Chaucer's tales have been often "translated" for the benefit of the casual reader but in so doing, the new versions lose the flavor, the rhythm and rhyme of the original verse. Some authors even go so far as to write new rhymes in place of the "old" hoping to keep the story intact but destroying the character of the story in the process. Others abandon the poetry altogether and rewrite it as prose. Herein is a different approach. The first line is as Chaucer wrote it (acknowledging that it is not in the original script and that some spelling has been changed as the story migrated to the current day), following is the best attempt at converting the meaning to that which can easily be grasp.

As one reads the poem, it is suggested that the first line be read. Then, the second line be read. As familiarity is gained with the progression of the story and when the meaning of the first line is clear as Chaucer wrote it, the repeat line can be skipped (ignored, unless there may be a question of word meaning). Best of all is to read the poem out loud and listen to the words as they were no doubt spoken to an audience of non-readers in the 1300's. Be there two of you one should read the first line and the other the second.

Enjoy!

As for that nyght, departen compaignye
, As for that night, they departed companionship

And ech of hem gooth to his hostelrye
And each of them went to his hostelery

And took his loggyng as it wolde falle.
And took his lodging as it was

That oon of hem was logged in a stalle,
That one of them was lodged in a stall,

Fer in a yeerd, with oxen of the plow.
In a yard, with an oxen of the plow

That oother man was logged wel ynow
The other man was lodged very well you know

As was his aventure or his fortune,
As was his adventure or his fortune,

That us governeth alle as in commune.
That is given to all, as it may.

"And so bifel that, longe er it were day,
"And so befell that, after the long day,

This man mette in his bed ther as he lay
This man dreamed in his bed there as he lay

How that his felawe gan upon hym calle
How that his fellow one upon him called

And seyde, 'Allas, for in oxes stalle
And said. "Alas, for in the oxen's stall

This nyght I shal be mordred ther I lye.
This night I shall be murdered where I lie.

Now help me, deere brother, or I dye.
Now help me, dear brother, or I die.

In alle haste com to me,' he sayde.
In all haste come to me," he said.

"This man out of his sleep for feere abrayde,
"This man out of his sleep for fear started up,

But whan that he was wakned of his sleep,
But when he was awakened from his sleep,

He turned hym and took of this no keep.
He turned over and took of this no keep.

Hym thoughte his dreem nas but a vanytee.
He thought his dream was but vanity.

Thus twies in his slepyng dremed he,
Thus twice in his sleeping he dreamed

And atte thridde tyme yet his felawe
And at the third time yet his fellow

Cam, as hym thoughte, and seyde, 'I am now slawe
. Came, as he thought, and said, "I am now slew.

Bihoold my blody woundes, depe and wyde.
Behold my bloody wounds, deep and wide

Arys up erly in the morwe tyde,
Arise up early in the morning-tide.

And at the west gate of the toun,' quod he,
And at the west gate of the town." quote he,

"A carte ful of dung ther shaltow se,
"A cart full of dung there shall thou see,

In which my body is hid ful prively.
In which my body is hid ,well concealed, privately

Do thilke carte aresten boldely.
Do this cart stop boldly

My gold caused my mordre, sooth to seyn';
My gold (money) caused my death," so he said,

And tolde hym every point how he was slayn
And told him every point of how he was slain

With a ful pitous face pale of hewe.
With a full piteous face of bloodless hue
(For his throat was cut)

And truste wel his dreem he fond ful trewe,
And his dream was found to be true.

For on the morwe, as soon as it was day,
For on the morning, as soon as it was day,

To his felawes in he took the way,
To his fellow's place of sleep he took the way,

And whan that he cam to this oxes stalle,
And when he came to the ox's stall,

After his felawe he bigan to calle.
After his fellow, he began to call

"The hostiler answerde hym anon
The innkeeper answered him

And seyde, "Sire, your felawe is agon
. And said, " sire, your fellow is gone

As soone as day he wente out of the toun."
As soon as dayhe went out of the town."

"This man gan fallen in suspecioun,
"This man was full of suspicion,

Remembrynge on his dremes that he mette,
Remembering of his dreams that he had dreamed.

