The Canterbury Tales | The Tale of the Wife of Bath
The Tale of the Wife of Bath
NOW IN THE OLDEN days of King Arthur,Of whom the Britons speak with great honour,
All this wide land was land of faery.
The elf-queen, with her jolly company,
Danced oftentimes on many a green mead;(5)
This was the old opinion, as I read.
But now no man can see the elves, you know.
For now the so-great charity and prayers
Of limiters and other holy friars
That do infest each land and every stream(10)
As thick as motes are in a bright sunbeam,
Blessing halls, chambers, kitchens, ladies’ bowers,
Cities and towns and castles and high towers,
Villages, barns, cowsheds and dairies—
This causes it that there are now no fairies.(15)
For where was wont to walk full many an elf,
Right there walks now the limiter himself
In both the later and early mornings,
Saying his matins and such holy things,
As he goes round his district in his gown.(20)
Women may now go safely up and down,
In every copse or under every tree;
There is no other incubus than he,
And would do them naught but dishonour.
And so befell it that this King Arthur(25)
Had at his court a lusty bachelor
Who, on a day, came riding from river;
And happened that, alone as she was born,
He saw a maiden walking through the corn,
From whom, in spite of all she did and said,(30)
Straightway by force he took her maidenhead;
For which violation was there such clamour,
And such appealing unto King Arthur,
That soon condemned was this knight to be dead
By course of law, and should have lost his head,(35)
Peradventure, such being the statute then;
But that the other ladies and the queen
So long prayed of the king to show him grace,
He granted life, at last, in the law’s place,
And gave him to the queen, as she should will,(40)
Whether she’d save him, or his blood should spill.
The queen she thanked the king with all her might,
And after this, thus spoke she to the knight,
When she’d an opportunity, one day:
“You stand yet,” said she, “in such poor a way(45)
That for your life you’ve no security.
I’ll grant you life if you can tell to me
What thing it is that women most desire.
Be wise, and keep your neck from iron dire!
And if you cannot tell it me anon,(50)
Then will I give you license to be gone
A twelvemonth and a day, to search and learn
Sufficient answer in this grave concern.
And your knight’s word I’ll have, ere forth you pace,
To yield your body to me in this place.”(55)
And so he took his leave and went his way.
He sought out every house and every place
Wherein he hoped to find that he had grace
To learn what women love the most of all;
But nowhere ever did it him befall(60)
To find, upon the question stated here,
Two persons who agreed with statement clear.
Some said that women all loved best riches,
Some said, fair fame, and some said, prettiness;
Some, rich array, some said ’twas lust abed(65)
And often to be widowed and re-wed.
Some said that our poor hearts are aye most eased
When we have been most flattered and thus pleased.
And he went near the truth, I will not lie;
A man may win us best with flattery;(70)
And with attentions and with busyness
We’re often limed, the greater and the less.
And some folk say that great delight have we
To be held constant, also trustworthy,
And on one purpose steadfastly to dwell,(75)
And not betray a thing that men may tell.
But that tale is not worth a rake’s handle,
For God knows, we women can no thing conceal.
When what the knight went for he could not find out,
That is, the thing that women love the best,(80)
Most saddened was the spirit in his breast;
But home he goes, he could no more delay.
The day was come when home he turned his way;
And on his way it chanced that he should ride
In all his care, beneath a forest’s side,(85)
And there he saw, a-dancing him before,
Full four and twenty ladies, maybe more;
Toward which dance eagerly did he turn
In hope that there some wisdom he should learn.
But truly, ere he came upon them there,(90)
The dancers vanished all, he knew not where.
No creature saw he that gave sign of life,
Save, on the greensward sitting, an old wife;
A fouler person could no man devise.
Before the knight this old wife did arise,(95)
And said: “Sir knight, hence lies no travelled way.
Tell me what thing you seek, and by your fay,
Perchance you’ll find it may the better be;
These ancient folk know many things,” said she.
“Dear mother,” said this knight assuredly(100)
“I am but dead, save I can tell, truly,
What thing it is that women most desire;
Could you inform me, I’d pay well your hire.”
“Plight me your troth here, hand in hand,” said she,
“That you will do, whatever it may be,(105)
The thing I ask if it lie in your might;
And I’ll give you your answer ere the night.”
“Have here my word,” said he. “That thing I grant.”
“Then,” said the crone, “of this I make my vaunt,
Your life is safe; and I will stand thereby,(110)
Upon my life, the queen will say as I.
Let’s see which is the proudest of them all
That wears upon her hair kerchief or caul,
Shall dare say no to that which I shall teach;
Let us go now and without longer speech.”(115)
Then whispered she a sentence in his ear,
And bade him to be glad and have no fear.
When they were come unto the court, this knight
Said he had kept his promise as was right,
And ready was his answer, as he said.(120)
Full many a noble wife, and many a maid,
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