The Franklin and His Tale

"A Frankeleyn was in his compaignye.
Whit was his berd as is the dayesye;
Of his complexioun he was sangwyn.
Wel loved he by the morwe a sop in wyn;
To lyven in delit was evere his wone,
For he was Epicurus owene sone,
That heeld opinioun that pleyn delit
Was verray felicitee parfit.
An housholdere, and that a greet, was he;
Seing Julian he was in his contree." (331-340)

The Franklin tales the tale of Dorigen's rash promise to become Aurelius's lover if he can remove the rocks at the coast, a seemingly impossible task that she thinks of because she fears her husband Arveragus's returning boat will crash against the rocks.  Aurelius succeeds using magic, and the rest of the tale explores the problem of keeping one's promises.

"A Frankeleyn was in his compaignye.
Whit was his berd as is the dayesye;
Of his complexioun he was sangwyn.
Wel loved he by the morwe a sop in wyn;
To lyven in delit was evere his wone,
For he was Epicurus owene sone,
That heeld opinioun that pleyn delit
Was verray felicitee parfit.
An housholdere, and that a greet, was he;
Seing Julian he was in his contree." (331-340)

The Franklin tales the tale of Dorigen's rash promise to become Aurelius's lover if he can remove the rocks at the coast, a seemingly impossible task that she thinks of because she fears her husband Arveragus's returning boat will crash against the rocks.  Aurelius succeeds using magic, and the rest of the tale explores the problem of keeping one's promises.
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