No Fear Literature: The Canterbury Tales: The Miller's Tale The Miller’s Tale Page 12

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Original Text	Modern Text
‘Yis,’ quod this carpenter, ‘ful yore ago.’	‘Yis,’ quod this carpenter, ‘ful yore ago.’
‘Hastow nat herd,’ quod Nicholas, ‘also The sorwe of Noë with his felawshipe, Er that he mighte gete his wyf to shipe? Him had be lever, I dar wel undertake, At thilke tyme, than alle hise wetheres blake, That she hadde had a ship hir-self allone. And ther-fore, wostou what is best to done? This asketh haste, and of an hastif thing Men may nat preche or maken tarying.	‘Hastow nat herd,’ quod Nicholas, ‘also The sorwe of Noë with his felawshipe, Er that he mighte gete his wyf to shipe? Him had be lever, I dar wel undertake, At thilke tyme, than alle hise wetheres blake, That she hadde had a ship hir-self allone. And ther-fore, wostou what is best to done? This asketh haste, and of an hastif thing Men may nat preche or maken tarying.
Anon go gete us faste in-to this in A kneding-trogh, or elles a kimelin, For ech of us, but loke that they be large, In whiche we mowe swimme as in a barge, And han ther-inne vitaille suffisant But for a day; fy on the remenant! The water shal aslake and goon away Aboute pryme upon the nexte day. But Robin may nat wite of this, thy knave, Ne eek thy mayde Gille I may nat save; Axe nat why, for though thou aske me, I wol nat tellen Goddes privetee. Suffiseth thee, but if thy wittes madde, To han as greet a grace as Noë hadde. Thy wyf shal I wel saven, out of doute, Go now thy wey, and speed thee heer-aboute.	Anon go gete us faste in-to this in A kneding-trogh, or elles a kimelin, For ech of us, but loke that they be large, In whiche we mowe swimme as in a barge, And han ther-inne vitaille suffisant But for a day; fy on the remenant! The water shal aslake and goon away Aboute pryme upon the nexte day. But Robin may nat wite of this, thy knave, Ne eek thy mayde Gille I may nat save; Axe nat why, for though thou aske me, I wol nat tellen Goddes privetee. Suffiseth thee, but if thy wittes madde, To han as greet a grace as Noë hadde. Thy wyf shal I wel saven, out of doute, Go now thy wey, and speed thee heer-aboute.

Original Text	Modern Text
‘Yis,’ quod this carpenter, ‘ful yore ago.’	‘Yis,’ quod this carpenter, ‘ful yore ago.’
‘Hastow nat herd,’ quod Nicholas, ‘also The sorwe of Noë with his felawshipe, Er that he mighte gete his wyf to shipe? Him had be lever, I dar wel undertake, At thilke tyme, than alle hise wetheres blake, That she hadde had a ship hir-self allone. And ther-fore, wostou what is best to done? This asketh haste, and of an hastif thing Men may nat preche or maken tarying.	‘Hastow nat herd,’ quod Nicholas, ‘also The sorwe of Noë with his felawshipe, Er that he mighte gete his wyf to shipe? Him had be lever, I dar wel undertake, At thilke tyme, than alle hise wetheres blake, That she hadde had a ship hir-self allone. And ther-fore, wostou what is best to done? This asketh haste, and of an hastif thing Men may nat preche or maken tarying.
Anon go gete us faste in-to this in A kneding-trogh, or elles a kimelin, For ech of us, but loke that they be large, In whiche we mowe swimme as in a barge, And han ther-inne vitaille suffisant But for a day; fy on the remenant! The water shal aslake and goon away Aboute pryme upon the nexte day. But Robin may nat wite of this, thy knave, Ne eek thy mayde Gille I may nat save; Axe nat why, for though thou aske me, I wol nat tellen Goddes privetee. Suffiseth thee, but if thy wittes madde, To han as greet a grace as Noë hadde. Thy wyf shal I wel saven, out of doute, Go now thy wey, and speed thee heer-aboute.	Anon go gete us faste in-to this in A kneding-trogh, or elles a kimelin, For ech of us, but loke that they be large, In whiche we mowe swimme as in a barge, And han ther-inne vitaille suffisant But for a day; fy on the remenant! The water shal aslake and goon away Aboute pryme upon the nexte day. But Robin may nat wite of this, thy knave, Ne eek thy mayde Gille I may nat save; Axe nat why, for though thou aske me, I wol nat tellen Goddes privetee. Suffiseth thee, but if thy wittes madde, To han as greet a grace as Noë hadde. Thy wyf shal I wel saven, out of doute, Go now thy wey, and speed thee heer-aboute.