WHEN said was this miracle, every man As sober* was, that wonder was to see, *serious Till that our Host to japen* he began, *talk lightly And then *at erst* he looked upon me, *for the first time* And saide thus; 'What man art thou?
' quoth he; 'Thou lookest as thou wouldest find an hare, For ever on the ground I see thee stare. 'Approache near, and look up merrily. Now ware you, Sirs, and let this man have place.
He in the waist is shapen as well as I; <2> This were a puppet in an arm t’embrace For any woman small and fair of face. He seemeth elvish* by his countenance, *surly, morose For unto no wight doth he dalliance.
'Say now somewhat, since other folk have said; Tell us a tale of mirth, and that anon. ' 'Hoste,' quoth I, 'be not evil apaid,* *dissatisfied For other tale certes can* I none, *know Eut of a rhyme I learned yore* agone.
' *long 'Yea, that is good,' quoth he; 'now shall we hear Some dainty thing, me thinketh by thy cheer. '* *expression, mien Notes to the Prologue to Chaucer’s Tale of Sir Thopas 1.
This prologue is interesting, for the picture which it gives of Chaucer himself; riding apart from and indifferent to the rest of the pilgrims, with eyes fixed on the ground, and an 'elvish', morose, or rather self-absorbed air; portly, if not actually stout, in body; and evidently a man out of the common, as the closing words of the Host imply.
2. Referring to the poet’s corpulency. The First Fit* *part Listen, lordings, in good intent, And I will tell you verrament* *truly Of mirth and of solas,* *delight, solace All of a knight was fair and gent,* *gentle In battle and in tournament, His