The Canterbury Pilgrims | Page 9

and my tale is
about a carpenter and how a scholar deceived him." "Forbear!" cried
Oswald the Reeve. "I am a carpenter. Beware how you tell your jibing
tales of my craft." But the Miller could not be silenced and began his
tale.
Kind reader, if you do not like the tale please excuse me and turn to
another and harmless one. I am merely the chronicler of this journey
and must tell the truth.

THE MILLER'S TALE OF A CARPENTER OUTWITTED
There was a rich carpenter who lived at Oxford and took in students to
board with him. Among them was one named Nicholas, as proper a
man as one could wish to see. He kept his room all strewed with sweet
herbs. At his bed's head, neatly arranged on shelves, were his books
and calculating pebbles, for he studied astrology and could foretell the
weather. A red cloth covered his press and on the wall hung his little
harp. He was a gay fellow and loved merry-making, yet looked as
gentle and dainty as a maiden. The carpenter was an old man, and had
just married a wife of eighteen, named Alisoun. She was as pretty a
woman as you could find in the whole country-side. Dressed up in all
her finery she was as gay as a bird. Her girdle was silk and her apron as
white as snow. Her smock was white and broidered with black silk, and
her brooch as large as the base of a shield. The ribbon of her cap
matched her embroidery, and her eyebrows were black and arched. But
the most tempting thing about her was the way she looked at one. A
very primrose she was, on my faith; as fair as an apple tree in blossom.
Nicholas loved her well enough, and others too; but her husband would
let her go nowhere but to church and never allowed her to take part in
any festivities.

All went smoothly, however, till the time for the yearly plays came
round, when the stories of Adam, Joseph and Herod, and many another
Bible hero, are performed in the market-place. Such times are holidays
for all. Everybody goes to the plays, and all the young people take part
in them. Alisoun longed to go, but she knew it was no good asking her,
tyrannical husband.
One day, while her husband was away at Osney, she told Nicholas of
her desire, and cried to him because she was kept so strictly at home.
Nicholas was sorry for her. "What is the good of being a scholar if I
cannot outwit a carpenter?" he said. "I will find a way out." They made
their plan between them and carried up into Nicholas's room enough
food for two or three days. Neither, that day nor the next did Nicholas
come down to meals, until at last the carpenter began to get anxious.
"Have you called Nicholas?" he said to his wife. "Why, yes!" she said.
"I have sent my maid to knock and there is no answer." "Perhaps he is
ill," answered the carpenter. "Life is very uncertain these days. Why,
but yesterday I saw a corpse carried to the churchyard, and another last
week. I do hope no harm has befallen the young man." Then he sent his
man to see what he could do. The man knocked but got no answer.
Then he noticed a hole in the bottom of the door by which the cat used
to go in and out, and stooping down he looked through. Nicholas was
sitting in a chair with his head back, staring at something. Down went
the man and told what he had seen. "Alas!" said the carpenter, "he is
certainly mad. This is what comes of his studies. I have heard tell of
another astronomer who was so busy looking at the stars that he fell
into a clay pit. I fear something like that has happened to Nicholas. I
will go and see about it." He took the servant with him, and together
they lifted the door right off its hinges, and down it fell with a bang on
the floor.
Nicholas never moved and seemed to hear nothing. "Dear me!" said the
carpenter, "he is certainly mad." He went up and touched him; still
Nicholas did not move. Then the carpenter began to utter a spell:
"Christ and Benedict the saint, Keep us safe from elvés quaint, From
witches and fairies of the night, Peter's sister, guard us quite."
As he finished Nicholas began to groan and to 'move about. "Ah, he is
better," said the carpenter. "But what ails you now?" "It is a terrible
thing that I have learnt!" said Nicholas. "Send away your man and I

will tell you all as far