|
Wery and weet, as beest is in the reyn, |
| Comth sely John, and with him comth Aleyn. |
| 255 | "Allas," quod John, "the day that I was born! |
| Now are we dryve til hethyng and til scorn. |
| Oure corn is stoln, men wil us fooles calle, |
| Bathe the wardeyn and oure felawes alle, |
| And namely the millere, weylaway!" |
| 260 | Thus pleyneth John as he gooth by the way |
| Toward the mille, and Bayard in his hond. |
| The millere sittynge by the fyr he fond, |
| For it was nyght, and forther myghte they noght; |
| But for the love of God they hym bisoght |
| 265 | Of herberwe and of ese, as for hir peny. |
| The millere seyde agayn, "If ther be eny, |
| Swich as it is, yet shal ye have youre part. |
| Myn hous is streit, but ye han lerned art; |
| Ye konne by arguments make a place |
| 270 | A myle brood of twenty foot of space. |
| Lat se now if this place may suffise, |
| Or make it rowm with speche, as is your gise." |
| "Now, Symond," seyde John, "by seint Cutberd, |
| Ay is thou myrie, and this is faire answerd. |
| 275 | I have herd seyd, 'Man sal taa of twa thynges |
| Slyk as he fyndes, or taa slyk as he brynges.' |
| But specially I pray thee, hooste deere, |
| Get us som mete and drynke, and make us cheere, |
| And we wil payen trewely atte fulle. |
| 280 | With empty hand men may na haukes tulle; |
| Loo, heere oure silver, redy for to spende." |
| This millere into toun his doghter sende |
| For ale and breed, and rosted hem a goos, |
| And booned hire hors, it sholde namoore go loos; |
| 285 | And in his owene chambre hem made a bed, |
| With sheetes and with chalons faire yspred, |
| Noght from his owene bed ten foot or twelve. |
| His doghter hadde a bed, al by hirselve, |
| Right in the same chambre by and by. |
| 290 | It myghte be no bet, and cause why? |
| Ther was no roumer herberwe in the place. |
| They soupen and they speke, hem to solace, |
| And drynken evere strong ale atte beste. |
| Aboute mydnyght wente they to reste. |
| 295 | Wel hath this millere vernysshed his heed; |
| Ful pale he was for dronken, and nat reed. |
| He yexeth, and he speketh thurgh the nose |
| As he were on the quakke, or on the pose. |
| To bedde he goth, and with hym goth his wyf. |
| 300 | As any jay she light was and jolyf, |
| So was hir joly whistle wel ywet. |
| The cradel at hir beddes feet is set, |
| To rokken, and to yeve the child to sowke. |
| And whan that dronken al was in the crowke, |
| 305 | To bedde wente the doghter right anon; |
| To bedde goth Aleyn and also John; |
| Ther nas na moore, - hem nebede no dwale. |
| This millere hath so wisely bibbed ale |
| That as an hors he fnorteth in his sleep, |
| 310 | Ne of his tayl bihynde he took no keep. |
| His wyf bar hym a burdon, a ful strong; |
| Men myghte hir rowtyng heere two furlong; |
| The wenche rowteth eek, par compaignye. |
|
| Weary and wet, as beast is in the rain, |
| Came foolish John and with him came Alain. |
| 255 | "Alas," said John, "the day that I was born! |
| Now are we bound toward mockery and scorn. |
| Our corn is stolen, folk will call us fools, |
| The warden and the fellows at the schools, |
| And specially this miller. What a day!" |
| 260 | Thus John complained as he went on his way |
| Toward the mill, with Bayard once more bound. |
| The miller sitting by the fire he found, |
| For it was night, and farther could they not; |
| But, for the love of God, they him besought |
| 265 | For shelter and for supper, for their penny. |
| The miller said to them: "If there be any, |
| Such as it is, that you shall have your part. |
| My house is small, but you have learned your art; |
| You can, by metaphysics, make a place |
| 270 | A full mile wide in twenty feet of space. |
| Let us see now if this place will suffice, |
| Or make more room with speech, by some device." |
| "Now, Simon," said John, "by Saint Cuthbert's beard, |
| You're always merry and have well answered. |
| 275 | As I've heard, man shall take one of two things: |
| Such as he finds, or take such as he brings. |
| But specially, I pray you, mine host dear, |
| Give us some meat and drink and some good cheer, |
| And we will pay you, truly, to the full. |
| 280 | With empty hand no man takes hawk or gull; |
| Well, here's our silver, ready to be spent." |
| This miller to the town his daughter sent |
| For ale and bread, and roasted them a goose, |
| And tied their horse, that it might not go loose; |
| 285 | And then in his own chamber made a bed, |
| With sheets and with good blankets fairly spread, |
| Not from his bed more than ten feet or twelve. |
| The daughter had a bed all by herself, |
| In the same chamber with them, by and by; |
| 290 | It could not well be improved, and for why? |
| There was no larger lodging in the place. |
| They ate and talked, and gained some small solace, |
| And drank strong ale, that evening, of the best. |
| Then about midnight all they went to rest. |
| 295 | Well had this miller varnished his bald head, |
| For pale he was of drinking, and not red. |
| He hiccoughed and he mumbled through his nose, |
| As he were chilled, with humours lachrymose. |
| To bed he went, his wife and he together. |
| 300 | She was as jolly as a jay in feather, |
| So copiously was her gay whistle wet. |
| The cradle near her bed's foot-board was set, |
| Handy for rocking and for giving suck. |
| And when they'd drunk up all there was in crock, |
| 305 | To bed went miller's daughter, and thereupon |
| To bed went Alain and to bed went John. |
| There was no more; no sleeping drug was needed. |
| This miller had drunk so much ale unheeded |
| That, like a horse, he snorted in his sleep, |
| 310 | While of his tail behind he kept no keep. |
| His wife joined in his chorus, and so strong, |
| Men might have heard her snores a full furlong; |
| And the girl snored, as well, for company. |
|
