The-Wife-of-Baths-Tale

1TheWifeofBath'sTaleIntheolddaysofKingArthur,todayStillpraisedbyBritonsinaspecialway,Thislandwasfilledwithfairiesallabout.Theelf-queenwithherjollylittlerout860Inmanyagreenfieldoftendanced.IndeedThiswastheoldbeliefofwhichIread;Ispeakofmanyhundredyearsago.Butnowsuchelvesnooneisseeing.No,Fornowtheprayersandcharitabledesires865OflimitersandotherholyfriarsWhowanderalltheland,byeverystream,Asthickasspecksofdustinasunbeam,Toblessourhalls,chambers,kitchens,bowers,Boroughs,cities,castles,loftytowers,870Villages,granaries,stables,dairies,Havemadesurethatnolongeraretherefairies.ForwherethereoncewaswonttowalkanelfThere'swalkingnowthelimiterhimself,Earlyandlate,togivehisauspices,875Saymatinsandhisotheroffices,Goallaboutthelimitwherehe'sfound.Nowwomenmaygosafelyallaround;IneverybushandundereverytreeHeistheonlyincubus,andhe880Won'tdoathingexceptdishonorthem.IthappenedthatKingArthurhadwithhimAbachelorinhishouse;thislustyliver,Whileridingfromhishawkingbytheriver,Oncechancedupon,aloneasshewasborn,885Amaidenwhowaswalking--soonforlorn,Forhe,despiteallthatshedidorsaid,Byforcedeprivedherofhermaidenhead.Becauseofthis,therewassuchclamoringAndsuchdemandforjusticetotheking,890ThisknightwasallbutnumberedwiththedeadBycourseoflaw,andshouldhavelosthishead(Whichmayhavebeenthelawinthatmilieu).ButthenthequeenandotherladiestooPrayedsolongthatthekingmightgranthimgrace,895KingArthursparedhimforatleastaspace;2Helefthimtothequeentodoherwill,Tochoosetosaveororderthemtokill.Thequeenthenthankedthekingwithallhermight,Andafterthisthequeenspokewiththeknight900Whenshesawopportunityoneday.Foryou,shesaid,thingsstandinsuchawayYoucan'tbesureifyou'retoliveornot.I'llgrantyoulifeifyoucantellmewhatItisthatwomenmostdesire.Beware905Theironax,yourneckbonenowtospare!Andifyoucannottellmerightaway,I'llgiveyouleave,atwelvemonthandaday,Thatyoumaygotoseek,thatyoumightfindAnanswerthatisofsufficientkind.910Iwantyourwordbeforeyoutakeapace:You'llbringyourselfbacktothisveryplace.Thisknightwithsorrowsighed,wasfullofwoe.Whatcouldhedo?Notashepleased,andsoTogoawaywaswhathefinallychose,915TocomebackwhenhisyearwasatitscloseWithsuchananswerasGodmightprovide.Hetookhisleaveandforthhewenttoride.HesoughtineveryhouseandeveryplaceInhopeshecouldsecurethepromisedgrace920Bylearningthatwhichwomenlovethemost.ButhedidnotarriveatanycoastWherehecouldfindtwopeopleonthematterWhomightagree,ifjudgingbytheirchatter.Somesaidthatwomenallloverichesbest,925Whilesomesaidhonor,othersjollyzest,Somericharray;somesaiddelightsinbed,Andmanysaidtobeawidowwed;SomeotherssaidthatourheartsaremosteasedWhenweareflatteredandwhenwearepleased--930Andhewasnighthetruth,ifyouaskme.Amanshallwinusbestwithflattery;Withmuchattendance,charm,andapplicationCanwebecaught,whateverbeourstation.Somesaidourlovetowhichweallaspire935Istobefreetodoaswedesire,WithnoreproofofvicebutwiththeruleThatmenshouldsaywe'rewise,notoneafool.FortrulythereisnoneamongusallWho,ifamanshouldclawusonthegall,9403Won'tkickforbeingtoldthetruth;hewhoDoesanassaywillfindoutthatit'strue.Butthoughwemayhaveviceskeptwithin,Weliketobecalledwiseandcleanofsin.Andsomesaythatwetakethemostdelight945Inkeepingsecrets,keepingourlipstight,Tojustonepurposestrivingtoadhere:Nottobetrayonethingthatwemayhear.Thattale'snotworththehandleofarake.Wewomencan'tkeepsecrets,heaven'ssake!950JustlookatMidas--wouldyouhearthetale?Ovid,amongthetrifleshe'ddetail,SaidMidashadlonghair,foritappearsThatonhisheadhadgrowntwoass'sears.Thisdefecthehadtriedasbesthemight955Tokeepwellashecouldfromothers'sight,Andsavehiswifetherewasnonewhocouldtell.HelovedhermuchandtrustedheraswellAndprayedthatnotonelivingcreaturesheWouldevertellofhisdeformity.960Shesworeshe'dnot,thoughalltheworldtowin,BeguiltyofsuchvillainyandsinAndmakeherhusbandhavesofoulaname.Totellitwouldaswellbringhertoshame.Butnonethelesssheallbutnearlydied,965Solongtohaveasecretshemusthide.ShethoughtitswelledsosorelyinherheartSomewordfromoutofherwasboundtostart;Andsinceshedaredtotellittonoman,Downclosebesideamarshtheladyran--970Shehadtorush,herheartwassoafire.Thenlikeabitternboominginthemire,Sheputhermouthdowntothewater,saying,Water,makenosound,don'tbebetraying,ForIwilltellthistonoonebutyou.975Myhusbandhaslongass'sears--it'strue!Shethought,Myheartiscurednow,itisout;Icouldn'tkeepitlonger,there'snodoubt.Soasyousee,wemayawhileabideButitmustout,nosecretwecanhide.980(Asforthetale,ifyouwouldheartherest,ReadOvid,forthat'swhereyou'lllearnitbest.)Thisknightofwhommytaleisallabout,Whenseeingthathecouldn'tfinditout--4Thatistosay,whatwomenlovethemost--985Feltinhisbreastalreadylikeaghost;Forhomeheheaded,hecouldnotsojourn,Thedayhadcomewhenhomewardhemustturn.AndinthiswoefulstatehechancedtorideWhileonhiswayalongaforestside,990AndtherehesawupontheforestfloorSomeladiesdancing,twenty-fourormore.TowardthesedancershewasquicktoturnInhopethatofsomewisdomhemightlearn;Butallatonce,beforehe'dgottenthere,995Thedancersdisappeared,heknewnotwhere.Hedidn'tseeonecreaturebearinglife,Savesittingonthegreenonesinglewife.Anugliercreaturenomindcoulddevise.Tomeethimthisoldwifewastoarise,1