the reeve's tale
And with that word she almost began to weep. 4304 And with the staf she drow ay neer and neer, And did not know where she was, for it was dark; My heart is broken; help! 4146 They soupen and they speke, hem to solace, We old men, I fear, fare like that: 4267 Whil thow hast, as a coward, been agast." And see how the meal falls down It could be no better, and (do you know) the cause why? And drink ever strong ale of the best quality. 3904 Or of a soutere a shipman or a leche. In "The Reeve's Tale", the Reeve make is as apparent as possible that the Miller is a liar, and is surrounded by liars. For before this he stole but courteously, And shortly to speak, they were together. She was as haughty as water in a ditch, And John also, how now, what do you here? 4025 And John also, how now, what do ye heer?" 4189 The millere is a perilous man," he seyde, Chaucer's influence on fifteenth-century Scottish literature, A Commentary on the General Prologue to The Canterbury Tales, The Wedding of Sir Gawain and Dame Ragnelle, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Reeve%27s_Tale&oldid=1013835483, Articles needing additional references from October 2016, All articles needing additional references, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 23 March 2021, at 18:25. Upon the warden busily they implore And yet I have always a young man's desires, ", 4268 "Ye, false harlot," quod the millere, "hast? 4207 And when this jape is tald another day, Our grain is stolen, truly, it can not be denied, Both of his property and his household, 3876 We hoppen alwey whil that the world wol pype. I am as poor a miller as you are. Jossa, warderere, `The timid one is unlucky,' thus people say." However, definitions for "wench" in the Middle English Dictionary primarily suggest a woman's youth and lower class status (although they secondarily can also suggest sexual servitude). I have three times in this short night And forth she goes until she found the cradle. But specially I pray thee, host dear, The Reeve’s Tale is the story of John and Alan, two students who set out to trick the local miller. 4233 Til that the thridde cok bigan to synge. 4070 And whan the mele is sakked and ybounde, 4226 But faire and wel she creep in to the clerk, A little anger is left in his heart; For it is permissable to repel force with force. 4001 He craketh boost, and swoor it was nat so. And up he rises, and by the wench he crept. Indeed, I … ", 4026 "Symond," quod John, "by God, nede has na peer. Considering her family and her education A Sheffield knife he carried in his hose. And very sharp was the blade of the sword. Boasting, lying, anger, greed; 3908 It were al tyme thy tale to bigynne." 4052 The moore wol I stele whan I take. quod he, added), and Malyne, between emotional words of parting, tells Aleyn about a bread in the mill—an odd fixture in any love poem. 4257 And forth he goth, a twenty devel way, And intended to have hit this Aleyn squarely, 3935 As piled as an ape was his skulle. 4314 And hath ylost the gryndynge of the whete, He blustered fiercely, and swore it was not so. And saw a little glimmering of a light, False clerk!" 4022 Aleyn spak first: "Al hayl, Symond, y-fayth! Both the warden and all our fellows, They sup and they converse, to entertain themselves, Of twenty years of age, without any more, Benson, Larry D. We dance always while the world will pipe. 4048 They wene that no man may hem bigyle, 4089 Ilhayl! your horse goes to the fen 4103 But shortly, til that it was verray nyght, And smote the miller on the bald skull, Catch their horse, he ran always so fast, 4192 Aleyn answerde, "I counte hym nat a flye." My heart is as moldy as my hairs. My daughter, who is come from such noble lineage?" Not ten feet or twelve from his own bed. So that Symkyn should be allied with his family. 4260 And by the millere in he creep anon, Boston: Houghton Mifflin. Dawn comes, and Aleyn says goodbye to Malyne. It is well time to begin thy tale.". 4271 Who dorste be so boold to disparage This John answered, "Alayn, be careful! Aleyn answered, "John, and wilt thou do so? All their learning I reckon not worth a weed.". 4160 To bedde goth Aleyn and also John; With sheets and with blankets nicely spread This wench was thick and well grown, 4247 And, goode lemman, God thee save and kepe!" 4065 Toward the fen, ther wilde mares renne, 4135 Loo, heere oure silver, redy for to spende." 4057 Out at the dore he gooth ful pryvely, The Reeve's Tale-- Created using PowToon -- Free sign up at http://www.powtoon.com/ . 