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== The Nun's Priest's Tale Summary ==
"The Nun's Priest's Tale" from Geoffrey Chaucer's "The Canterbury Tales" is a fable or a beast epic, told in response to the previous tragic stories narrated by the Monk. The Nun's Priest tells a lighter, more humorous tale that also carries moral lessons.

'''Here's a summary in modern English:'''

::The tale is set on a farm owned by a poor widow. The main characters are a rooster named Chanticleer, who is known for his beautiful crowing, and a sly fox. Chanticleer has seven hens as his companions, but his favourite is the fair Pertelote.

::One night, Chanticleer has a prophetic dream of being chased by a beast, which scares him. He tells Pertelote about his nightmare, but she dismisses it, mocking him for being afraid of a mere dream. She advises him to eat certain herbs to purge the fear from his system.

::However, Chanticleer argues that dreams can indeed be prophetic, citing various stories from history and literature. He then forgets his fears and goes about his daily life.

::Meanwhile, a fox who has been observing Chanticleer sees an opportunity to capture him. The fox flatters Chanticleer about his beautiful voice and asks him to close his eyes and sing. As Chanticleer does so, the fox seizes him and runs off to the woods.

::As the fox carries him away, Chanticleer suggests to the fox that he should tell his pursuers to give up the chase as he, the fox, has already won. The fox, falling for the trick, opens his mouth to speak, and Chanticleer promptly escapes and flies up into a tree. The fox tries to coax him down, but Chanticleer has learned his lesson and refuses to be tricked again.

::The tale concludes with the Nun's Priest advising the audience to beware of flattery, as it can lead to one's downfall.

"The Nun's Priest's Tale" is a humorous and moralistic story that explores the themes of flattery, foresight, and providence. It also offers a critique of over-analysing dreams and prophecies.

== Related pages ==
* [[The Canterbury Tales]]

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