Nun’s Priest’s Tale by Geoffrey Chaucer
**This story is told by the Priest traveling with the Prioress.
A long time ago there was a poor widow who led a patient simple life. She had two daughters, three
sows, three cows and a sheep named Molly. She also had a cock named Chanticleer who “in all the land for
crowing he’d no peer” (30). He could tell the time perfectly by his intuition. He was very handsome: “his comb
was redder than fine corral, tall and battlement like a castle wall, His bill was black and shone as bright as jet…
burnished gold his feathers, flaming bright” (39-44). He was the master of 7 hens who did as he pleased.
However, Chanticleer had only loved Lady Pertelote. She controlled his heart since she was 7 days old.
One night Chanticleer had a bad dream which scared him very much. He dreamt that a beast had come
into the barnyard and killed him. Lady Pertelote was so disappointed that he was such a coward when “all
women long for husbands tough, dependable and free… not a fool that boasts and then will find his courage cool
at every trifling thing” (94). Dreams are a vanity and only caused by sickness. To cure his sickness she
prescribes that he eat worms, blackberries, and ground ivy.
Chanticleer disagrees and sites many men and authorities who prove that dreams do mean something.
He gives the story of the two travelers in which one was murdered and found in a cart full of dung. Lady
Pertelote believes that this particular story is only true because God will always “out” a murder even if it is
hidden for a few years. Chanticleer gives a second story about two sailors who were killed on the sea after a
dream. He also refers to stories about St. Kenelm, 7 years old, who saw his own murder; Scirpio Africanus a
Roman general who believes dreams are warnings; the Bible; Croseus the Lydian King; Andromache foresaw
Hector’s death by Achilles. Chanticleer then decides they should talk about something fun because when he
sees Pertelote all confusion and terror dies, “woman is man’s delight and all his bliss” (346). Then there is a
description of Chanticleer’s grace, royalness and fun with the ladies.
On May 3rd at 9 o’clock Chanticleer crows. Then he and his hens enjoy all the earthly pleasures of
spring. “But in that moment Fate let fly her shaft… God knows that worldly joy is swift to go” (387). A fox had
been stalking the barn for 3 years. Chanticleer “hadst been warned, and truly, by thy dreams That this would be
a perilous day for thee” (414). It is an argument over whether this is predestination/predetermined by God or if
this is an act of free choice.
Chanticleer had been walking around the barnyard that day because his wife Pertelote told him to.
“Women’s counsel is so often cold!” (440). Adam and Eve are only one example of this. The fox comes up and
everyone tries to flee in terror. The fox then asks why everyone is scared; he is just a friend who wants to hear
Chanticleer sing. Chanticleer’s father used to sing for him. The fox flatters Chanticleer and asks him to mimic
his father. So, Chanticleer closes his eyes, stretches his neck, stands on his tip-toes and sings. The fox grabs him
and starts running away. Never was there heard such a cry as there was by the wives. The widow and the
daughters heard this and began to chase the fox. The dog, the cow, the pigs, the dogs, men and women all
chased the fox. They made more noise and ruckus than Jack Straw! Then “Dame Fortune quickly changes sides”
(589).
Chanticleer suggested that the Fox stop for a minute and taunt those chasing him. “Turn back you saucy
bumpkins all! A very pestilence upon you fall!…” I’m going to have a great dinner tonight (595). As he does,
Chanticleer escapes from his mouth and flies to a nearby tree. The fox tries to coax Chanticleer back down,
apologizing and flattering him again but he is unsuccessful. Chanticleer replies, “No and curse on both of us,
and first on me if I were such a dunce as let you fool me oftener than once. Never again, for all your flattering
lies, you’ll coax a song to make me blink my eyes” (612). The fox replies, “Nay rather his plagues be flung on
all who chatter that should hold their tongue.”
Introduction to the Nun’s Priest’s Tale
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Fable: a genre in which animals act like human beings and where a moral/lesson is to be learned
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Mock Heroic: using the language of heroes to describe ordinary people
o Describe epic battles and compare characters to great warriors/heroic figures
(literary/historical) when they’re just barnyard animals
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Authorities: when a famous stories/person is cited to support one’s reasoning for an idea or action
Themes: Dreams, Predestination vs. Free Choice
Nun’s Priest’s Tale Discussion Questions
1. What is Chanticleer’s relationship with Lady Pertelote? How might this relationship follow
the rules of courtly love?
a. Lady Pertelote is one of Chanticleer’s 7 wives, but she is his favorite
b. She is the most beautiful “Colored like him with all particulars; she with the loveliest
dyes upon her throat…courteous, debonair, … since she was 7 years old, she held the
heart of Chanticleer controlled” (45-59)
2. What troubles Chanticleer? How does Lady Pertelote react to this and how does she suggest
he fix it?
