The Miller's Tale
Folio 51r
18 of 19 folios
This Nicholas anon let flee a fart
As gret as it had ben a thundir dent
620
And with þat strook he was almost I blent
And he was redy with his yren hoot
And Nicholas amyd þe ers he smoot
Of goþ þe skyn an hande brede aboute
The hoote cultre brente so his toute
625
And for þe smert / he wende for to dye
As he were wood anon he gan to crye
Help watir watir / help for goddes herte
This Carpenter out of his slumber sterte
And herd on crye watir as he were wood
630
He þought allas for now comeþ Noes flood
He sit him vp wiþoute wordes mo
And wiþ his ax he smot þe corde a two
And doun he goþ he fond nowthir to selle
No bred ne ale til he com to þe selle /
635
Vpon þe floor and þer aswoun he lay
Vp styrt hir alisoun and Nicholay
And cryden out and harrow in þe strete /
The neyghebours boþe smal and grete /
In ronnen for to gauren on þis man
640
That a swowne lay boþe pale and wan
For with þe fal he brosten had his arm
But stond he muste to his owne harm
For whan he spak he was anon born doun
With heende Nicholas and alisou~
645
They tolden euery man þat he was wood
He was a gast and feerd of Noes flood
Thurgh fantasie þat of his vanite /
He hadde I bougħt him knedyng tubbes þre /
And hadde hem hanged in þe roof aboue /
650
And þat he preyed hem for goddes loue /
To sitten in þe roof par compaignye
The folk gan lawhen at his fantasye /
In to þe roof þey kyken and þey gape
And torne al his harm in to a Iape
655
For what so euer þe carpent er answerde