The Canterbury Tales The Summoner's Prologue

The Summoner, enraged by the Friar's tale, brings his own story into the group of pilgrims for entertainment. His tale is about a felonious friar: "This frere bosteth that he knoweth helle, / And God it woot, that it is litel wonder; / Freres and feendes been but lyte asonder." Summoner's Prologue, l.8-10. In his tale, a friar is thrown into hell and sees the horrors therein. The angel that leads him to hell, tells him also that many friars do live there, and they fly and swarm out of the devil's 'arse-hole.' The Summoner begins his tale about saving all people but the unsalvageable friars.