THE REEVES TALE（第1页）

theprologue

whenfolkhadlaughedallatthisnicecase

ofabsolonandhendynicholas，

diversefolkdiverselytheysaid，

butforthereparttheylaughdandplayd;**werediverted

andatthistaleisawnomanhimgrieve，

butitwereonlyosewoldthereeve.

becausehewasofcarpenterescraft，

alittleireisinhisheartelaft*;*left

hegantogrudge*andblameditalite.***murmur**little.

"sothe*i，"quothhe，"fullwellcouldihimquite***thrive**match

withblearing*ofaproudemillerseye，*dimming

ifthatmelisttospeakofribaldry.

butiald;melistnotplayforage;

grasstimeisdone，myfodderisnowforage.

thiswhitetop*writethmineoldeyears;*head

mineheartisalsoulded*asminehairs;*grownuldy

andidofareasdothanopen-erse*;*medlar

thatilke*fruitiseverlongerwerse，*same

tillitberotten*inmullokorinstre*.*onthegroundorinstraw*

weoldemen，idread，sofarewe;

tillweberotten，canwenotberipe;

wehop*away，whilethattheworldwillpipe;*dance

forinourwilltherestickethayeanail，

tohaveanhoaryheadandagreentail，

ashathaleek;forthoughourmightbegone，

ourwilldesirethfollyever-in-one*:*continually

forwhenwemaynotdo，thenwillwespeak，