The term PROVERBIAL PAYEE is composed of three crossword solutions: PIPER (5 letters), PAUL (4 letters), and THEPIPER (8 letters). PIPER is a reference to the famous fable, The Pied Piper of Hamelin, in which a piper is hired to rid the town of rats. PAUL is a reference to the biblical figure Paul the Apostle, who was a major figure in the early Christian church. THEPIPER is a combination of the two, referring to the proverbial payee of the fable and the apostle.