The pardoner's tale

Three rioters, three evil-doing men, were sitting in a tavern having a drink. And as they sat there they heard a hand-bell ring and saw a coffin being carried past them in the street. So one of them said to the tavern-boy, "Go and find out at once whose corpse is in that coffin, anti mind you don't forget his name."

"Sir," said the boy, "there is no need for me to go. Just before you came in I was told that this dead man, who used to be a friend of yours, had died last night We've got a thief round here called Death. He killed a thousand people in the present plague, and having killed he goes away without a word."

"What the child says is right," added the innkeeper. "You better be careful too, and look out you don't meet him on the road."

"Is he as fierce as mat?" cried the rioter. "Then I'll search for him." And he turned to the other two rioters and said, "Here, chaps, we'll go all three together and we'll be brothers in this affair and each defend the others. And we will kill this traitor Death. “And the other two rioters joined in shouting at the top of their voices: "If we can only catch him. Death is dead."

And the three rioters set out to find the enemy of mankind. They had not walked half a mile when they met a very poor old man who humbly greeted them. But the proudest of the three young men answered, "What, old fool? Give place! Why live so long? Isn't it time for you to die?"

The old man answered quietly that he would gladly die, but since the had as yet never met a man who would give away youth and take him his old age, he was compelled to live on and couldn't help it. Then he told them not to speak roughly to an old man who did not "lean to injure them. He wanted to go away, but the second rioter, who was a gambler, barred his way: "We won't let you go off so easily. We heard you mention the traitor Death. You are most probably his spy; now wait a bit, say where he is or you shall pay for it."

"Well, Sirs," said the old man, "if you have made up your mind to find Death, you needn't go far. Turn up this crooked way to that grove. You'll find Death waiting under an oak. He isn't one to hide."

At once the three young rioters began

To run, and reached the tree, and there they found .

A pile of golden florins on the ground,

New-coined, eight bushels of them as they thought.

No longer was it Death those fellows sought,

For they were all so thrilled to see the sight,

The florins were so beautiful and bright,

That down they sat beside me precious pile.

The wickedest spoke first after a while.

"Brothers," he said, "you listen to what I say.

I'm pretty sharp, although I joke away.

It's clear that Fortune has bestowed this treasure

To let us live in jollity and pleasure.

Light come, light go! We'll spend it as we ought.

God's precious dignity! Who would have thought ?

This morning was to be our lucky day.

If one could only get this gold away.

Back to my house, or else to yours, perhaps, –

For as you know the gold is ours, chaps, –

We'd all be at the top of fortune, hey?

But certainly it can't be done by day.

People would call us robbers – a strong gang,

So our own property would make us hang.

No, we must bring this treasure back by night

Some prudent way and keep it out of sight."

He then proposed to draw lots: the man whose luck was to draw the longest lot was to run to town and fetch bread and wine, while the two others were to stay behind and guard the gold. And after dark they would all three carry it away.

The lot fell to the youngest and he ran off No sooner was he gone than the wicked men made another plan: "We have a chance," one of them said, "to get each a larger share of the gold if we divide it into two parts and not into three. If you want me to do you a friendly turn, do as I tell you: as soon as the young fellow comes back, have a wrestle with him as if for fun, and while you are struggling, I'll come up and pitman dagger through his back, and when he falls, you will do the same and finish him."

In the meantime the youngest, who had nearly reached the town, kept thinking about the gold pieces until it struck him that he could take them all for himself If he got some poison he could do away with his two friends, and then the gold would be all his own.

At first he got the bread and wine. Then he found an apothecary who was selling poison to kill rats. He bought some. Then he found a man who lent him three bottles. One bottle he kept clean for his own use and into the other two he poured the poison. Then he filled them all with wine'-and walked back to the grove.

When he reached the oak, the first two rioters did exactly as they had planned: they fell on the young one and killed him, which was not hard to do since they were two to one.

Then said the first of them when this was done:

"Now for a drink. Sit down and let's be merry,

For later on there'll be the corpse to bury."

And as it happened, reaching for a sup

He took a bottle full of poison up

And drank; and his companion, nothing loth,

Drank from it also, and they perished both.

Thus these (wo murderers received their due,

So did the treacherous young poisoner too.