An Analogue (?) to the Reeve’s Tale

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. ¹ There are, however, other versions in Latin, French, Italian, German, and Danish which also provide parallels of varying interest and importance. It is not the purpose of this note to add to this already abundant material but to call attention to a modern folk tale which, though not an analogue in the usual sense of the term, can hardly be heard or read without immediately bringing to mind the central situation in the Reeve’s Tale.