Home > The Cook's Prologue and Tale

Chaucer presumably never finished the Cook's Tale and it breaks off after 58 lines. The story starts telling of an apprentice named Perkyn (aka Perkin) who is fond of drinking and dancing. Perkyn is released by his master and moves in with a friend who also loves to drink, and whose wife is a prostitute.

1 Prologue

The Cook (Roger) starts by commenting on the Reeve's tale and then, after a reference to Solomon, asks for his listeners to attend while he tells of a trick that was played in his city (Lines 1 - 19). The host then invites the cook to tell his tale (Lines 20 - 40)

2 The Cook's Tale

(Lines 41 - 98) An apprentice was nicknamed Perkin Reveller. He was well built and "full of love" for wenches that he chanced to meet. In fact, he loved the tavern more than the [work]shop. He and his friends often gathered to party and play dice, and Perkin was free with his money. His master found out about all this and thought of the proverb: "'Wel bet is roten appul out of hoord / Than that it rotie al the remenaunt" (It is better to throw out one rotten apple than let it lie and ruin the remainder). His master dismissed him (gave him his leave), so he left and met up with a friend whose wife was a whore.

The tale ends abruptly at this point.