And which of yow that bereth hym best of alle –
That is to seyn, that telleth in this caas
Tales of best sentence and moost solaas –
Shal have a soper at oure aller cost
Heere in this place, sittynge by this post,
Whan that we come agayn fro Caunterbury.
– Geoffrey Chaucer
The Canterbury Tales, General Prologue. The Host comes up with a competition for the pilgrims on their way to Canterbury. Each is to tell two tales on the way and two on the journey back home. The winner will receive a supper at the cost of them all in the Host’s inn when they come back from Canterbury.