THE TALES OF CAUNTERBURY

The Canterbury Tales, Line 1-4: April’s sweet showers

The first sentence of the Tales runs eighteen lines. It opens on the spring: April rain soaks the dry March ground down to the roots, and the sap rises.

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How it opens, word by word

WhanWhánWhenthatdhat(that)AprilleAprílləAprilwithwídhwithhisizhisshouresshúurezshowerssotesóotəsweetThedhəthedroghtedrúuht'droughtofovofMarcheMárchəMarchhathhathhaspercedpérsedpiercedtotóoto

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Line 1-4, passage by passage

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