And forth he gooth, no lenger wolde he lette,
And forth he went, no longer would he stop

Unto the west gate of the toun and fond
To the west gate of the town and found

A dong carte, wente as it were to donge lond,
A dung cart, went as it were, to put dung on the land

That was arrayed in the same wise
That it was arrayed in the same way

As ye han herd the dede man devyse,
As he had heard the dead man devise,

And with an hardy herte he gan to crye
And with a heavy heart he began to cry

Vengeaunce and justice of this felonye.
"Vengeance and justice of this felon, you.

'My felawe mordred is this same nyght,
My fellow is murdered this same night.

And in this carte he lyth gapinge upright.
And in this cart he lies face upright.

I crye out to the ministres,' quod he,
I cry out for justice," quote he,

'That sholden kepe and reulen this citee.
"That should keep and rule this city

Harrow, allas! Heer lyth my felawe slayn!'
Horror, alas! Here lies my fellow slain!"

What sholde I moore unto this tale sayn?
What should I more unto this tale be said?

The peple out sterte and caste the cart to grounde,
The people came out into the street and cast the cart to the ground,

And in the myddel of the dong they founde
And in the middle of the dung they found

The dede man, that mordred was al newe.
The dead man's, murder was very new
(His friend's death was still afresh.)

"O blisful God, that art so just and trewe,
"O blissful God, that are so just and true,

Lo, how that thow biwreyest mordre alway!
Lo, how that thou revealest the murder!

Mordre wol out, that se we day by day.
Murder will out, that we see day by day.

Mordre is so wlatsom and abhomynable
Murder is so loathsome and abdominally

To God, that is so just and resonable,
To God, who is so just and reasonable,

That he ne wol nat suffre it heled be,
That God would not suffer it to be hidden,

Thogh it abyde a yeer, or two, or thre.
Though it happened a year, or two, or three

Mordre wol out, this is my conclusioun.
Murder will out, this is my conclusion.

And right anon ministres of that toun
And right then the justices of that town

Han hent the cartere and so soore hym pyned
Seized the carter and so much they tortured him

And eek the hostiler and so soore engyned
And also the innkeeper and so racked him (put him on the rack)

That they biknewe hir wikkednesse anon
That they confessed their wickedness in a little while

And were an-hanged by the nekke boon.

And were hanged by the neck bone.

"Here may men seen that dremes be to drede.
"Here may men see that dreams are to be dread

And, certes, in the same book I rede,
And, certainly, in the same book I read,

Right in the next chapitre after this�
Right in the next chapter after this �

I gabbe nat, so have I joye or blys�
I jest (joke) not, so have I joy or bliss �

Two men that wolde han passed over see
Two men that would have passed over sea

For certeyn cause into a fer contree,
For certain cause into a far country,

If that the wynd ne hadde ben contrarie,
If that the wind had not been contrary,

That made hem in a citee for to tarie,
That made him in a city for to tarry,

That stood ful myry upon an haven syde
. That stood very happily upon a harbor-side

But on a day, agayn the even tyde,
But on a day, against the evening tide

The wynd gan chaunge and blew right as hem leste.
The wind did change and blew right at the least

Jolif and glad they went unto hir reste
Jolly and glad they went unto their rest

And casten hem ful erly for to saille.
And cast off very early (in the morn) for to sail

"But herkneth! To that o man fil a greet mervaille,
"But harkenth! To that of a man filled with great pleasure,

That oon of hem, in slepyng as he lay,
That one of them, in sleeping as he lay,

Hym mette a wonder dreem agayn the day.
He dreamed a wonderful dream again that day

Hym thoughte a man stood by his beddes syde,
He thought a man stood by his bed's side

And hym comanded that he sholde abyde,
And commanded that he should abide

And seyde hym thus: 'If thow tomorwe wende,
And said to him thus: " If thou tomorrow went

Thow shalt be dreynt. My tale is at an ende.'
Thou shall be drowned. My tale is at an end"

He wook, and tolde his felawe what he mette,
He awoke, and told his fellow what he dreamed,

