ABSTRACT
Traditionally, the closest analogue to Chaucer’s Reeve’s Tale is the French fabliau of the miller and the two clerks, Le Meunier et les II Clers. There are, however, other versions in Latin, French, Italian, German, and Danish which also provide parallels of varying interest and importance. This story is “Night Shift,” one of Playboy’s “Ribald Classics,” an Appalachian folk story retold by David Madden. Events develop that night as planned—almost. Maud pretends to be asleep; Jack gets up and starts off for Sue Charles’ house. Then Maud jumps out of bed and runs down the back way to reach the house before he does. Larry D. Benson and Theodore M. Anderson present in outline form the points of resemblance and difference of the principal analogues to the Reeve’s Tale under the following headings: setting, trip, lodging, entertainment, lovemaking with daughter, lovemaking with mother, the host apprised tussle, and the beating of the host.
