The Canterbury Tales: The Miller's Tale Lines 493-548 Summary

Lines 493-529

• John leaves the room in a sorry state.
• He explains the situation to Alisoun, who pretends to believe him and tells him to go ahead quickly in order to save their lives.
• The narrator comments upon how great a thing imagination is: so deep can an impression (or imagining) be that men can die of it.
• John imagines that he can see the flood drowning Alisoun, which makes him weep.
• John gets three tubs and hangs them from the rafters of his house, then places ladders next to each one.
• He places bread, cheese and ale in each tub and sends his servants off to London.
• John, Nicholas, and Alisoun climb into the tubs.

Lines 530-548

• Nicholas tells everyone to be quiet.
• John sits very still in his tub, saying prayers and waiting for the rain.
• John falls asleep and begins to snore.
• Nicholas and Alisoun climb down from their tubs and go to bed together.
• They have sex in John's bed until almost dawn.