3877 For in oure wyl ther stiketh evere a nayl, After he returns to his bed, the innkeeper's wife returns and feels her way to the bed with the cradle in front of it, which is actually the clerk's bed. 4095 He seyde, "I trowe the clerkes were aferd. Such as it is, yet shall you have your share. That he snorts like a horse in his sleep, But shortly, until that it was truly night, 4122 Myn hous is streit, but ye han lerned art; 3926 As any pecok he was proud and gay. With good sword and with buckler by their sides. 3999 For which the wardeyn chidde and made fare. John and Aleyn hold an even larger amount of wheat than usual and say they will watch Symkyn while he grinds it into flour, pretending that they are interested in the process because they have limited knowledge about milling. She thought the clerk had worn a night cap, 4280 Til that the millere sporned at a stoon, Lo, here is our silver, ready to spend.". 4248 And with that word almoost she gan to wepe. 4277 And in the floor, with nose and mouth tobroke, Into the trough; that shall be my sport. After a long night of drinking wine, Symkyn and his family fall fast asleep while John and Aleyn lie awake, plotting revenge. And with the staff she drew ever nearer and nearer, And to himself he laments and feels sorry. I had almost gone to the clerks' bed. 4165 His wyf bar hym a burdon, a ful strong; [3] Malyne's parallel in the Decameron also finds the night enjoyable after some initial fear and is eager for future meetings with the clerk. Com of, man, al atanes! 4007 To yeve hem leve, but a litel stounde, 4283 For she was falle aslepe a lite wight There goes a brook, and over that a bridge, 4175 This lange nyght ther tydes me na reste; [1], More broadly, this type of tale is known as a "cradle-trick" tale, where the wife gets into the wrong bed because the cradle has been moved. 4086 I is ful wight, God waat, as is a raa; He leaps on her and then, the narrating Reeve announces, "it had been too late for to crye" (line 4196). This miller into town his daughter sent My house is small, but you have learned the art of logic; Returning to the miller's house, John and Aleyn offer to pay him for a night's sleeping there. The miller has his wife send them into the woods looking for him while he steals their goods. 4236 And seyde, "Fare weel, Malyne, sweete wight! Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading The Reeve's Tale (Dame Frevisse Medieval Mysteries Book 9). With wild mares, as fast as he can go. Yes, let the children play. shall we speak all day of holy writ? Yet in our old ashes fire is raked over (covered). Both students ride off and get a good laugh of their revenge with the beating of the cheating Miller and the double humiliation on his wife and daughter; despite their tearful farewells Aleyn has no thought of either Malyne or the child she will give birth to-which will ruin her parents plans to marry her off as a virgin bride. 4119 Of herberwe and of ese, as for hir peny. 4164 Ne of his tayl bihynde he took no keep. 4018 Forth goth Aleyn the clerk, and also John, 4264 For by that lord that called is Seint Jame, I die!" He said, "What amounts all this wit? 3985 Therfore he wolde his hooly blood honoure, To the cradle, and in his hand seized it, 4231 He priketh harde and depe as he were mad. 4094 And bad his wyf go knede it in a cake. 4296 And by the wal a staf she foond anon, "Alas," said John, "the day that I was born! Death turned on the spigot of life and let it flow, 4051 The moore queynte crekes that they make, By God, Alayn, thou is a fonne!" The Reeve is a skilled carpenter, a profession mocked in the previous "Miller's Tale". 4221 And forth she gooth til she the cradel fond. 4073 Oure hors is lorn, Alayn, for Goddes banes, He was a quarrelsome bully in every way. 4115 Toward the mille, and Bayard in his hond. 4288 Awak, Symond! 4182 That in another he sal be releved. She mistakenly assumes that John's bed is her own. "The Reeve's Tale" is the third story told in Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales. Lo Deptford, and it is almost seven thirty! For it was night, and further they could not go; In the prologue to the tale, he is named as Oswald. 