The Host pokes fun at the Cook, riding at the back of thecompany, blind drunk.

The Host began to crack jokes at the Cook who had fallenasleep and was swaying dangerously on his saddle. TheHost’s efforts to wake him up were unsuccessful. Suddenlythe Cook’s horse threw him off.

The pilgrims hadto stop and withgreat effort theymanaged to puthim back on hissaddle. The Hostthen requestedthe Manciple totell a story.

Phoebus had a wife who was dearer to him than his own life. Hedid his very best to keep her satisfied and treated her withrespect. But Phoebus was also extremely jealous and kept a strictvigilance over his wife to ensure that he would not be deceived.

Phoebus had a snow-white crow that couldimitate anybody’s speech and sing more sweetlythan a nightingale.

One day when Phoebus went out of town on business...

His wife sent for her lover and made passionate love with him.Phoebus’ wife had a secret lover.

The crow witnessed this event but kept quiet.

When Phoebus returned home…

…the crow revealed that his wife had betrayed him and gave ample proof to substantiate the charge.

Phoebus was heart-broken…

…and in a fury…

…killed his wife.

But soon enough he was filled with remorse and began to repent that he had acted hastily on flimsy evidence.

In a fit of rage Phoebus plucked out all the whitefeathers of the crow…

…and replaced them with black ones. He also took away thecrow’s power of speech and song. Further he cursed the crowthat all its descendants would be black and would have a harshvoice.

Great evil

springs from

verbosity

when a few

words are

sufficient.

Nothing that

has already

been said can

ever be made

unsaid.

Restrain and

exercise

control over

your tongue

and think