The Canterbury Tales: The Pardoner's Tale Lines 149 – 176 Summary

  • I tell the people many examples taken from old stories, for unlearned people love old tales.
  • They easily remember them and tell their friends.
  • Do you think I'd choose to be poor when I can easily make tons of gold and silver with my preaching and teaching?
  • Nope, never crossed my mind.
  • As long as I can preach and ask for money in different places, I won't do manual labor, or weave baskets, and try to survive that way.
  • I have no desire to imitate any of the apostles. I want to have money, wool, cheese, and wheat, even if it's given to me by the poorest widow in a village.
  • Even if that poor widow's children starve from hunger, I want to have good wine and a wench in every town.
  • But listen, lords, enough about me: you want me to tell a tale.
  • Now that I've had a drink, I'll tell you something that you'll really enjoy.
  • I may be a bad person, but I can tell you a moral tale that I often preach to earn money.
  • So just settle down and be quiet, and I'll begin my tale.
  • (End of Prologue)