The REVE was a sclendre colerik man.
 The REEVE was a slender choleric man

His berd was shave as ny as ever he kan;
Who shaved his beard as close as ever he can.

His heer was by his erys ful round yshorn;
His hair was closely cropped around his ears;

His top was dokked lyk a preest biforn.
His head, the top was cut alike a pulpiteer’s.

Ful longe were his legges, and ful lene,
Long were his legs, and they were very lean,

Ylyk a staf, ther was no calf ysene.
And like a staff, with no calf to be seen.

Wel koude he kepe a gerner and a bynne;
Well could he manage granary and bin;

Ther was noon auditour koude on him wynne.
No auditor could ever find anything.

Wel wiste he by the droghte and by the reyn,
He could foretell, by drought and by the rain,

The yeldynge of his seed and of his greyn.
The yielding of his seed and of his grain.

His lordes sheep, his neet, his dayerye,
His lord's sheep and his cattle and his dairy cows,

His swyn, his hors, his stoor, and his pultrye,
His swine and horses, his stores, his poultry house,

Was hoolly in this Reves governynge,
Were wholly in the Reve his managing;

And by his covenant yaf the rekenynge,
And, by agreement, he'd gave reckoning

Syn that his lord was twenty yeer of age,
Since his young lord of age was twenty years;

Ther koude no man brynge hym in arrerage.
Yet no man ever found him in arrears.

Ther nas baillif, ne hierde, nor oother hyne,
There was no agent, herd, or servant who'd cheat;

That he ne knew his sleighte and his covyne;
He knew too well their cunning and deceit;

They were adrad of hym as of the deeth.
They were afraid of him as of the death.

His wonyng was ful faire upon an heeth;
His cottage was a good one, on a heath;

With grene trees shadwed was his place.
By green trees shaded was his dwelling-place.

He koude bettre than his lord purchace.
Much better than his lord could he purchase.

Ful riche he was astored pryvely:
Very rich and well he was provided all secretly,

His lord wel koude he plesen subtilly,
He knew well how to please his lord subtly,

To yeve and lene hym of his owene good,
By giving him, or lending, of his own goods,

And have a thank, and yet a cote and hood.
And so got thanked - but yet got coats and hoods.

In youthe he hadde lerned a good myster;
In youth he'd learned a good trade, and had been

He was a wel good wrighte, a carpenter.
A carpenter, good skillful and keen.

This Reve sat upon a ful good stot,
This Reve sat on a horse that could well trot,

That was al pomely grey, and highte Scot.
And was all dapple grey, and was named Scot.

A long surcote of pers upon he hade,
A long surcoat of blue did he parade,

And by his syde he baar a rusty blade.
And at his side he bore a rusty blade.

Of Northfolk was this Reve, of which I telle,
Of Norfolk was this Reeve of whom I tell,

Bisyde a toun men clepen Baldeswelle.
From near a town that men call Badeswell.

Tukked he was as is a frere aboute,
His coat was like a friar's tightly closed,

And evere he rood the hyndreste of oure route.
From our company he rode always hindmost.


 =Anniina Jokinen