And preyde hym his viage for to lette.
And prayed him his journey to prevent

As for that day, he preyde hym to abyde.
As for that day, he prayed him to abide

His felawe, that lay by his beddes syde,
His fellow, that lay by his bed side

Gan for to laughe, and scorned hym ful faste.
Gave for to laugh, and scorned him most quickly

'No dreem,' quod he, 'may so myn herte agaste
"No dream," quote he, "may so my heart aghast

That I wol lette for to do my thynges.
That I would prevent me from doing my things

I sette nat a straw by thy dremynges,
I set not a straw by thy dreams,

For swevenes ben but vanytees and japes.
For dreams are but vanity and tricks.

Men dreme alday of owles and apes
Men dream all day of owls and apes

And eek of many a maze therwithal;
And also of many a maze there withal.

Men dreme of thyng that never was ne shal.
Men dream of things that never was nor shall (be)

But, sith I see that thow wolt here abyde,
But, since I see that you would here abide,

And thus forslewthen wilfully thy tyde,
And thus slothly waste wilfully the time,

God woot, it reweth me, and have good day!'
God have pity on me, and have a good day!"

And thus he took his leve and wente his way.
And thus he took his leave and went on his way.

But er that he hadde half his cours y-seyled,
But before he had half his course sailed,

Noot I nat why ne what mischaunce it eyled
, And I not why what mischance it sailed

But casuelly the shippes botme rente,
But accidentally the ship's bottom rent,
(ran aground) And ship and man under the water wente
And ship and man under the water went

In sight of othere shippes it bisyde
In sight of other ships and besides

That with hem seyled at the same tyde
. That with him sailed on the same tide

And therfor, faire Pertelote so deere,
And therefore, fair Pertelote so dear,

By swiche ensamples olde maystow leere
By such old examples may you learn.

That no man sholde been to recchelees
That no man should be too reckless

Of dremes, for I sey thee, doutelees,
Of dreams, for I say to thee, doubtless,

That many a dreem ful sore is for to drede.
That many a dream is sorrowful to dread

Lo, in the lyf of Seint Kenelm I rede,
Lo, in the life of Saint Kenelm I read,
(St Kenelm was the ninth century prince of Mercia, murdered by his aunt.)

That was Kenulphus sone, the noble kyng

He was Kenelm, son of the noble king
(King Cynewulf)

Of Mercenrike, how Kenelm mette a thyng.
Of Mercia. How Kenelm dreamed a thing

A lite er he was mordred on a day,
At morning light, when he was murdered on that day,

His mordre in his avysioun he say.
His murder in his a vision he saw

He norice hym expowned every del
His nurse to him explained every little detail

His swevene, and bad hym for to kepe hym wel
Of his dreams and told him to keep himself well

For traisoun, but he nas but seven yeer old,
Aware of treason, but he was not but seven years old,

And therfore litel tale hath he told
And therefore little attention was told

Of any dreem, so holy was his herte.
Of any dream, so holy (good or pure) was his heart

By God, I hadde levere than my sherte
By God, I would have given my shirt

That ye had rad his legende as have I.
That you had read his legend as have I

Dame Pertelote, I sey yow trewely,
Dame Pertelote, I say to you truly,

Macrobeus, that write the avysioun
Macrobius, who wrote of visions

In Affrike of the worthy Cipioun,
In Africa of the worthy Scipio,

Affermeth dremes and seith that they been
Confirmed his dreams and said that they had been

Warnynge of thynges that men after seen.
Warnings of things that men afterwards see.

And forthermoore, I pray yow, looketh wel
And furthermore, I pray you, look carefully

In the Olde Testament, of Daniel,
In the Old Testament, of Daniel,

If he heeld dremes any vanytee.
If he had dreams of vanity

Rede eek of Joseph, and there shul ye see
Read also of Joseph, and there shall you see

Wher dremes by somtyme, I sey nat alle,
Where dreams are sometime, I say not all,

Warnynges of thynges that shul after falle.
Warnings of things that shall befall.

