The Merchant's Tale

"The Merchant's Tale" is one of the tales in Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. 

Summary of the tale

Januarie decides that he wants to marry. He marries May, a young woman who is not yet 20 years old. He chooses her after telling all his friends to go and look for a wife for him. It is unknown why May accepts Januarie; however, it is thought that she accepts him because of his wealth. A man in Januarie's court, called Damyan, falls in love with May and writes her poetry to make her fall in love with him. 

One day, in Januarie’s garden, Damyan gives the young woman a pear and they kiss under a pear tree. Januarie can’t see them because he has lost his sight. They were joined by the king and the queen of the fairies; Pluto and Prosperine. They start to argument about this event. It is ended by Pluto that gives Januarie his sight back. However, the queen has already given May the power of quick thinking to persuade the old Januarie that he had seen a dream.