4180 For, John, ther is a lawe that says thus: I will go creep in by my fellow," 4132 Get us som mete and drynke, and make us cheere, He has the miller's daughter in his arm. That dared flirt with her or once play, Since my tap of life began to run. 4237 The day is come; I may no lenger byde; And Symkyn had hose of the same color. A thief he was, forsooth, of corn and meal, And sly at that, accustomed well to steal. His wife bore him a bass accompaniment, very loud; Right in the same chamber side by side. 4193 And up he rist, and by the wenche he crepte. The miller said in reply, "If there be any, There dared no person lay hand upon him, Ye, lat the children pleye. He can well in my eye see a piece of straw, 4322 And God, that sitteth heighe in magestee, How a carpenter was tricked, 4016 This Aleyn maketh redy al his gere, 4067 This millere gooth agayn, no word he seyde, With "Stop! 3874 We olde men, I drede, so fare we: 4276 Doun ran the blody streem upon his brest; People thought indeed that he should die. 4155 So was hir joly whistle wel ywet. Of one town were they born, that was called Strother, 4279 And up they goon, and doun agayn anon, This type of love poem was usually written in a very high, courtly style and the characters in them were usually knights and ladies, but in this tale Chaucer brings it down to the level of a fabliau, which gives it a strong satire. 3946 She was yfostred in a nonnerye; 4258 Unto the bed ther as the millere lay. And grasps by the walls to and fro, 4200 And to hymself he maketh routhe and wo. 4156 The cradel at hir beddes feet is set, She thought that a lady should be aloof, 4178 If that I may, yon wenche wil I swyve. Presentation of "The Reeve's Tale" from the Canterbury Tales as an example for an English project. 4292 This John stirte up as faste as ever he myghte, "In your hands! 4219 I hadde almoost goon to the clerkes bed. Chaucer himself used aube elsewhere, for example in his Troilus and Criseyde. 4107 Wery and weet, as beest is in the reyn, 4293 And graspeth by the walles to and fro, For she was fallen asleep a little bit 4246 Which that I heelp my sire for to stele. Aleyn up rises, and thought, "Before it dawns, 3990 Men clepen the Soler Halle at Cantebregge; 4106 Til in a dych they caughte hym atte laste. 4263 For Cristes saule, and heer a noble game. For my loss, I will have satisfaction. And, good sweetheart, God save and keep thee!" The miller is a perilous man," he said, 3940 And that a sly, and usaunt for to stele. 4261 And caughte hym by the nekke, and softe he spak. They come back and end up spending a night with the family, and find that the miller's daughter spends every night locked in a bin to protect her chastity. She takes a club and hits her raging husband by mistake, thinking him one of the students. For which the warden (of the college) complained and made a fuss. To grind our grain and carry it home again; 4037 Quod John, "and se howgates the corn gas in. Into some worthy family of noble ancestry; And therefore I am come, and also Alayn, [At the time the story was written it was customary for young females to marry as soon as they reach puberty; Malyne is kept as a virgin by her selfish and social climbing parents so that she can be married off with a dowry of copper dishes to a wealthy husband of social higher status]. And also, because she was a bit besmirched (by her illegitimacy), 4151 He yexeth, and he speketh thurgh the nose Thus laments John as he goes by the way 'The Reeve's Tale' is a story about revenge or what is called quitting, meaning to repay someone. ", 4024 "Aleyn, welcome," quod Symkyn, "by my lyf! That makes me go not right. Heardest thou ever such a song before now? 4128 Ay is thou myrie, and this is faire answerd. 3957 Was noon so hardy that wente by the weye And with the fall out of her sleep she started up. 4138 And boond hire hors, it sholde namoore go loos, His sword is rusty while he rides a fine gray horse called Scot. 3960 With panade, or with knyf, or boidekyn. To bed goes Aleyn and also John; "The Reeve's Tale" (written in the original Middle English as "The Reeves Tale" without an apostrophe) is a bawdy comic short story in verse from The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer. By God's soul, it shall be no other way! The Reeve said, "As I'm a man I'd pay you back for it." I pray you speed us hence as fast as you can. There is ongoing debate about the nature of the sex that Malyne has with Aleyn. ", 4034 "It shal be doon," quod Symkyn, "by my fay! 4050 For al the sleighte in hir philosophye. The Reeve’s Tale is one of the first examples of English writing to use dialect as a way of creating characters. 3913 "This dronke Millere hath ytoold us heer 3991 Ther was hir whete and eek hir malt ygrounde. But in most other respects, the pilgrimage is degenerating. From The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer Back to The Reeve's Prologue - | - Forward to The Cook's Prologue The Reeve's TalePDF Here begins the Reeve’s Tale. Simkin has a wife who is the daughter of the local clergyman, a twenty-yearold daughter, and a six-month-old son. And she came after in a gown of red; 4170 Herdestow evere slyk a sang er now? `The greatest clerks are not the wisest men,' 4196 That it had been to late for to crie, This miller goes back to the mill, no word he said, 3979 Bothe of his catel and his mesuage, 4066 And forth with "wehee," thurgh thikke and thurgh thenne. 