The PARDONER

THE PARDONER (from the General Prologue)
This Pardoner had hair as yellow as wax,
Hanging down smoothly like a hank(гранка от прежда) of flax(лен).
In driblets (капка) fell his locks behind his head
Down to his shoulders which they overspread;
He aimed at riding in the latest mode;
But for a little cap his head was bare
And he had bulging(изпъкнали) eye-balls, like a hare.

His wallet lay before him on his lap,
Brimful(пълен до горе) of pardons come from Rome, all hot.
He had the same small voice a goat has got.
His chin no beard had harboured(приютявам), nor would harbour,
Smoother than ever chin was left by barber.
I judge he was a gelding(скопен кон), or a mare (кобила).

There was no pardoner of equal grace,
For in his trunk he had a pillow-case
Which he asserted was Our Lady’s (Света Богородица) veil.
He had a cross of metal set with stones
And with these relics, any time he found
Some poor up-country parson to astound (смайвам),
in one short day, in money down,he drew
more than the parson in a month or two,
And by his flatteries(ласкателства) and prevarication (извъртане,уклончиво поведение)
Made monkeys of the priest and congregation(паство).
But still to do him justice first and last
In church he was a noble ecclesiast(свещеник,църковно лице),
How well he read a lesson or a story!
But best of all he sang an Offertory,
For all he knew that when the song was sung
He’d have to preach and tune his honey-tongue
And(well he could) win silver from the crowd
That’s why he sang so merrily and loud.