The Nun's Priest's Tale : Summary

Summary

In “The Prologue of the Nun’s Priest’s Tale,” the Knight and the Host express their dissatisfaction with the Monk’s previous story. It was grim and depressing. They request a more cheerful tale to lighten the mood of the company. The Host turns to the Nun’s Priest and demands him to tell a story that would lift their spirits. He encourages the Priest, John, to stay merry despite his poor horse and social status. The Nun’s Priest obliges and begins his tale with enthusiasm. The story begins.

The Widow and Her Life: The tale begins with a poor widow who lives a modest and humble life. She has two daughters and owns several farm animals: three large sows, three cows, a sheep named Malle, and a cock called Chaunticleer. The description of her living conditions and animals helps set the scene for the tale. It emphasizes the widow’s simple life. Her possessions are few, but her pride lies in Chaunticleer. He is a noble rooster with a voice more beautiful than any church organ.

Chaunticleer’s Characteristics: Chaunticleer is described in grandiose terms as being exceptionally noble and majestic. He is depicted as the best singer, whose crowing is so accurate that it beats the timing of the church clocks. His comb is red like coral, his beak is black like a jet, and his feathers shine like gold. This regal description promotes Chaunticleer beyond just a farm animal. He is almost royal in stature and highlights the importance of his role in the tale. Chaunticleer has seven wives, with his favorite being Pertelote. Pertelote is courteous, discreet, and gracious, with a close bond to Chaunticleer. They share a deep affection that makes her the cock’s favorite among his companions.

The Nightmare and Debate on Dreams: Chaunticleer has a terrible nightmare that sends him into fear and distress. He dreams of a beast, reddish in color, that attempts to seize him. When he shares this dream with Pertelote, she mocks him for being frightened by a mere dream. According to Pertelote, dreams have no significance beyond physical causes. She believes Chaunticleer’s dream is a result of indigestion or an imbalance of bodily humor, specifically black bile. Pertelote suggests Chaunticleer take a laxative to cure himself of this imbalance. She suggests natural laxatives like laurel, centaury, fumitory, hellebore, caper spurge, and ground ivy. She even references the Roman philosopher Cato, who advised men not to pay heed to dreams (Ne do no fors of dremes / Attach no importance to dreams). He called them insignificant.

This marks the beginning of an intellectual debate between Chaunticleer and Pertelote. Here, each uses literary references to defend their stance on the importance of dreams.

Chaunticleer’s Response to the Importance of Dreams: Chaunticleer responds by rejecting Pertelote’s dismissal of his dream. He asserts that dreams can indeed foretell future events, both good and bad. He cites various examples from literature and history to back his claim. He argues that dreams carry weight and can act as warnings or premonitions. He mentions two stories.

• The First Story of The Two Pilgrims: Chaunticleer recounts the story of two pilgrim friends. While staying at separate inns due to a lack of space, one man has a vivid dream that his friend will be murdered. The dream occurs twice, but the man ignores it by thinking it is just a fantasy. The next morning, when the man tries to find his friend, he is told that the friend has left early. However, based on the dream, the man searches for him and finds his friend’s dead body hidden in a dung cart. The friend has indeed been murdered, just as the dream has predicted. This story supports Chaunticleer’s claim that dreams must not be considered nonsense. They can be prophetic and reveal important truths.

• The Second Story of The Two Sailors: Chaunticleer then tells another story of two sailors. One of the men has a dream warning him that if he sets sail the next morning, he will drown. However, the other man mocks the dream and goes on with the voyage. Sure enough, the ship sinks, and all on board perish. This story further reinforces Chaunticleer’s belief that dreams should be taken seriously, as they can act as warnings of upcoming disasters.

Chaunticleer emphasizes that dreams must be respected. He further references other examples from classical and biblical sources, such as the dreams of Daniel, Joseph, and Pharaoh, all of which had significant meanings. He also refers to King Croesus, who dreamed that he would be hanged, and Andromache, the wife of Hector, who dreamt that Hector would be killed if he went into battle. Chaunticleer argues that dreams have been recognized throughout history and literature as important signs that should not be ignored.

Pertelote’s Belief in Rationality and Chaunticleer’s Dismissal of Danger: Despite Chaunticleer’s strong defense of dreams, Pertelote remains unmoved. She is firmly grounded in rational thinking and dismisses his dream as the result of indigestion or an overactive imagination. Pertelote’s response highlights a clash between two different ways of interpreting the world: Chaunticleer’s superstitious view versus Pertelote’s rational, grounded perspective. 

Despite his initial fear of the dream, Chaunticleer ultimately chooses to listen to Pertelote. He ignores his own interpretation of the dream and the danger it foretells. He praises Pertelote’s beauty and makes light of the dream. He chooses to enjoy the pleasures of the day rather than worry about probable dangers. In a moment of misplaced confidence, he flies down to the yard.

The Arrival of Sir Russell (the Fox) and Attack: Meanwhile, a sly fox named Sir Russell has been hiding in the yard and waits for the perfect moment to strike. The fox has been lurking in the area for three years and plots to capture Chaunticleer. On that fateful morning, when Chaunticleer basks in the sunlight and enjoys the company of his wives, he notices the fox. At first, he is frightened and prepares to flee, but the fox quickly calms him down by speaking sweetly to him.

The fox flatters Chaunticleer by telling him that he has come only to hear the rooster sing. He compares Chaunticleer’s voice with an angel’s and speaks highly of Chaunticleer’s father. He (father) had also been a great singer. The fox provokes Chaunticleer to sing just like his father so that the fox can hear his beautiful song again. Chaunticleer is completely flattered by the fox’s flattery. He stretches out his neck, closes his eyes, and begins to crow as loudly as possible.

While Chaunticleer is distracted, the fox jumps and grabs him by the throat. The fox starts running toward the woods with Chaunticleer in his mouth. The hens scream, and Pertelote shouts the loudest. The widow and her daughters rush out of their cottage and shout for help. The farm animals join the chase. Dogs, cows, pigs, and even bees try to catch the fox. It is a chaotic scene, and the noise is loud.

Chaunticleer’s Clever Escape: Despite being caught, Chaunticleer remains clever. He decides to trick the fox. As they approach the woods, Chaunticleer suggests that the fox turn around and shout in triumph to the followers. He tells the fox that he would boast about catching the rooster if he were in the fox’s position. He would proudly say that no one could stop him from eating Chaunticleer. This trick makes the fox pause and try to show off. The fox opens his mouth to speak, and at that moment, Chaunticleer quickly flees up into a tree.

Realizing his mistake, the fox tries to lure Chaunticleer down from the tree with more sweet words. He apologizes for scaring him and claims he did not mean any harm. However, Chaunticleer has learned his lesson. He refuses to come down and tells the fox that he will not be tricked again.

In the Epilogue of “The Nun’s Priest’s Tale,” the Host praises the Priest for telling a fun and lighthearted story. He jokes about the Priest’s physical strength by saying he would be a great breeder of hens. The Host humorously notes that the Priest looks as strong as a sparrowhawk, with a large neck and chest. He even jokes that the Priest does not need any makeup, like dye from Brazil or Portugal. Then, the Host thanks the Priest and cheerfully turns to another for the next tale.