ONLY THE greatest poems can be translated without loss,or at any rate without the fatal loss which most poems suffer as soon as they try to breathe in another language. The life of most poems is in their language merely. And this can be a delicious life for those who know that language. But it is nothing like the life of Homer, say, and Dante, a life that was lived in the heart and mind, and that consequently can flourish wherever there are men to listen. The same thing is true, all countries tell us, of Shakespeare. And it is true of Chaucer, whose language--a foreign one even to readers and speakers of English today--is one of the most charming a man ever used but the life in whose poems is so much more charming still that it is impossible to imagine a person dull enough to resist it. All anybody needs is half a chance to hear the voice of Chaucer talking and telling stories.

PREFACE BY MARK VAN DOREN

GENERAL INTRODUCTION

INTRODUCTION BY THE TRANSLATOR

GENERAL PROLOGUE

THE KNIGHT

  His Tale: Part One, 19; Part Two, 29;

  Part Three, 39; Part Four, 50.

THE MILLER

  His Prologue, 64. His Tale, 66.

THE REEVE

  His Prologue, 81. His Tale, 83.

THE COOK

  HIS Prologue, 92. His Tale, 93.

THE MAN OF LAW

  HIS Introduction, 96. HIS Prologue, 98.

  HIS Tale: Part One, 99; Part Two, 104;

  Part Three, 114. His Epilogue, 120.

THE SHIPMAN

  His Tale, 122.

THE PRIORESS

  Her Introduction, 132. Her Prologue, 132.

  Her Tale, 134.

CHAUCER

  Prologue to Sir Thopas, 139. Sir Thopas, 140.

  Melibeus (Summarized), 144.

THE MONK

  His Prologue, 146. His Tale (Summarized), 148.

THE NUN’S PRIEST

  His Prologue, 151. His Tale, 152. His Epilogue, 165.

THE WIFE OF BATH

  Her Prologue, 166. Her Tale, 184.

THE FRIAR

  His Prologue, 193. His Tale, 194.

THE SUMMONER

  His Prologue, 203. His Tale, 204.

THE CLERIC

  His Prologue, 218. HiS Tale: Part One, 219;

  Part Two, 222; Part Three, 227; Part Four, 231;

  Part Five, 234; Part Six, 237.

THE MERCHANT

His Prologue, 244. His Tale, 245. His Epilogue, 268.

THE SQUIRE

His Prologue, 270. His Tale: Part One, 270;

Part Two, 277; Part Three, 283.

THE FRANKLIN

His Prologue, 285. His Tale, 286.

THE PHYSICIAN

  His Tale, 305.

THE PARDONER

  HIS Introduction, 312. HIS Prologue, 313.

  His Tale, 316.

THE SECOND NUN

  Her Prologue, 327. Her Tale, 330.

THE CANON’S YEOMAN

  HIS Prologue, 340. His Tale: Part One, 344;

  Part Two, 349.

THE MANCIPLE

  His Prologue, 361. His Tale, 364.

THE PARSON

  His Prologue, 370. His Tale (Summarized), 372.

CHAUCER’S RETRACTION

FROM THE CANTERBURY TALES IN MIDDLE ENGLISH

  General Prologue, 375.

  The Nun’s Priest’s Tale, 401.