From Geoffrey Chaucer's "The Canterbury Tales", The Squire's Tale, lines 305-346

From The Canterbury Tales:
The Squire's Tale
lines 305-346: The manual of the war-horse

305	Swich wondryng was ther on this hors of bras,
	That syn the grete sege of Troie was,
	Theras men wondreden on an hors also,
	Ne was ther swich a wondryng as was tho.
	But fynally, the kyng axeth this knyght
310	The vertu of this courser, and the myght;
	And preyde hym to telle his governaunce.

305	Such wondering was there on this horse of brass
	That, since the siege of Troy did overpass,
	When once a horse seemed marvellous to men.
	Was there such wondering as happened then.
	But finally the king asked of this knight
310	The virtue of this courser, and the might,
	And prayed him tell the means of governance.

	This hors anoon bigan to trippe and daunce,
	Whan that this knyght leyde hand upon his reyne,
	And seyde, "Sire, ther is namoore to seyne,
315	But whan yow list to ryden any where,
	Ye mooten trille a pyn, stant in his ere,
	Which I shal telle yow bitwix us two.
	Ye moote nempne hym to what place also,
	Or to what contree, that yow list to ryde,
320	And whan ye com ther as yow list abyde,
	Bidde hym descende, and trille another pyn,
	For therin lith th'effect of al the gyn
	And he wol doun descende, and doon youre wille.
	And in that place he wol stonde stille,
325	Though al the world the contrarie hadde yswore;
	He shal nat thennes been ydrawe ne ybore.
	Or, if yow liste, bidde hym thennes goon,
	Trille this pyn, and he wol vanysshe anoon
	Out of the sighte of every maner wight,
330	And com agayn, be it day or nyght,
	Whan that yow list to clepen hym ageyn,
	In swich a gyse as I shal to yow seyn,
	Bitwixe yow and me, and that ful soone.
	Ride whan yow list; ther is namoore to doone."

	This horse anon began to trip and dance
	When this strange knight laid hand upon the rein
	And said: "Sire, there's no more I need explain
315	Than, when you wish to journey anywhere,
	You must but turn a peg within his ear,
	Which I will show you when alone with you.
	You must direct him to what place also,
	Or to what country you may please to ride.
320	And when you come to where you would abide,
	Bid him descend, and twirl another pin,
	For therein lies the secret of the gin,
	And he will then descend and do your will;
	And there he'll stand, obedient and still.
325	Though all the world the contrary had sworn,
	He shall not thence be drawn nor thence be borne.
	Or, if you wish to bid him thence be gone,
	Twirl but this pin and he'll depart anon
	And vanish utterly from all men's sight,
330	And then return to you, by day or night,
	When you shall please to call him back again
	In such a fashion as I will explain
	When we two are alone, and that full soon.
	Ride when you choose, there's no more to be done."

335	Enformed whan the kyng was of that knyght,
	And hath conceyved in his wit aright
	The manere and the forme of al this thyng,
	Thus glad and blithe this noble doughty kyng
	Repeireth to his revel as biforn,
340	The brydel is unto the tour yborn,
	And kept among hise jueles, leeve and deere.
	The hors vanysshed, I noot in what manere,
	Out of hir sighte; ye gete namoore of me.
	But thus I lete in lust and jolitee
345	This Cambyuskan, hise lordes festeiynge,
	Til wel ny the day bigan to sprynge.

335	Instructed when the king was by that knight,
	And when he'd stablished in his mind aright
	The method and the form of all this thing,
	Then glad and blithe this noble doughty king
	Repaired unto his revels as before.
340	The bridle to the donjon tower they bore,
	And placed among his jewels rich and dear.
	How I know not, the horse did disappear
	Out of their sight; you get no more of me.
	But thus I leave, in joy and jollity,
345	This Cambinskan with all his lords feasting
	Well nigh until the day began to spring.

Explicit prima pars
(Here ends the first part)