Canterbury Tales (Barnes & Noble Classics Series)

by Geoffrey Chaucer

  Whereso you go, among high or low,

  Keep well your tongue and think upon the crow.”

  The Squieres Tale

  The Prologue

  “SQUIRE, COM NEER, IF it your wille be,

  And sey somwhat of love; for, certes, ye

  Connen ther-on as muche as any man.”

  “Nay, sir,” quod he, “but I wol seye as I can

  With hertly wille; for I wol nat rebelle

  Agayn your lust; a tale wol I telle.

  Have me excused if I speke amis,

  My wil is good; and lo, my tale is this.”

  The Tale

  PART ONE

  At Sarray, in the land of Tartarye,

  Ther dwelte a king, that werreyed Russye,

  Thurgh which ther deyde many a doughty man.

  This noble king was cleped Cambinskan,

  Which in his tyme was of so greet renoun

  That ther nas no-wher in no regioun

  So excellent a lord in alle thing;

  Him lakked noght that longeth to a king.

  As of the secte of which that he was born

  He kepte his lay, to which that he was sworn;

  And ther-to he was hardy, wys, and riche,

  And piëtous and just, alwey- y-liche;

  Sooth of his word, benigne and honurable,

  Of his corage as any centre stable;

  Yong, fresh, and strong, in armes desirous

  As any bacheler of al his hous.

  A fair persone he was an fortunat,

  And kepte alwey so wel royal estat,

  That ther was nowher swich another man.

  This noble king, this Tartre Cambinskan

  Hadde two sones on Elpheta his wyf,

  Of whiche th‘eldeste highte Algarsyf,

  The Squire’s Tale

  The Prologue

  “SQUIRE, COME NEAR, IF it your will be,

  And say something of love, for certainly you

  Know thereof as much as any man.”

  “Nay, sir,” said he, “but I will say as I can

  With hearty will, for I will not rebel

  Against your wish; a tale will I tell.

  Have me excused if I speak amiss;

  My will is good, and lo, my tale is this.”

  The Tale

  PART ONE

  In Tsarev, in the land of Tartary,1

  There dwelt a king who waged war on Russia,

  Through which there died many a doughty man.

  This noble king was called Genghis Khan,

  Who in his time was of so great renown

  That there was nowhere in any region

  So excellent a lord in all things:

  He lacked nothing wanted by a king.

  In accord with the religion to which he was born

  He kept his laws, to which he was sworn;

  And also he was brave, wise and rich,

  And merciful and just,

  True to his word, benign, and honorable;

  Of his courage as any center stable;

  Young, fresh and strong, in arms ambitious

  As any young knight of all his house.

  A fair person he was and fortunate,

  And kept always so well royal estate

  That there was nowhere such another man.

  This noble king, this Tartar Ghengis Khan,

  Had two sons by Elpheta his wife,

  Of which the eldest was called Algarsyf;

  That other sone was cleped Cambalo.

  A doghter hadde this worthy king also,

  That yongest was, and highte Canacee.

  But for to telle yow al hir beautee,

  It lyth nat in my tonge, n‘in my conning;

  I dar nat undertake so heigh a thing.

  Myn English eek is insufficient;

  It moste been a rethor excellent,

  That coude his colours longing for that art,

  If he sholde hir discryven every part.

  I am non swich, I moot speke as I can.

  And so bifel that, whan this Cambinskan

  Hath twenty winter born his diademe,

  As he was wont fro yeer to yeer, I deme,

  He leet the feste of his nativitee

  Don cryen thurghout Sarray his citee,

  The last Idus of March, after the yeer.

  Phebus the sonne ful joly was and cleer;

  For he was neigh his exaltacioun

  In Martes face, and in his mansioun

  In Aries, the colerik hote signe.

  Ful lusty was the weder and benigne,

  For which the foules, agayn the sonne shene,

  What for the seson and the yonge grene,

  Ful loude songen hir affecciouns;

  Hem semed han geten hem protecciouns

  Agayn the swerd of winter kene and cold.

  This Cambinskan, of which I have yow told,

  In royal vestiment sit on his deys,

  With diademe, ful heighe in his paleys,

  And halt his feste, so solempne and so riche

  That in this world ne was ther noon it liche.

  Of which if I shal tellen al th‘array,

  Than wolde it occupye a someres day;

  And eek it nedeth nat for to devyse

  At every cours the ordre of hir servyse.

  I wol nat tellen of hir strange sewes,

  Ne of hir swannes, ne of hir heronsewes.

  Eek in that lond, as tellen knightes olde,

  The other son was called Cambalo.

  A daughter had this worthy king also,

  Who youngest was, and called Canacee.

  But to tell you all her beauty,

  It lies not in my tongue, nor in my skill,

  I dare not undertake so high a thing.

  My English also is insufficient.

  It would require an excellent rhetorician

  Who would need all the devices of that art,

  If he should her describe in every part.

