The Cook’s tale

The Cook’s Tale is an incomplete story in The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer, published in 1387–1400.

It tells about a apprentice cook who is dismissed from his job. He moves in with a fellow reveler and his wife, who is a shopkeeper by day and a prostitute by night. The end of the story is uncertain and some versions of the Canterbury Tales omit this fragment.

The cook:

his name is Roger of Ware;

he is described as knowing what’s he’s doing in the kitchen, but dirty and sells food;

he also has a large sore in his leg.

The cook loved the Revee’s story and he’s excited for his own;

the host comments that it better be good, given how bad his food is;

he also comments that the cook sells old pies and his kitchen is unclean

PROLOGUE

The cook loved the Revee’s story and he’s excited for his own;

the host comments that it better be good, given how bad his food is;

he also comments that the cook sells old pies and his kitchen is unclean;

the cook replies that he will have a story about a Host on the way back to get revenge for his joking