The Wife of Bath's Prologue

They say Experience
Has no value
And it's no authority

But of husbands
I've had five
So you should
Listen to me

Folks may spin yarns
I mend and darn
A seamstress I will stitch
Together a story
You'll well remember

I'll sing for my supper
But if I tell a good lie
You'll buy my supper tonight

And if I do tell things true
Well, my supper
Will be on you

They tell girls
Oh, act so pretty
And don't make yourself filthy

Don't enjoy it
Don't have fun
He's not the one

Don't sully yourself
Before your God
But do your duty
By your husband, Todd

And I say
Don't pay them heed

If marriage was good
For King Solomon
And virgins can't
Make more virgins, true

I say have fun
You are the one
For you

I will kneel for my God
On the stone shod and unshod
And I will visit the cathedral
Pay respects

A pilgrim to Jerusalem
To Canterbury, too
But mind
Don't tell me
What to do

So I had five husbands
Three good and two bad
Some were old with gold
And some were lads

But the thing I know
And I know it well
Is ruling ladies
Is their own, fresh Hell

I hail from Bath
Don't need to
Cleanse myself
Of all that I have lived

Let me speak
Mr. Pardoner
And please don't interrupt
There is much that
I have still to say

Maids can be
The fresh, white bread
But I'll be barley
And I'll wear red

And moths won't
Have a chance
To eat my
Best, crimson dress

For I'll wear it often
Around the town
My friends
And lovers
Well, they like that gown

But what matters
Is that I like it
All myself

My last husband
Oh I liked him well
Married not for money
But his lovin', swell

His name was Jankyn
And I outranked him
I don't think that's a sin

But he had a book of
Evil wives
When I opened it
Oh, I saw those lies

And I thought
My laddie
Well, that just won't do

So I tore three pages
From those false sages
And he met that act
With his lack of tact

But I matched him
And I met him
Neck and neck

And I said
Jankyn, I'm the mistress here
And you can't stay
'Til you give me sway

We'll be happy
If I have my say
Am queen of our domain

And finally he saw
Some sense
And we were jolly
From then on hence

And I bid you
Know
That this is all a fact

So let me tell you
My great tale
Sit tight, be merry
Drink your ale

Let Alysoun
Regale you with her song