  I am none such, I must speak as I can.

  And so it befell that when this Genghis Khan

  Had for twenty winters borne his diadem,

  As he was wont from year to year, I deem,

  He ordered a feast of his nativity

  Proclaimed throughout Tsarev, his city,

  The Ides of March, that year exactly.

  Phoebus the sun full jolly was and clear,

  For he was near his exaltation

  In Mars’ face and in his mansion

  In Aries, the coleric hot sign.2

  Full lusty was the weather and benign,

  For which the birds, facing the sun,

  What with the season and the young green,

  Full loud sang their passions.

  They seemed to have had protection

  Against the sword of winter, keen and cold.

  This Genghis Khan, of whom I have you told,

  In royal vestment sat on his dais,

  With diadem, full high in his palace,

  And held his feast so solemn and so rich

  That in this world there was none like it;

  Of which if I shall tell all the display,

  Then would it occupy a summer’s day,

  And also we need not describe

  At every course the order of their service.

  I will not tell of their strange stews,

  Nor of their swans, nor of their young herons.

  Also in that land, as tell knights of old,

  Ther is som mete that is ful deyntee holde,

  That in this lond men recche of it but smal;

  Ther nis no man that may reporten al.

  I wol nat tarien yow, for it is pryme,

  And for it is no fruit but los of tyme;

  Un-to my firste I wol have my recours.

  And so bifel that, after the thridde cours,

  Whyl that this king sit thus in his nobleye,

  Herkninge his minstralles hir thinges pleye

  Biforn him at the
bord deliciously,

  In at the halle-dore al sodeynly

  Ther cam a knight up-on a stede of bras,

  And in his hand a brood mirour of glas.

  Upon his thombe he hadde of gold a ring,

  And by his seyde a naked swerd hanging;

  And up he rydeth to the heighe bord.

  In al the halle ne was ther spoke a word

  For merveille of this knight; him to biholde

  Ful bisily ther wayten yonge and olde.

  This strange knight, that cam thus sodeynly,

  Al armed save his heed ful richely,

  Saluëth king and queen, and lordes alle,

  By ordre, as they seten in the halle,

  With so heigh reverence and obeisaunce

  As wel in speche as in contenaunce,

  That Gawain, with his olde curteisye,

  Though he were come ageyn out of Fairye,

  Ne coude him nat amende with a word.

  And after this, biforn the heighe bord,

  He with a manly voys seith his message,

  After the forme used in his langage,

  With-outen vyce of sillable or of lettre;

  And, for his tale sholde seme the bettre,

  Accordant to his wordes was his chere,

  As techeth art of speche hem that it lere;

  Al-be-it that I can nat soune his style,

  Ne can nat climben over so heigh a style,

  Yet seye I this, as to commune entente,

  Thus muche amounteth al that ever he mente,

  There is some food that is full dainty held

  That in this land men regard it but little;

  There is no man who may report it all.

  I will not tarry you, for it is prime

  And because it is no fruit but loss of time;

  Unto my first I will return.

  And so it befell that after the third course,

  While the king sat thus in his nobility,

  Listening to his minstrels their instruments play

  Before him at the table so deliciously,

  At the hall door all suddenly

  There came a knight upon a steed of brass,

  And in his hand a broad mirror of glass.

  Upon his thumb he had of gold a ring,

  And by his side a naked sword hanging;

  And up he rode to the head table.

  In all the hall there was spoken not a word

  For marvel of this knight; him to behold

  Full busily they waited, young and old.

  This strange knight, who came thus suddenly,

  All armed, save his head, full richly,

  Saluted the king and queen and lords all,

  In order, as they were seated in the hall,

  With such high reverence and obeisance,

  As well in speech as in countenance,

  That Gawain,3 with his old courtesy,

  Though he were coming out of Fairyland,

  Could not him amend with a word.

  And after this, before the head table,

  He with a manly voice said his message,

  After the form used in his language,

  Without vice of syllable or letter;

  And so that his tale should seem the better,

  According to his words was his face,

  As the art of rhetoric teaches those who learn it.

  Albeit that I can not repeat his style,

  Nor can I climb over so high a stile,

  Yet I say this, in language plain:

  This much says what he meant,

  If it so be that I have it in minde.

  He seyde, “the king of Arabie and of Inde,

  My lige lord, on this solempne day

  Saluëth yow as he best can and may,

  And sendeth yow, in honour of your feste,

  By me, that am al redy at your heste,

  This stede of bras, that esily and wel

  Can, in the space of o day naturel,

  This is to seyn, in foure and twenty houres,

  Wher-so yow list, in droghte or elles shoures,

  Beren your body in-to every place

  To which your herte wilneth for to pace

  With-outen wem of yow, thurgh foul or fair;

  Or, if yow list to fleen as hye in the air

  As doth an egle, whan him list to sore,

  This same stede shal bere yow ever-more

  With-outen harm, til ye be ther yow leste,

  Though that ye slepen on his bak or reste;

  And turne ayeyn, with wrything of a pin.

