The Canterbury Tales: The Pardoner's Tale Lines 406 – 424 Summary

  • "God's arms!" says one of the party-boys, "Is he really that dangerous?
  • I'll look for him on the highways and in the village streets; I swear it by God's noble bones!
  • Listen, fellows, we're a team. Let's join hands and swear brotherhood, and we'll kill this traitor Death.
  • The killer will be dead before nightfall!"
  • So they pledge their loyalty to die for each other as if they are brothers.
  • Then they start up in a drunken rage and go out toward the village that the bartender mentioned.
  • They swear many terrible oaths, tearing Christ's body to pieces. They promise that Death will die if they ever get their hands on him.