Unfortunately he manages to get the Smiths and Maria into some terrible scrapes - which leads to Maria, in terror that her uncle may send her back to school, deciding to impress him, and prove her worth, by doing some original academic research. ”