by experience That dreamës be significatións As well of joy, as tribulatións That folk enduren in this life presént. There needeth make of this no argument; The very prevë sheweth it indeed. One of the greatest authors that men read Saith thus, that whilom two fellówës went On pilgrimage in a full good intent; And happen’d so, they came into a town Where there was such a congregatioún Of people, and eke so strait of herbergage, That they found not as much as one cottáge In which they bothë might y-lodged be: Wherefore they musten of necessity, As for that night, departë company; And each of them went to his hostelry, And took his lodging as it wouldë fall. The one of them was lodged in a stall, Far in a yard, with oxen of the plough; That other man was lodged well enow, As was his áventúre, or his fortúne, That us govérneth all, as in commúne. And so befell, that, long ere it were day, This man mette in his bed, there as he lay, How that his fellow gan upon him call, And said, ‘Alas! for in an ox’s stall This night shall I be murder’d, where I lie. Now help me, dearë brother, or I die; In allë hastë come to me,’ he said. This man out of his sleep for fear abraid; But when that he was wak’d out of his sleep, He turned him, and took of this no keep; He thought his dream was but a vanity. Thus twiës in his sleeping dreamed he, And at the thirdë time yet his felláw Came, as he thought, and said, ‘I am now slaw; Behold my bloody woundës, deep and wide. Arise up early, in the morning, tide, And at the west gate of the town,’ quoth he, ‘A cartë full of dung there shalt: thou see, In which my body is hid privily. Do thilkë cart arrostë boldëly. My gold caused my murder, sooth to sayn.’ And told him every point how he was slain, With a full piteous face, and pale of hue.
“And, trustë well, his dream he found full true; For on the morrow, as soon as it was day, To his fellówë’s inn he took his way; And when that he came to this ox’s stall, After his fellow he began to call. The hostelére answered him anon, And saidë, ‘Sir, your fellow is y-gone, As soon as day he went out of the town.’ This man gan fallen in suspicioún, Rememb’ring on his dreamës that he mette, And forth he went, no