Canterbury Tales Russell the Fox Quotes

His colour was bitwixe yelow and reed…
His snowte smal, with glowynge eyen tweye.
Yet of his look for feere almoost I deye.

– Geoffrey Chaucer

The Canterbury Tales, The Nun’s Priest’s Tale. Pertelote listens as Chauntecleer describes the terrifying, hound-like beast that attacks him in his dream. His color is between yellow and red, his snout small, with two glowing eyes, and for fear of his look the terrified rooster says he almost dies. This is the Fox that will later attack Chauntecleer.

A col-fox, ful of sly iniquitee,
That in the grove hadde woned yeres three,
By heigh ymaginacioun forn-cast,
The same nyght thurghout the hegges brast
Into the yerd, ther Chauntecleer the faire
Was wont, and eek hise wyves, to repaire.

– Geoffrey Chaucer

The Canterbury Tales, The Nun’s Priest’s Tale. At night a coal-tipped sly Fox breaks through into the yard where Chauntecleer and his hen-wives are accustomed to go. He hides in a bed of cabbages to ambush Chauntecleer the next morning. He had been lurking in the grove for three years awaiting this opportunity to attack.

This Chauntecleer, whan he gan hym espye,
He wolde han fled, but that the fox anon
Seyde, "Gentil sire, allas, wher wol ye gon?
Be ye affrayed of me that am youre freend?
Now, certes, I were worse than a feend,
If I to yow wolde harm or vileynye!
I am nat come youre conseil for t’ espye,
But trewely, the cause of my comynge
Was oonly for to herkne how that ye synge.

– Geoffrey Chaucer

The Canterbury Tales, The Nun’s Priest’s Tale. Pretending to be his friend, sneaky Russell the Fox lies and smooth talks the rooster. He tells him he is not there to do him harm or villany, but to hear him sing. The smart Fox employs a simile to overstate the quality of Chauntecleer’s voice in a bid to dupe the easily flattered rooster. As merry as has any angel in heaven, he describes his voice. He appeals to Chauntecleer’s ego and pride. The rooster’s vanity and gullibility ensures that he doesn’t flee, as he should, and instead falls into the Fox’s trap.

My lord youre fader – God his soule blesse! –
And eek youre mooder, of hire gentillesse,
Han in myn hous ybeen to my greet ese.

– Geoffrey Chaucer

The Canterbury Tales, The Nun’s Priest’s Tale. There is a chilling irony in the words of the Fox to Chauntecleer. He reveals that Chauntecleer’s parents have been to his house to his great pleasure – in other words he ate them, as farmyard fowl don’t do social calls to a fox’s den! But this goes completely over the head of the cock, who is oblivious to the danger.

"Lat se; konne ye youre fader countrefete?"
This Chauntecleer his wynges gan to bete,
As man that koude his traysoun nat espie,
So was he ravysshed with his flaterie.

– Geoffrey Chaucer

The Canterbury Tales, The Nun’s Priest’s Tale. The Fox gets to the punchline of his series of insincere compliments and false flattery of Chauntecleer. He issues the challenge: can the rooster imitate his father’s great singing? The proud cock begins to beat his sings. As one who cannot see the Fox’s treason he is said to be so ravished with his flattery.

This Chauntecleer stood hye upon his toos,
Strecchynge his nekke, and heeld hise eyen cloos,
And gan to crowe loude for the nones,
And daun Russell the fox stirte up atones,
And by the gargat hente Chauntecleer,
And on his bak toward the wode hym beer.

– Geoffrey Chaucer

The Canterbury Tales, The Nun’s Priest’s Tale. Overcome by the sin of pride, Chauntecleer falls for Russell the Fox’s flattery bait about his singing voice. Standing high on his toes, stretches his neck, closes his eyes and crows loudly. Taking his opportunity, the Fox seizes the rooster by the neck and carries him back towards the woods.
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