Michael Appelt

In this episode of Musical Poetry, we travel back to 14th-century England and step into the world of Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, one of the greatest journeys ever written in the English language.

The episode begins with a brief reflection on the Prologue, a living tapestry of medieval society, where knights, friars, merchants, and storytellers share the same road toward Canterbury.

Then, something unexpected happens: a soul band from the 1970s is accidentally sent back in time and commanded by the king himself to perform Chaucer’s Prologue.

What follows is a playful fusion of centuries — a rhythm-filled recitation of Middle English poetry, alive with groove, fire, and imagination.

The Canterbury Tales — The General Prologue (Original Middle English)

Whan that Aprille with his shoures soote
The droghte of March hath perced to the roote,
And bathed every veyne in swich licóur,
Of which vertú engendred is the flour;
Whan Zephirus eek with his swete breeth
Inspired hath in every holt and heeth
The tendre croppes, and the yonge sonne
Hath in the Ram his halfe cours y-ronne,
And smale foweles maken melodye,
That slepen al the night with open ye,
(So priketh hem Nature in hir coráges):
Thanne longen folk to goon on pilgrimages,
And palmeres for to seken straunge strondes,
To ferne halwes, kowthe in sondry londes;
And specially, from every shires ende
Of Engelond, to Caunterbury they wende,
The hooly blisful martir for to seke,
That hem hath holpen, whan that they were seeke.

Bifil that in that seson, on a day,
In Southwerk at the Tabard as I lay
Redy to wenden on my pilgrymage
To Caunterbury with ful devout corage,
At night was come into that hostelrye
Wel nyne and twenty in a compaignye,
Of sondry folk, by áventure y-falle
In felaweshipe, and pilgrimes were they alle,
That toward Caunterbury wolden ryde;
The chambres and the stables weren wyde,
And wel we weren esed atte beste.
And shortly, whan the sonne was to reste,
So hadde I spoken with hem everichoon,
That I was of hir felaweshipe anoon,
And made forward erly for to ryse,
To take oure wey, ther as I yow devyse.

But nathelees, whil I have tyme and space,
Er that I ferther in this tale pace,
Me thynketh it acordaunt to resoun,
To telle yow al the condicioun
Of ech of hem, so as it semed me,
And whiche they weren, and of what degree,
And eek in what array that they were inne;
And at a knyght than wol I first bigynne.

Modern English Translation

When April with his sweet showers has pierced

The drought of March right to the root, and bathed

Each vein of every plant in such a moisture

As brings forth the flower by its power of birth;

When also Zephyr with his gentle breath

Has quickened again, in every wood and heath,

The tender shoots, and the young sun has run

His half course through the sign of the Ram,

And little birds make melody,

That sleep all night with open eye

(So Nature pricks them in their hearts),

Then people long to go on pilgrimages,

And palmers to seek out strange shores,

To distant shrines well known in various lands;

And specially from every shire’s end

Of England they to Canterbury wend,

The holy blessed martyr there to seek,

Who helped them when they lay so ill and weak.

It happened that, in that season one day,

In Southwark, at the Tabard Inn, as I lay,

Ready to go on pilgrimage and start

To Canterbury with a devout heart,

At night there came into that hostelry

A company of twenty-nine, nearly thirty,

Of sundry folk by chance all in one groupIn fellowship, and pilgrims were they all,

That toward Canterbury meant to ride.

The rooms and stables were both wide,

And we were well accommodated there.

And shortly, when the sun had gone to rest,

I had spoken with them, every one,

So that I was of their fellowship anon,

And made agreement early to arise,

To take our way, as I shall you devise.

But nonetheless, while I have time and space,

Before I farther in this story pace,

It seems to me accordant with reason

To tell you all the condition

Of each of them, as it appeared to me,

And who they were, and of what degree,

And also in what manner they were clad;

And first, I’ll start with the Knight, so glad.