The Canterbury Tales (
Middle English:
Tales of Caunterbury) is a collection of 24 stories that runs to over 17,000 lines written in
Middle English by
Geoffrey Chaucer. In 1386 Chaucer became Controller of Customs and Justice of Peace and then three years later in 1389 Clerk of the King's work. It was during these years that Chaucer began working on his most famous text,
The Canterbury Tales. The tales (mostly written in
verse, although some are in
prose) are presented as part of a story-telling contest by a group of pilgrims as they travel together on a journey from London to Canterbury in order to visit the shrine of Saint
Thomas Becket at
Canterbury Cathedral. The prize for this contest is a free meal at the
Tabard Inn at Southwark on their return.