The Canterbury Tales: The Friar Outwits The Summoner

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the friar implies that a summoner must indeed know the deceitful arts of theft and embezzlement: “He knew so much of bribery and blackmail I should be two years telling you the tale.” By giving so many portraits of a summoner, the friar is sketching what he thinks of summoners in general. Having gathered all this, “A summoner isn’t much to be commended.” The summoner however, resorts to vulgarity due to anger: “…when my turn’s to come I’ll pay him back by God! I’ll strike him dumb!” The summoner begins the tale by noting that friars are found only in the “arse” of the devil: “Show forth thine arse and let the friar see the nested ordained for friars in this place!” The summoner concludes the tale with a vulgar situation as well. “When the sick man could feel him here and there groping about his fundament with care, into that friar’s hand he blew a fart.” The second tale is offensive and less witty because it was malevolently told in response to the account told by the friar.
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