Looke of Egipt the kyng, daun Pharao,
Look of Egypt the king, Don Pharaoh,

His bakere, and his butiller also,
His baker, and his butler also,

Wher they ne felte noon effect in dremes
. Whether they did not feel the effect of dreams

Who-so wol seken actes of sondry remes
Who so would search of sundry realms (kingdoms)

May rede of dremes many a wonder thyng.
May read of dreams of many a wonder thing.

Lo Cresus, which that was of Lyde kyng,
Lo Croesus, which that was Lydia's king,

Mette he nat that he sat upon a tree,
Dreamed he not, that he sat upon a tree,

Which signified he sholde an-hanged be?
Which signified he should a hanging be?

Lo heere Andromacha, Ectores wyf,
Lo here is Andromacha, Hector's wife,

That day that Ector sholde lese his lyf,
That day that Hector should lose his life,

She dremed on the same nyght biforn
She dreamed of the same, night before

How that the lyf of Ector sholde be lorn
How that the life of Hector should be lost

If thikle day he wente in to bataille.
If this day he went into battle,

She warned hym, but it myghte nat availle;
she warned him, but in was not to any avail,

He went for to fighte, nathelees.
He went to fight, nevertheless

But he was slayn anon of Achilles
. And he was slain in a little while by Achilles.

But thilke tale is al to long to telle,
But this tale is all to long to tell.

And eek it is ny day, I may nat dwelle.
And also it is near day, I may not dwell

"Shortly I seye, as for conclusioun,
"Shortly I say, as for the conclusion.

That I shal han of this avysioun
That I shall have of this confusion

Adversitee, and I seye forthermoor,
Adversity, and I say futhermore,

That I ne telle of laxatyves no stoor,
That I will not tell of laxatives, (of which I set no) store,

For they ben venymes, I woot it wel.
For they are enemies, I know it well

I hem deffye! I love hem never a del.
I defy them! I love them very little.

"Now lat us speke of myrthe and stynte al this.
"Now let us speak of mirth and stop all of this.

Madame Pertelote, so have I blis,
Madame Pertelote, I am happy,

Of o thyng God hath sent me large grace,
Of this thing God has sent me large grace,

For whan I se the beautee of youre face,
For when I see the beauty of your face,

Ye ben so scarlet reed aboute youre e yen,
You are so scarlet red about your eyes.

It maketh al my drede for to dyen,
It makes(takes away) all my dread of dying.

For, also siker as In principio,
For surely in principio,

'Mulier est hominis confusio.'
�Mulier est hominis confusio.'

"Madame, the sentence of this Latyn is,
"Madame, the sentence of this Latin is,

'Womman is mannes joye and al his blis.'
"Woman is man's joy and all his happiness"

For whan I feele a-nyght your softe syde,
For when I feel at night for your soft side,

Al be it that I may nat on yow ryde
All be it that I may not on you ride

For that our perche is maad so narwe, allas,
For that our perch is made so narrow, alas,

I am so ful of joye and of solas
I am so full of joy and of solace

That I deffye bothe swevene and dreem."
That I defy, Both dreams and dreaming."

And with that word he fley doun fro the beem,
And with that word he flew down from the beam,

For it was day, and eek hise hennes alle.
For it was day, and also (down flew ) his hen's all.

And with a chuk he gan hem for to calle,
And with a cluck, he gave them a call,

For he had founde a corn, lay in the yerd.
For he had found a corn, (that) lay in the yard.

Real (Royal) he was; he was na moore aferd.
King he was, he was no more afraid

He fethered Pertelote twenty tyme
His feathered Pertelote, twenty times

And trad as ofte, er that it was pryme.
He tread upon, before it was prime (time between six and nine a.m.).

He looketh as it were a grym leoun,
He looked as if he were a grim lion,

And on his toos he rometh up and doun.
And on his toes, he romped up and down

Hym denyed nat to sette his foot to grounde.
He denied not to set his foot to the ground

He chukketh whan he hath a corn y-founde,
He clucketh when he hath a corn found,

And to hym rennen thanne his wyves alle.
And to his royal throne, his wives all

Thus real as a prince is in his halle
This real as a prince, in his hall.

