Few more lively and memorable characters are to be found in the whole of English literature than the assembly of pilgrims mustered by Geoffrey Chaucer for his Canterbury Tales. From the chivalrous Knight and his love-lorn Squire, to the hearty Miller and the suave, dishonest Pardoner, from the dainty Prioress with her little lap dogs to the magnificent Wife of Bath: here is a vigorous portrait gallery of good men and rogues—splendid rogues—from the Middle Ages.
Chaucer tells how he joined this varied company on their pilgrimage to the shrine of Thomas à Becket at Canterbury, and how, to while away the weary time of the journey, each of the pilgrims agreed to tell a story for the entertainment of his companions. The stories are as varied as the people who tell them: there is the Knight's tale of courtly and romantic love, and a priest's fable of the crafty cock, Chanticleer, who outwitted the wily fox; the Wife of Bath tells a story of one of King Arthur's knights; the poor but scholarly Clerk relates the misfortunes of humble Griselda, and the Pardoner recounts what befell three revellers who set out in search of Death.
Eleanor Farjeon has retold The Canterbury Tales in modern form so that they may readily be enjoyed by young people of today, but has at the same time retained the original colour and vigour of Chaucer's masterpiece.
—from the dust jacket
Table of Contents:
Preface
THE PROLOGUE
The Knight's Tale
THE MILLER'S PROLOGUE
The Miller's Tale
THE REEVE'S PROLOGUE
The Reeve's Tale
THE COOK'S PROLOGUE
The Cook's Tale
The Cook's Tale of Gamelyn
THE MAN OF LAW'S PROLOGUE
The Man of Law's Tale
THE WIFE OF BATH'S PROLOGUE
The Wife of Bath's Tale
THE FRIAR'S PROLOGUE
The Friar's Tale
THE SUMMONER'S PROLOGUE
The Summoner's Tale
THE CLERK OF OXFORD'S PROLOGUE
The Clerk of Oxford's Tale
CHAUCER'S ENVOI
THE MERCHANT'S PROLOGUE
The Merchant's Tale
THE SQUIRE'S PROLOGUE
The Squire's Tale
THE FRANKLIN'S PROLOGUE
The Franklin's Tale
The Second Nun's Tale
THE CANON'S YEOMAN'S PROLOGUE
The Canon's Yeoman's Tale
THE DOCTOR OF PHYSIC'S PROLOGUE
The Doctor of Physic's Tale
THE PARDONER'S PROLOGUE
The Pardoner's Tale
THE SHIPMAN'S PROLOGUE
The Shipman's Tale
THE PRIORESS'S PROLOGUE
The Prioress's Tale
PROLOGUE TO SIR TOPAS
The Tale of Sir Topas
PROLOGUE TO MELIBEUS
The Tale of Melibeus
THE MONK'S PROLOGUE
The Monk's Tale
THE NUN'S PRIEST'S PROLOGUE
The Nun's Priest's Tale
THE MANCIPLE'S PROLOGUE
The Manciple's Tale
THE PARSON'S PROLOGUE
The Parson's Tale
CHAUCER'S PRÉCIS
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