From Geoffrey Chaucer's "The Canterbury Tales", The Nun's Priest's Tale, lines 218-262

From The Canterbury Tales:
The Nun's Priest's Tale
lines 218-262: An example about a man having a bad dream

	Oon of the gretteste auctours that men rede
	Seith thus: that whilom two felawes wente
220	On pilgrimage in a ful good entente;
	And happed so, they coomen in a toun
	Wher as ther was swich congregacioun
	Of peple, and eek so streit of herbergage,
	That they ne founde as muche as o cotage
225	In which they bothe myghte logged bee;
	Wherfore they mosten of necessitee
	As for that nyght departen compaignye,
	And ech of hem gooth to his hostelrye,
	And took his loggyng as it wolde falle.
230	That oon of hem was logged in a stalle,
	Fer in a yeerd, with oxen of the plough;
	That oother man was logged wel ynough,
	As was his aventure or his fortune,
	That us governeth alle as in commune.

	One of the greatest authors that men read
	Says thus: That on a time two comrades went
220	On pilgrimage, and all in good intent;
	And it so chanced they came into a town
	Where there was such a crowding, up and down,
	Of people, and so little harbourage,
	That they found not so much as one cottage
225	Wherein the two of them might sheltered be.
	Wherefore they must, as of necessity,
	For that one night at least, part company;
	And each went to a different hostelry
	And took such lodgment as to him did fall.
230	Now one of them was lodged within a stall,
	Far in a yard, with oxen of the plow;
	That other man found shelter fair enow,
	As was his luck, or was his good fortune,
	Whatever 'tis that governs us, each one.

235	And so bifel, that longe er it were day
	This man mette in his bed, ther as he lay,
	How that his felawe gan upon hym calle
	And seyde, `Allas, for in an oxes stalle
	This nyght I shal be mordred, ther I lye!
240	Now help me, deere brother, or I dye;
	In alle haste com to me!" he sayde.
	This man out of his sleep for feere abrayde;
	But whan that he was wakened of his sleep,
	He turned hym and took of it no keep.
245	Hym thoughte, his dreem nas but a vanitee.
	Thus twies in his slepyng dremed hee,
	And atte thridde tyme yet his felawe
	Cam, as hym thoughte, and seide, `I am now slawe,
	Bihoold my bloody woundes depe and wyde;
250	Arys up erly in the morwe-tyde,
	And at the west gate of the toun,' quod he,
	`A carte ful of donge ther shaltow se,
	In which my body is hid ful prively.
	Do thilke carte arresten boldely;
255	My gold caused my mordre, sooth to sayn.'-
	And tolde hym every point, how he was slayn,
	With a ful pitous face, pale of hewe;
	And truste wel, his dreem he foond ful trewe.
	For on the morwe, as soone as it was day,
260	To his felawes in he took the way,
	And whan that he cam to this oxes stalle,
	After his felawe he bigan to calle.

235	So it happened that, long before it was day,
	This last man dreamed in bed, as there he lay,
	That his poor fellow did unto him call,
	Saying: 'Alas! For in an ox's stall
	This night shall I be murdered where I lie.
240	Now help me, brother dear, before I die.
	Come in all haste to me.' 'Twas thus he said.
	This man woke out of sleep, then, all afraid;
	But when he'd wakened fully from his sleep,
	He turned upon his pillow, yawning deep,
245	Thinking his dream was but a fantasy.
	And then again, while sleeping, thus dreamed he.
	And then a third time came a voice that said
	Or so he thought: 'Now, comrade, I am dead;
	Behold my bloody wounds, so wide and deep!
250	Early arise tomorrow from your sleep,
	And at the west gate of the town,' said he,
	'A wagon full of dung there shall you see,
	Wherein is hid my body craftily;
	Do you arrest this wagon right boldly.
255	They killed me for what money they could gain.'
	And told in every point how he'd been slain,
	With a most pitiful face and pale of hue.
	And trust me well, this dream did all come true;
	For on the morrow, soon as it was day,
260	Unto his comrade's inn he took the way;
	And when he'd come into that ox's stall,
	Upon his fellow he began to call.