a. He has a bad dream that he will be killed
b. Lady Pertelote is upset because women need a strong tough husband, not a coward “All
women long for husbands tough, dependable and free… not a fool. Have you no manly
heart to match your beard and can a dream reduce you to such terror?” (90-100)
c. He should eat worms, laurel and blackberry, and ground ivy (141)
3. Describe Chanticleer and Lady Pertelote’s have very different views on dreams. Explain
Lady Pertelote’s stance and
a. Lady Pertelote: “Dreams are vanity” (102), nonsense you’re just not feeling well
b. Chanticleer: Dreams are prophetic. He tells 7 stories/authorities to prove it
4. Chanticleer gives 7 authorities/stories to prove that dreams are prophetic. Name 3 and
describe them.
a. Travelers,
b. Sailors,
c. St. Kenelem, King’s son, murdered at 7
d. Old Testament/Book of Daniel
e. Lord Pharaoh, King of Egypt was murdered by his butler/cook
f. Croesus, the Lydian king, was hung
g. Andromache saw Hector’s murder by Achilles
5. Paraphrase lines 337-351. (relate to courtly love)
a. Let’s forget all this nonsense, I’m great anyway and whenever I see your face none of
those things matter. Woman is man’s delight and when you’re next to me I can defy any
dream!
b. He’s love sick and cares of nothing else but her. Overly passionate… they’re roosters!
6. Who has been watching the barnyard animals for 3 years?
The fox
7. How does that “stalker” convince Chanicleer not to run away from him before he captures
him?
The fox asks why everyone is scared because he just wants to be friends. He wants to hear
Chanticleer sing. His father used to sing for the fox, so he must be good too. He asks Chanticleer to
do it exactly as his father did… eyes closed, neck out, on tip-toes!
8. “Sure never such a cry or lamentation was made by ladies of high Trojan station… Their
yells surpassed them all in palpitating fear when they beheld the rape of Chanticleer” (539545). Who is crying or lamenting in these lines? What literary terms is this a great example
of?
All of the wives and people/animals on the farm are crying and lamenting harder and louder
than all of the wives of the men in the Trojan war!!! Mock heroic language… they’re chickens!!
9. What does Chanticleer say to the “stalker” in order to trick him into letting him escape?
Chanticleer uses his wit to flatter the Fox. He says that the Fox should turn around and taunt
the people and animals chasing him. When the Fox opens his mouth to taunt them calling them
“saucy bumpkins” and wishing the plague on them, Chanticleer flys to the top of a tree.
10. What is ironic about the fact that Chanticleer believes his dreams are prophetic?
He doesn’t listen to his own dreams after citing many other people who were foolish for not
listening to their dreams; he listens to his wife Lady P.
11. Explain the two morals at the end of the story. One is give by each the Fox and Chanticleer.
a. Chanticleer: “No and curse on both of us, and first on me if I were such a dunce as let
you fool me oftener than once. Never again, for all your flattering lies, you’ll coax a
song to make me blink my eyes!” (612) – Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice,
shame on me.
b. Fox: “Nay rather his plagues be flung on all who chatter that should hold their
tongue.” – Flattery/Talking can get you in trouble. Know when to talk and when not to.
Name: ________________________________
English 3 CP
Nun’s Priest’s Tale Questions
Fable:
Mock Heroic:
Authority:
DIRECTIONS: Answer all of the questions in complete sentences.
1. What is Chanticleer’s relationship with Lady Pertelote? How might this relationship follow the
rules of courtly love?
2. What troubles Chanticleer? How does Lady Pertelote react to this and how does she suggest he fix
it?
3. Chanticleer and Lady Pertelote have very different views on dreams. Explain what both of their
stances are and why they feel that way.
4. Chanticleer gives 7 authorities/stories to prove that dreams are prophetic (predictive of the future). List 3
of them and describe them.
5. Paraphrase lines 337-351. Then, explain how it relates to the idea of courtly love.
6. Who has been watching the barnyard animals for 3 years?
7. How does that “stalker” convince Chanicleer not to run away from him before he captures him?
8. “Sure never such a cry or lamentation was made by ladies of high Trojan station… Their yells
surpassed them all in palpitating fear when they beheld the rape of Chanticleer” (539-545).
Explain the significance of this quote (Who is crying or lamenting in these lines? Why are they
crying?) What literary term is this an example of?
9. What does Chanticleer say to the “stalker” in order to trick him into letting him escape?
10. What is ironic about the fact that Chanticleer believes his dreams are prophetic?
11. Explain the two morals given at the end of the story. One is given by each the Fox and
Chanticleer.
12. Do you believe that dreams could be prophetic? Explain why or why not.