Wife of Bath was riding to Canterbury. She was a large woman with a red face. She was rich and had had five husbands, but they had all died. Her tale was about the time of King Arthur and Knight of the round table.
Once there was a bad young knight who had broken the laws. King Arthur heard what he done. He was angry and said he must die. The Queen and her ladies beg for his life so the King told the Queen to do whatever she liked with the young knight.
The Queen thought and said to the knight “you shall live if you can tell me what does a woman want most of all?” the Queen give him to find the answer a year and a day. If he cannot find it, he must die
After that he asked many people and got many of answer seemed to be right. At last, the knight had to go back and take his answer. Just then he came to a great wood. Twenty-Four ladies were dancing there. He turned toward. They had all gone but only one very old, ugly woman sat there.
“Are you looking for something, I can help you” The very old woman said. The knight tells the question and tells her if she can answer he will pay her well. She wants him to promise then she will tell the right answer. The knight promises so the very old woman spoke very quiet into his ear.
Then they went along together. The knight came forward and answer the question “the thing which every woman wants most is woman want to make her husband do as wished. The Queen said “it was the right answer”
Suddenly the old woman came and said about what he promises her before. She said to him to take her as his wife. He didn’t want to marry with her.
There is nothing at their marriage. It was done very quietly. That night his ugly wife turned to him and ask him what have her done wrong and she would try to do better. The knight told that she can’t do her age and face better. She said “beauty is only outside the face became old but the heart is always young” He was surprised. He said to her that very wise and good. The knight kissed her and found the he was kissing a very beautiful girl. They lived happily together all their lives.
That is the end of her story. She wished to have husbands who young and loving. Men should do what their wives tell them to do.