| Geoffrey Chaucer (c. 1340–1400). The Complete Poetical Works. 1894. | | | | The Canterbury Tales | | Prologue to Sir Thopas |
| | Bihold the murye wordes of the Host to Chaucer.
WHAN seyd was al this miracle, every man | |
| As sobre was, that wonder was to se, | |
| Til that our hoste Iapen tho bigan, | |
| And than at erst he loked up-on me, | |
| And seyde thus, ‘what man artow?’ quod he; | 5 |
| ‘Thou lokest as thou woldest finde an hare, | |
| For ever up-on the ground I see thee stare. | |
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| Approche neer, and loke up merily. | |
| Now war yow, sirs, and lat this man have place; | |
| He in the waast is shape as wel as I; | 10 |
| This were a popet in an arm tenbrace | |
| For any womman, smal and fair of face. | |
| He semeth elvish by his contenaunce, | |
| For un-to no wight dooth he daliaunce. | |
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| Sey now somwhat, sin other folk han sayd; | 15 |
| Tel us a tale of mirthe, and that anoon;’— | |
| ‘Hoste,’ quod I, ‘ne beth nat yvel apayd, | |
| For other tale certes can I noon, | |
| But of a ryme I lerned longe agoon.’ | |
| ‘Ye, that is good,’ quod he; ‘now shul we here | 20 |
Som deyntee thing, me thinketh by his chere.’
Explicit. | | | | |
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