Paying the Piper (1949) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

The cats rely on rats as their primary food source. When Porky Pig successfully removes all the rats from Hamelin using his magical piper abilities, the cats realize they have lost their main food supply and face starvation. This forces them to seek help from the Supreme Cat to restore the rat population.

Foreshadowing: Earlier in the cartoon, the townspeople celebrate the rats' departure, not considering the impact on the local cat population.

• cats
• hamelin
• rats
• food source
• survival

Supreme Cat devises a plan to wear a rat disguise and roam around town, making it appear that rats still exist. By doing this, he prevents Porky from proving that every rat has been eliminated, which was the condition the mayor set for paying Porky's reward. The deception keeps the mayor from handing over the money.

• supreme cat
• rat disguise
• sabotage
• reward
• mayor

The mayor explicitly promised to pay Porky only if the town was completely free of rats. When Supreme Cat appears disguised as a rat during the reward ceremony, the mayor uses this as justification to withhold payment, stating that Porky won't receive his reward until the last rat is gone.

Foreshadowing: The mayor's original promise included the condition that no rat remain in Hamelin.

• mayor
• reward
• payment
• rats
• hamelin

When Porky presents what he believes is the final rat to the mayor, he doesn't realize Supreme Cat is inside the costume. The mayor opens the safe to get the reward money, only to find Supreme Cat hiding inside with the money bag, having already stolen the payment.

Foreshadowing: Supreme Cat's earlier appearances as a rat foreshadow his presence inside the costume.

• rat suit
• supreme cat
• money
• safe
• mayor

After Supreme Cat steals the reward and hides behind a fence, Porky announces he will bring back all the rats since he won't be paid. He plays his clarinet along with a record titled 'Rat Stampede' to simulate a rat invasion. Believing the rats have returned, Supreme Cat excitedly dashes out of hiding, allowing Porky to grab the money bag and capture him.

• trick
• clarinet
• rat stampede
• money
• capture

Supreme Cat wants the rats to return because they are the cats' main food source. Without rats to hunt, the cats in Hamelin would struggle to survive. By sabotaging Porky's reward, Supreme Cat hopes to force the town to rehire professional rat-catchers, which would bring the rats back and restore the cats' livelihood.

• rats return
• food source
• cats
• survival
• supreme cat

The mayor promises Porky a reward for successfully eliminating all the rats from Hamelin. However, the payment is conditional: Porky will only receive the money if he proves that every single rat has been removed from the town. This condition becomes the central conflict when Supreme Cat exploits it.

• promise
• reward
• mayor
• porky
• piper

Porky uses his clarinet as the tool of his piper magic, playing the tune 'Little Brown Jug' to charm and control rats. Earlier in the story, he used this musical ability to lure all the rats out of Hamelin. Later, he plays it again to simulate a rat invasion and trick Supreme Cat out of hiding.

Foreshadowing: Porky's initial success with the clarinet establishes it as his primary weapon against rats.

• clarinet
• little brown jug
• pipers magic
• rats
• magic

Yes, Porky Pig successfully gets his reward. After tricking Supreme Cat into leaving his hiding spot by simulating a rat invasion, Porky quickly grabs the stolen money bag from the cat. He then skips off contentedly with his well-earned payment, having outsmarted the villain.

• porky
• reward
• money
• victory
• ending

During the scene where Supreme Cat interferes with Porky's reward collection, he mimics the famous scene from the 1936 film 'Last of the Mohicans' where Hawkeye and Chingachgook look out from a cliff. This is one of several theatrical flourishes the Supreme Cat uses throughout the cartoon for comedic effect.

• last of the mohicans
• reference
• comedy
• theatrical