The Canterbury Tales The Reeve’s Tale

The Reeve The teller of this tale is the Reeve, Oswald. The Reeve had once been a carpenter, so he did not appreciate the Miller’s tale. The tale he chose to tell was to repay the Miller for his grotesque story, and he stated that it also would contain vulgar language.

Summary Simpkin, the miller was known for being a thief. He even stole corn that was brought to him to grind. One of his most valued customers, a bursar at the Cambridge college, became ill. Simpkin took advantage of this and stole twice as much corn from him. The warren complained, but nothing was done until two students who were friends decided to take actions into their own hands.

Summary cont. With the warren’s permission the two boys took the warren’s horse and a bag of corn and went to the miller. They asked the miller to grind the corn for them and they said that they wanted to stay there and watch. The miller knew that they were there to try and catch him stealing their corn. The miller then went around the house while the boys were watching the mill. He hit the warren’s horse to make it go prancing away.

Summary cont. The boys went chasing after the horse. While they were gone the miller stole the corn. When they came back they were dirty and tired. They told the miller that they would pay him for food and a place to sleep. After they ate, drank and had some laughs they went to sleep. The miller and his wife in one bed, the two boys in another, the miller’s daughter in her bed and the baby’s crib next to the miller’s bed.

Summary cont. The miller was snoring and the boy’s complained about the noise. Alan decided to pay the miller back and go and sleep with his daughter. John was upset to be sleeping alone so he got up and put the cradle next to his bed. The miller’s wife awoke and got out of bed and left the room. When she returned she was trying to feel for the cradle. When she found it she slept in that bed, which of course was john’s bed. When Alan got out of the daughter’s bed. He felt the cradle and figured that that was the miller’s bed so he went and slept in the other bed.

Summary cont. Alan talked to the miller, thinking it was John. Telling him about how he had just slept with the miller’s daughter. The miller woke up and started to strangle Alan. The wife woke up and screamed to see that she was in bed with John. She grabbed the poker and brought it down hitting her husband on the head. Alan and John put their clothes on, took their corn and went back to Cambridge

Characters Simpkin- the miller who steals the corn that is brought to him to grind The miller’s wife- only local parson Their children- a baby and a daughter who was fat and plain

Characters cont. Alan- a student who goes to a college in Cambridge John- A friend of Alan’s; another student who goes to college in Cambridge

“Do as you would be done by” The motto of this story is to do onto others as you would want done onto you. It shows that the miller should have done better to those that came to him, instead of tricking them.