Monday 15 November 2010

Canterbury-Riddles

1.
A well dressed man going in pilgrimage to Canterbury is accompanied by his tedious talk about his increase of capital and the need of sea-police here and there. He is the expert of experts at dabbling in exchanges, as in loans, bargains, and negotiation. An excellent fellow, but neither I nor you would never know his name.





2.
A thin gentleman, riding a horse thinner than him, carries a sober stare with him to Canterbury. An unworldly air surrounds him, he is grateful to those who helped him and so he prays for them with devotion and truth, he never speaks a word more than is need, he is so discreet, and as willingly as he learned he would then teach.





3.
A man poor and rich at the same time, he was of good renown, going to Canterbury together with his brother. A noble example he gave to his sheep—always thinking to himself that if gold rust, what will then iron do? He was a shepherd and no mercenary, never contemptuous, disdainful, never too proud or fine, he was a business man—he tried his best to gain souls for Heaven working on earth, not looking for pomp and glory, just for his Savior up above.





4.
Hot and lecherous, face on fire, no ointment, no cream would clean his disgusting look. He would make children run as fast as he would drink bottles of wine and shout and jabber like a madman, not in English no no no but in latin oh yes! he would do it at the best style of a parrot talking hollow empty words as he ate his garlic and his onions and his leeks as if he had no pimples on his cheeks.





5.
This noble man of the peasant class went steadily doing his job and loving God with all his heart; always loving his fellows just as himself. To Canterbury, he took with him his humbleness, his love of Christ, and his benevolence.

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