Extracts from Chaucer's poem arranged for broadcasting by Nevill Coghill. Produced by Stephen Potter
1 — ' The Prologue and the Nun's Priest's Tale '
In this first selection are presented: the beginning of Chaucer's ' Prologue '-Chaucer's own preface to the whole group of stories: his description of the Parson, the Monk, the Friar, the Pardoner, and the Prioress; the words of the Nun's Priest and his story of Chanticleer the cock, Dame Pertelote the hen, and the fox. Introduced by Nevill Coghill , who has made this special version with the language partially modernised.
To quote Mr. Coghill: 'The language has changed since the 1390's. Some words have been dropped, some changed their meanings, some will neither rhyme nor scan if we pronounce them in the modern way.' He has made a version ' as faithful as I could with no wanton changes,' yet comprehensible to our ears.