A corrupt Sompnour, tasked with summoning sinners to ecclesiastical court, exploits his position for personal gain. He is in league with a cunning fiend, who reveals that they share a common goal: extorting money from the guilty. The Sompnour, eager to learn tricks of the trade, befriends the fiend, who teaches him the art of deception. As they ride together, the Sompnour encounters a carter struggling with his cart. The carter curses his misfortune, prompting the Sompnour to suggest that the fiend should claim the carter's goods. However, the fiend refuses, explaining that the carter's words do not reflect his true intentions. This highlights the theme of appearances versus reality. Continuing their journey, the Sompnour seeks to extort money from a poor widow. He demands payment for a summons she claims she never received. The widow, unable to pay, curses the Sompnour, inadvertently invoking the fiend's wrath. The fiend, amused by her defiance, decides to claim the Sompnour for himself. In a twist of fate, the fiend seizes the Sompnour, dragging him to hell as punishment for his greed and corruption. The tale concludes with a moral warning against the temptations of sin and the consequences of a life led by deceit. The narrator urges the audience to remain vigilant against such temptations, emphasizing the need for repentance and moral integrity.
By Geoffrey Chaucer · First published 1390 · Genre: Satire, Allegory, Comedy