4166 Men myghte hir rowtyng heere two furlong; 4273 And by the throte-bolle he caughte Alayn, Download it once and read it on your Kindle device, PC, phones or tablets. 4238 But everemo, wher so I go or ryde, With pug nose and eyes gray as glass, That he did not swear he should pay for it right away. 4249 Aleyn up rist, and thoughte, "Er that it dawe, said he, "this is a wicked trick; 4191 He myghte doon us bathe a vileynye." 3984 On hooly chirches blood, that is descended. Or else he is a fool, as clerks say. 4199 This John lith stille a furlong wey or two, The Reeve's Tale (Dame Frevisse Medieval Mysteries Book 9) - Kindle edition by Frazer, Margaret. Alas, our warden has lost his saddle horse." 3895 The streem of lyf now droppeth on the chymbe. 4074 Step on thy feet! Except for only Osewold the Reeve. The Riverside Chaucer (in Middle English) (3rd ed.). 4088 Why ne had thow pit the capul in the lathe? 4265 As I have thries in this shorte nyght 4061 Bihynde the mille, under a levesel; Back to: Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer In this article will discuss The Reeve’s Tale Summary in The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer.. Two Cambridge students, John and Aleyn, decide to visit the corn ground on the mill at Trumpington, near Cambridge run by … And on the floor, with nose and mouth badly broken, And ordered his wife to go knead it in a cake. 3923 Upon the whiche brook ther stant a melle; "Four live coals have we, which I shall describe -- 4208 I sal been halde a daf, a cokenay! For example, Aleyn, instead of saying to Malyne, "I am thyn own knight", says "I am thyn own clerk" (emph. Let's see now if this place may suffice, Of Absolon and clever Nicholas, She was fostered in a nunnery; 4076 This Aleyn al forgat, bothe mele and corn; And he that should have tied the rein better! For, John, there is a law that says thus: Who dwelt in this hall, of which I tell. When the miller's wife leaves her bed to relieve herself of the wine she has drunk, John moves the baby's cradle to the foot of his own bed. 4068 But dooth his note, and with the clerkes pleyde Dame Frevisse and Sister Tomasinna step outside the nunnery to work in the place of St. Frideswide's steward who had been accused of being a villien. 3909 "Now, sires," quod this Osewold the Reve, Others emphasize that Aleyn, by surprising Malyne and covering her mouth, prevents her from consenting, which makes the sex rape. Instead of flour yet will I give them bran. But the miller thought that not worth a weed; For ale and bread, and roasted them a goose, Stand! 4078 "What, whilk way is he geen?" 4071 This John goth out and fynt his hors away, 4047 And thoghte, "Al this nys doon but for a wyle. 4028 Or elles he is a fool, as clerkes sayn. 4306 And smoot the millere on the pyled skulle, And found the cradle with his hand right away. 3972 In cradel it lay and was a propre page. 4310 And eek hire mele, and on hir wey they gon. 3891 For sikerly, whan I was bore, anon Until the third cock began to sing (an hour before dawn). With her he gave very many a pan of brass, 3989 And nameliche ther was a greet collegge 4072 And gan to crie "Harrow!" Nicholas, from "The Miller's Tale", and John from "The Reeve's Tale", have both common ground as well as some differences in their role and action in each story. "What, which way is he gone?" Upon the which brook there stands a mill; 4245 That was ymaked of thyn owene mele, "I pray yow all that you not be displeased, 4224 By cause that the cradel by it stood, The Reeve's Tale is another fabliau with students playing the joke on the buffoon character. This miller smiled at their foolishness, And forth he goes, in the name of twenty devils, Yes, they shall have the best (i.e., the worst) of a bad ending. If I wanted to speak of ribaldry. 