Leve I this Chauntecleer in his pasture,
Now I leave Chauntecleer in his pleasure,

And after wol I telle his aventure.
And after a while I will tell of his adventure.

Whan that the monthe in which the world bigan,
When in the month in which the world began,

That highte March, whan God first maked man,
That was called March, when God first made man,

Was complet, and passed were also,
Was complete, and passed were also,

Syn March bigan, thritty dayes and two,
Since March began, thirty days and two,

Bifel that Chauntecleer in al his pryde,
Befell that Chauctecleer in all his pride,

His seven wyves walkyng hym bisyde,
His seven wives walking him beside,

Caste up hise eyen to the brighte sonne,
Caste up his eyes to the bright sun,

That in the signe of Taurus hadde y-ronne
That in the sign of Taurus had (the sun) run

Twenty degrees and oon, and somewhat moore,
Twenty degrees plus one and somewhat more,

And knew by kynde and by noon oother loore
And knew by instinct and by other lore

That it was pryme, and krew with blisful stevene.
That is was (the hour of) prime, and crowed with happy voice

"The sonne," he seyde, "is clomben up on hevene
"The sun," he said, "is climbing up in heaven

Fourty degrees and oon, and moore ywis.
Forty degrees and one, and more it was

Madame Pertelote, my worldes blis,
Madame Pertelote, my worldly happiness

Herkneth this blisful briddes, how the synge,
Hear the happy bird, how she sings,

And se the fresshe floures how they sprynge.
And see the fresh flowers how they spring

Ful is myn herte of revel and solas."
Full is my heart of revival and solace."

But sodeynly hym fil a sorweful cas,
But suddenly, he was filled with a sorrowful case

For ever the latter ende of joye is wo.
Forever the very end of joy is woe

God woot that worldly joye is soone ago,
God knows that worldly joy is soon gone,

And if a rethor koude faire endite,
And if one who speaks well could indite (compose)

He in a cronycle saufly myghte it write
In a chronicle safely might it be written

As for a sovereyn notabilitee.
As if for a sovereign nobility

Now every wys man, lat hym herkne me;
Now every one's man, let him hear me,

This storie is also trewe, I undertake,
This story is also true, I undertake,

As is the book of Launcelot de Lake,
As is the book of (Scott's) Launcelot of the Lake,

That wommen hold in ful gret reverence.
That women hold in full and great reverence

Now wol I torne agayn to my sentence.
Now will I turn again to the matter (of the fox)

. A colfox ful of sly iniquitee,
A colorful fox of sly inequity,

That in the grove hadde woned yeres three,
That in the grove had lived years three,

By heigh imaginacioun forncast,
Predestined by divine foresight,

The same nyght thurgh-out the hegges brast
The same night throughout the hedges browsed

Into the yerd ther Chauntecleer the faire
Into the yard of Chauntecleer, the fair

Was wont, and eek his wyves, to repaire,
Was wont, and also his wives, to repair.

And in a bed of wortes stille he lay
And in a bed of herbs (grasses) still he lay

Til it was passed undren of the day,
Till it was passed nine a.m. of the day

Waitynge his tyme on Chauntecleer to falle,
Waiting his time on Chauntecleer to attack

As gladly doom thise homycides alle
As gladly to do this homicide all

That in await liggen to mordre men.
That lie awaiting to murder men

O false mordrour, lurkynge in thy den,
O murderer, lurking in your den,

O newe Scariot, newe Genyloun,
O new Judas, new Ganelon, (who betrayed Roland at Roncesvaux.)

False dissimilour, O Greek Synoun,
False one who dissembles, O Greek Sinon (Who made the wooden horse at Troy.)

That broghtest Troye al outrely to sorwe!
That brought Troy all to sorrow!

O Chauntecleer, acursed be that morwe
O Chauntecleer; accursed be that morning

That thou into the yerd flaugh fro the bemes.
That thou into the yard flew down from your roost (beams) to crow

On to Chanticleer, Chaucer - Part III

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