  He that it wroghte coude ful many a gin;

  He wayted many a constellacioun

  Er he had doon this operacioun;

  And knew ful many a seel and many a bond.

  This mirour eek, that I have in myn hond,

  Hath swich a might, that men may in it see

  Whan ther shal fallen any adversitee

  Un-to your regne or to your-self also;

  And openly who is your freend or foo.

  And over al this, if any lady bright

  Hath set hir herte on any maner wight,

  If he be fals, she shal his treson see,

  His newe love and al his subtiltee

  So openly, that ther shal no-thing hyde.

  Wherfor, ageyn this lusty someres tyde,

  This mirour and this ring, that ye may see,

  He hath sent to my lady Canacee,

  Your excellente doghter that is here.

  The vertu of the ring, if ye wol here,

  Is this; that, if hir lust it for to were

  If I have well remembered its content.

  He said, “The king of Arabia and of India,

  My liege lord, on this solemn day

  Salutes you, as best he can and may,

  And sends you, in honor of your feast,

  By me, who am all ready at your behest,

  This steed of brass, that easily and well

  Can in the space of a day natural—

  That is to say, in four and twenty hours—

  Wherever you wish, in drought or else in showers,

  Bear your body into every place

  To which your heart wills to go,

  Without harm of you, though foul or fair;

  Or if you wish to fly as high in the air

  As does an eagle when he wishes to soar,

  This same steed shall bear you ever the more,

  Without harm, until you be where you wish,

  Though you sleep on his back or rest,

  And return again with the turning of a peg.

  He who wrought it made many a device ingenious.

  He waited many a constellation4

  Before he had done this operation,

  And knew full well many a seal and many a bond.

  “This mirror also, that I have in my hand,

  Has such a might that men may in it see

  When there shall fall any adversity

  Unto your reign or to yourself also,

  And openly who is your friend or foe.

  ”And over all this, if any lady bright

  Has set her heart on any manner of person,

  If he be false, she shall his treason see,

  His new love, and all his subtlety,

  So openly that there shall no thing hide.

  And so, in anticipation of this lusty summer’s tide,

  This mirror and this ring, that you may see,

  He has sent to my lady Canacee,

  Your excellent daughter who is here.

  “The virtue of this ring, if you will hear,

  Is this; that if she wishes to wear it

  Up-on hir thombe, or in hir purs it bere,

  Ther is no foul that fleeth under the hevene

  That she ne shal wel understonde his stevene,

  And knowe his mening openly and pleyn,

  And answere him in his langage ageyn.

  And every gras that groweth up-on rote
/>   She shal eek knowe, and whom it wol do bote,

  Al be his woundes never so depe and wyde.

  This naked swerd, that hangeth by my syde,

  Swich vertu hath, that what man so ye smyte,

  Thurgh-out his armure it wol kerve and byte,

  Were it as thikke as is a branched ook;

  And what man that is wounded with the strook

  Shal never be hool til that yow list, of grace,

  To stroke him with the platte in thilke place

  Ther he is hurt: this is as muche to seyn

  Ye mote with the platte swerd ageyn

  Stroke him in the wounde, and it wol close;

  This is a verray sooth, with-outen glose,

  It failleth nat whyl it is in your hold.”

  And whan this knight hath thus his tale told,

  He rydeth out of halle, and doun he lighte.

  His stede, which that shoon as sonne brighte,

  Stant in the court, as stille as any stoon.

  This knight is to his chambre lad anon,

  And is unarmed and to mete y-set.

  The presents been ful royally y-fet,

  This is to seyn, the swerd and the mirour,

  And born anon in-to the heighe tour

  With certeine officers ordeyned therfore;

  And un-to Canacee this ring was bore

  Solempnely, ther she sit at the table.

  But sikerly, with-outen any fable,

  The hors of bras, that may nat be remewed,

  It stant as it were to the ground y-glewed.

  Ther may no man out of the place it dryve

  For noon engyn of windas or polyve;

  And cause why, for they can nat the craft.

  And therefore in the place they han it laft

  Upon her thumb or carry it in her purse,

  There is no bird that flies under the heaven

  That she shall not understand his voice,

  And know his meaning openly and plain,

  And answer him in his language again;

  And every grass that grows upon root

  She shall also know, and whom it will heal,

  Though his wounds be ever so deep and wide.

  “This naked sword, that hangs by my side,

  Such virtue has that whatever man so you smite

  Through his armor it will carve and bite,

  Though it be thick as is a branched oak;

  And whatever man is wounded with the stroke

  Shall never be whole until you wish, of grace,

  To stroke him with the flat side in the place

  Where he is hurt; that is to say,

  You must with the flat of the sword again

  Stroke him on the wound, and it will close.