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1、(TheWifeofBath’sTale)Intheolddays,thedaysofKingArthur10,HewhomtheBritonsholdingreathonour,Allofthislandwasfullofmagicthen.Andwithherjoyouscompanytheelf-queenDancedmanyatimeonmanyagreenmead.Thatwastheoldbelief,asifhaveread:Ispeakofmanyhundredyearsago.Butnowelv
2、escanbeseenbymennomore,FornowtheChristiancharityandprayersOflimiters11andothersaintlyfriars12Whohaunteachnookandcorner,fieldandstream,Thickasthemotesofdustinasunbeam,Blessingthebedrooms,kitchens,halls,andbowers,Citiesandtowns,castlesandhightowers,Villages,bar
3、ns,cattle-shedsanddairies,Haveseentoitthattherearenownofairies.ThoseplaceswhereyouoncewouldseeanelfAreplaceswherethelimiterhimselfWalksintheafternoonsandearlymornings,Singinghisholyofficesandmartins,Whilegoingontheroundsofhisdistrict.Womenmaynowgosafelywheret
4、heylike:Ineverybush,andundereverytree,They’llfindnoothersatyr13therebuthe:Andhe’lldonothingworsethantaketheirhonour.NowitsohappenedthatthisKingArthurHadinhiscourtaboldknight-bachelorWhoonedaywashawkingbytheriver,Anditsochanced,ashewasridinghome,Hemetamaidenwa
5、lkingallalone,Andthereupon,thoughshefoughtlongandhard,Theknighttookbymainforcehermaidenhood;Andthisoutrageoccasionedagreatstir,SomuchpetitioningofKingArthur,Thattheknightwas,induecourseoflaw,Condemnedtodeath,andwouldhavelosthisheadAccordingtothelawasitthensto
6、od,HadnotthequeenandmanyanotherladyImportunedthekingsolongformercyThatintheendhegrantedhimhislifeAndgavehimtothequeentodisposeof:Eithertoexecute,orsparehislife.Thequeengavethekingthankswithallherheart,10AndsometimeafterwardsspoketotheknightOnedaywhenshesawopp
7、ortunity:‘Yourfateisinthebalancestill,’saidshe,‘Youcannotyetbecertainofyourlife,Butyoushallliveifyoucananswerme,Whatisthethingthatwomenmostdesire?Yourneckisforfeittotheaxe—beware!AndifyoucannottellmehereandnowIshall,however,giveyouleavetogoAtwelvemonthandaday
8、,toseekandfindAnanswerthatwillsatisfymymind.Andyoumustpledge,beforeyoucandepart,Dulytoyieldyourselfupinthiscourt.’Sadwastheknight;sorrowfullyhesighed;Butthere!It’snotasifhe’danychoice.And
