The Tale

two; And down went all; he found neither to sell Nor bread nor ale, till he came to the sell, Upon the floor, and there in swoon he lay. Up started Alison and Nicholay, And cried out an “harow!” in the street. The neighbours allë, bothë small and great In rannë, for to gauren on this man, That yet in swoonë lay, both pale and wan: For with the fall he broken had his arm. But stand he must unto his owen harm, For when he spake, he was anon borne down With Hendy Nicholas and Alisoún. They told to every man that he was wood; He was aghastë so of Noë’s flood, Through phantasy, that of his vanity He had y-bought him kneading-tubbës three, And had them hanged in the roof above; And that he prayed them for Goddë’s love To sitten in the roof for company. The folk gan laughen at his phantasy. Into the roof they kyken, and they gape, And turned all his harm into a jape. For whatsoe’er this carpenter answér’d, It was for nought, no man his reason heard. With oathës great he was so sworn adown, That he was holden wood in all the town. For every clerk anon right held with other; They said, “The man was wood, my levë brother;” And every wight gan laughen at his strife. Thus swived was the carpentérë’s wife, For all his keeping and his jealousy; And Absolon hath kiss’d her nether eye; And Nicholas is scalded in the tout. This tale is done, and God save all the rout.