General Prologue

The Prologue to the Friar's Tale

The Knight's Tale

The Friar's Tale

The Miller's Prologue

The Prologue to the Summoner's tale

The Miller's Tale

The Summoner's Tale

Prologue of the Reeve's Tale

The Prologue of the Scholar's Tale

The Reeve's Tale

The Scholar's Tale

Prologue of the Cook's Tale

The Prologue of the Merchant's Tale

The Cook's Tale

The Merchant's Tale

Introduction to the Sergeant-at-law's tale

Epilogue to the Merchant's Tale

The Sergeant-at-law's tale

The Squire's Tale

Epilogue of the Sergeant-at-law's tale

Epilogue to the Squire's Tale

The Sea captain's tale

The Franklin's Tale

The Prioress' tale

The Doctor's Tale

The Prologue to Sir Topaz

The Prologue of the Doctor's Tale

Sir Topaz

The Prologue to the Pardoner's Tale

The Prologue to the tale of Melibeus

The Pardoner's Tale

The tale of Meleibeus

The Prologue of the second Nun's Tale

The Prologue of the Monk's tale

The Second Nun's Tale

The Monk's tale

The Prologue of the Cannon Assistant's Tale

Prologue of the Nun Priest's Tale

The Cannon Assistant's Tale

The Nun Priest's Tale

The Manciple's Prologue

Epilogue to the Nun Priest's Tale

The Parson's Prologue

The Prologue of the Wife of Bath's Tale

The Parson's Tale

The Wife of Bath's Tale

Author's Valediction

A Marquis ruled a small area of Italy.  His subjects liked him as a ruler, but wished to see him married so that he would produce an heir. They discussed this with him, and he agreed that he would find a wife by a certain date, but that he would choose his own wife.  They agreed, and busied themselves with the wedding feast.

In the village, there lived an old poor man, and his daughter, Griselda.  She was poor, but beautiful and virtuous.  The marquis decided to marry her.  Griselda did not know she was to marry him until just before the wedding.  She agreed to marry him, and she became a model noblewoman.  She gave birth to a daughter, and the townspeople were happy because this meant she would probably conceive a son.

The Marquis decides to test the loyalty of Griselda, and so very sadistically, he takes her child, and pretends to kill it, but he hides the child with relatives instead.  Griselda bears this patiently, and stays faithful to her husband.

The Marquis does the same thing when Griselda bears a son, and she submits patiently again.  He then pretended to divorce Griselda, and pretended to marry her daughter.  Griselda remained subservient and pure throughout this entire ordeal.  The Marquis sends her back to her father, to live in poverty.  She is invited back to meet his new wife, and is told the truth about her husband's deception.  She is restored to honor and nobility in the sight of the town, and lives happily ever after with her husband, son, and daughter.