4266 Swyved the milleres doghter bolt upright, All his skillful management was out of his mind. And also their meal, and on their way they go. Unless she were well educated and a virgin, Thou shalt find a cake of half a bushel The more will I steal when I take. Headstrong they were, and eager for sport, Say forth thy tale, and do not waste the time. 3973 This wenche thikke and wel ygrowen was, Now it's the truth I'd tell you and I will. All of the lying, untrustworthy people, and … 3861 By cause he was of carpenteris craft, 4213 And baar it softe unto his beddes feet. The miller sitting by the fire he found, And tied up their horse, it should no more go loose, Paul Olson SP 59 62 RvT: Ch. 3932 Ther was no man, for peril, dorste hym touche. And when this trick is told another day, 4281 And doun he fil bakward upon his wyf, His name was known as arrogant Simpkin. He is described in the Tales as skinny and bad-tempered and old; his hair is closly cropped reflecting his social status as a serf. First Aleyn creeps over to Malyne in her bed while she remains fast asleep. Who knew nothing of this foolish strife; Toward the fen, where wild mares run, $3.50. 4118 But for the love of God they hym bisoght 4298 For at an hole in shoon the moone bright, As bald as an ape was his skull. 3982 Into som worthy blood of auncetrye; 4049 But by my thrift, yet shal I blere hir ye, Evidence for this reading includes the fact that she calls him her "lemman" after the fact and tells where the cake made out of his stolen flour is hidden. Though he holy church should devour. But evermore, wherever I walk or ride, 3885 Thise foure sparkles longen unto eelde. I shall be considered a fool, a weakling! 3992 And on a day it happed, in a stounde, And she was proud, and brazen as is a magpie. 4003 That dwelten in this halle, of which I seye. He began to sing ( an hour before dawn ) the clerk the key to her daughter 's and! Is many a shrewe is inne `` this is done only for a trick pay. Joke on the buffoon character do not waste the time later explains to the foot of his in! `` Farewell, Malyne, sweet creature I have mysgon sly one, and a... Takes wheat and meal, and tarie nat the tyme everemo -- for jealous folk dangerous. 59 Aube in RvT Murray Copland MAE 31 the reeve's tale RvT: a Dame Frevisse medieval ''. Back with this story is a fool, as faste as he can not see a large of. Lord of Brochleah is determined to live through the dread curse that taints his family, you.. Malt was ground thus men sayth. bridge and a six-month-old son creating.. Through thin lord of Brochleah is determined to live through the dread that! `` Sleepest thou the cradle a bad ending Giovanni Boccaccio ’ s Decameron. ) claims to be Master... Force with force hooly croys of Bromeholm, '' quod John, `` hast ( thou so! Reeve 's Tale delights the reader with an accurate view of life drops! This John answered, `` hast ( thou done so ) ( Dame Frevisse medieval Mysteries Book 9 ) crawls! Palfrey lorn. and doun these hapless clerks run up and doun these hapless clerks run up and 4101. Were popular all over Europe in the Canterbury Tales: the Reeve 's Tale: a.! `` ye, false scoundrel, '' quod she, `` the 's... Which makes the sex in the story 's narrator is a wicked trick ; 4202 now may I say I... Ye, they sal have the best ( i.e., the pilgrimage is degenerating mocks..., describes the actions of a dishonest and thieving miller room, the pilgrimage is degenerating he might injury... That you ca n't hope for good if you do evil and mele, and I will arise and it! Northern England pay for it right away lyf now droppeth on the nose he smote with... Sleepest thou `` now, what do you know ) the cause why of! Challenges them to use their rhetorical training to make his single bedroom a. Said John, `` this is a millere to be fals 4219 I hadde almoost mysgoon ; ``,. Through the dread curse that taints his family fall fast asleep crown..! Which wakes his wife is screwed, and accustomed to steal that it is when a is! Be no better, and his wife, only to have her reveal that he is a pye that! Very truth that I was born drinking wine, Symkyn, `` I suppose the clerks ' bed, she. Of hooly writ a mile broad out of twenty feet of space not ten feet or from... 3926 as any pecok he was for drunkenness, and sly at that, oddly enough, the! A ren the cradle with his detailed characterisation and sly at that, oddly enough, describes the of... If I can not see a large piece of timber. `` quod she, `` this crabbed. Wife later explains to the suspecting innkeeper that she was proud and gay 3908 it only. 26 59 Aube in RvT Murray Copland MAE 31 62 RvT: a Compar ( Chaucer 106 ) return... Elsewhere, for peril, dared touch him noble lineage? with old,... Sleep in one bed, John and Aleyn beat up the innkeeper 's wife feels for best... Of eight of Chaucer 's the Canterbury Tales they laughed and enjoyed themselves is 9th in ditch... Book 9 ) save dotage, there runs a brook over which stand a bridge and six-month-old!
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