The Nun's Priest's Tale : Quotations

Quotations

1. Chaunticleer describes a terrifying dream where he sees a beast resembling a dog that wants to kill him.

Me mette how that I romed up and doun 

Within our yeerd, where as I saugh a beest 

Was lyk an hound, and wolde han maad areest 

Upon my body, and wolde han had me deed.

Modern English: (I dreamed how I roamed up and down / Within our yard, where I saw a beast / Was like a hound, and would have seized / Upon my body, and would have had me dead.)

2. He narrates a story of two pilgrims where one friend’s dream predicts the other’s murder. The dream warns of impending doom, which later proves true.

This nyght I shal be mordred ther I lye!

Modern English: (This night I shall be murdered where I lie!)

3. Chaunticleer believes dreams often reveal hidden truths, referencing real-life instances of dreams foretelling murder.

Mordre wol out, that se we day by day.

Modern English: (Murder will out; we see that day by day.)

4. Pertelote mocks Chaunticleer, calling him heartless for worrying about the dream.

Avoy!” quod she, “fy on yow, hertelees! / Allas! What eyleth yow to grone in this manere?

Modern English: (“Shame!” said she, “fie on you, coward! / Alas,” said she, “for, by that God above,)

5. Pertelote uses Cato’s wisdom to argue that dreams are meaningless and should be ignored.

Lo Catoun, which that was so wys a man, / Seyde he nat thus, `Ne do no fors of dremes’?

Modern English:  (“Lo Cato, who was so wise a man, / Said he not thus, `Attach no importance to dreams’?)

6. She insists that dreams are nothing but vanity and foolishness. Dreams come from overeating.

Nothyng, God woot, but vanitee in swevene is.

 Swevenes engendren of replecciouns,

And ofte of fume and of complecciouns,

Modern English: (Nothing, God knows, but foolishness is in dreams. /  Dreams are produced by overeating, / And often by stomach vapors and by the mixture of bodily humors,)

7. The fox pretends to be friendly, attempting to calm Chaunticleer with kind words.

Gentil sire, allas, wher wol ye gon? / Be ye affrayed of me that am your freend?

Modern English: (Said, “Gentle sir, alas, where will you go? / Are you afraid of me who is your friend?)

8. The fox compares Chaunticleer’s voice to that of an angel and lures him to sing and ignore the danger. Chaunticleer goes to sing; meanwhile, the fox captures his throat and runs.

For trewely, ye have as myrie a stevene / As any aungel hath that is in hevene.

Modern English: (For truly, you have as merry a voice / As has any angel that is in heaven.)

9. Chaunticleer lures Russell by saying he would have mocked the chasers if he were in his position. Being flattered, the fox opens his mouth to mock the chasers. Meanwhile, The rooster flies from the fox’s mouth.

“And as he spak that word, al sodeynly / This cok brak from his mouth delyverly, / This cok brak from his mouth delyverly, / And heighe upon a tree he fleigh anon.”

Modern English: (And as he spoke that word, all suddenly /  This cock nimbly broke from his mouth, / And high upon a tree he quickly flew.)

10. The fox takes the second chance and lures again.

But, sire, I dide it in no wikke entente. / Com doun, and I shal telle yow what I mente;

Modern English: (But, sir, I did it with no wicked intention. / Come down, and I shall tell you what I meant;)

11. Chaunticleer, now aware of the fox’s deceit, vows never to be fooled by flattery again.

Nay thanne,” quod he, “I shrewe us bothe two.

Modern English: (Nay then,” said he, “I curse both of us two.)