(Note: The Word of the Knight to the Host at the end of The Monk's Tale in my edition [the Penguin Classics edition] in other editions is counted as the Prologue to this tale, the Nun's Priest's Tale.)
The Nun's Priest's Tale
An old widowed woman lived very meagerly with her three daughters, three sows, three cows, a sheep called Molly and a very fancy, and elegant rooster, Chanticleer. This burnished cock lived with his lady, Lady Pertelote, and their song was a delight to the ear. Yet one dawn, Chanticleer had an horrific nightmare, a prophecy of sorts, in that a red beast was hunting him, intending his death. Upon hearing about the dream, Pertelote disparaged Chanticleer, calling into question his roosterly-fortitude. How could she love such a lily-livered scaredy-cat? Everyone knew that dreams were not to be depended on, including the wise Cato. The nightmare must have come from vapours and her husband need only take a laxative to purge himself of them. Chanticleer countermanded her argument by providing several examples of dreams which came to fruition.
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| Rooster (1900) Ivan Bilibin source Wikiart |
"St. Paul himself, a saint of great discerning
Says that all things are written for our learning;
So take the grain and let the chaff be still.
And, gracious Father, if it be thy will
As saith my Saviour, make us all good men,
and brings us to his heavenly bliss.
Amen."
Middle English:
For Seint Paul seith
that al that writen is,
To oure doctrine it
is ywrite, ywis;
Taketh the fruyt,
and lat the chaf be stille.
Now, goode God, if
that it be thy wille,
As seith my lord, so
make us alle goode men,
And brynge us to his
heighe blisse! Amen.
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| A mid-19th century Victorian stained glass window source Wikipedia |
The Host commends the Priest for his merry tale and likens him to a grand cock with many pretty hens if only he'd been secular, pointing out his many manly features. He then turns to the next pilgrim, although we are not told who it is.
Scholar are not quite certain whether to interpret this tale as a parody or an allegory, once again highlighting Chaucer's merry aptitude for confusion. Is it supposed to be funny or serious or both, and why can no one tell which? It's also the only one of the tales to allude to a 14th century event, the Peasants' Rebellion of 1381, when it refers to Jack Straw, it's notorious leader.
The Monk's Tale
The Nun's Priest's Tale
The Nun's Priest's Tale
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I loved this one - I took it as a parody, but perhaps wrongly.
ReplyDeleteThat illustration by Ivan Bilibin is gorgeous, by the way :)
If you took it as a parody, I think you're among Chaucer's contemporaries. Perhaps it's both!
DeleteI love looking around on Wikiart! If only I had more time to do it!