The Haberdasher's Tale

 

CHAUCER'S "UNTOLD" CANTERBURY TALES

THE HABERDASHER'S TALE

EXT. ROAD TO CANTERBURY - DAY

A dozen people form a line, some on horseback, some on foot, traveling across an open field on a narrow road of soot.

CHAUCER (V.O.)
Listeners come closer to this author, a living voice from realms eternal: Chaucer. Beyond the days my mortal pen did fail, 'tis time to tell another Canterbury Tale.

The HABERDASHER walks near the end of the group, a hooded and mysterious figure who keeps to himself. He notices that near the front, the WEAVER addresses the group.

WEAVER
Give ears to misery, a destiny of ill, how one can fail to change the fates by will!

CHAUCER (V.O.)
The Weaver who, by sowing earned his bread; attempted to unwind life's thread. Betwixt those entering and those who leave, what stories could a Weaver weave?

INT. WEALTHY HOME - DAY

A BOY eats at a dinner table, with a set of PARENTS who do not look like his parents.

WEAVER (V.O.)
An orphan boy with nobles lived in wealth. No pleasure was denied of him, and guaranteed good health.

EXT. WEALTHY HOME - DAY

The boy is now a YOUNG MAN, trying to work on his parent's garden, but looking into the distance, he daydreams.

WEAVER (V.O.)
In blissful glee he could not live, about his long lost past he was inquisitive.

INT. LIBRARY - NIGHT
The Young Man searches through a pile of books, looking through drawings of FAMILY TREES.

WEAVER (V.O.)
Until finally he found the trade his family had of old. Seasons past they worked as slaves, through scalding hot and bitter cold.

The Young Man looks up from the book, stunned. And slowly a smile spreads across his face.

INSERT: a drawn depiction of his family, in chains.

He nods enthusiastically while closing the book.

EXT. WEALTHY VILLAGE - NIGHT

With a bag thrown over his shoulder, the Young Man walks away from his home.

WEAVER (V.O.)
With thoughts of happiness his mind did flood. So as to keep alive his blood, immediately left home in desperate search, for other families who would - in city, town or church - as random as a roll of dice, accept him as a humble servant at no price.

EXT. KING'S COURT - DAY

In an open area by the KING'S CASTLE, the Young Man watches the Royal family and admires the obedience of their slaves.

Spotting a PARROT in a cage, near the KING, the Young Man approaches slowly, looking as though he is about to steal it. He also looks as though he obviously wants to be caught.

The Parrot suddenly makes noises, calling attention to him.

Clumsily, the Young Man tries to grab the cage, but opens it accidentally, letting the Parrot fly wildly around him. The King looks over, surprised, but when he sees the bird land calmly on the Young Man's shoulder he realizes it has taken a liking to the Young Man.

WEAVER (V.O.)
To utter shock, on him his wish did not befall, the punishment-reward of slavery. Instead he won the parrot as a gift and the kinship of the Royal Family.

The King pats the Young Man on the back, handing him the cage with the parrot in it. A slave serves them tea.

EXT. ROAD TO CANTERBURY - DAY

CHAUCER (V.O.)
Upon the ending of the Weaver's tale, a crowd's response of incredulity was spread, yet to the Carpenter did this entail, another end instead: this story was undone, indeed, it only had begun.

The CARPENTER pulls his horse to the front of the crowd.

CARPENTER
The boy continues wanting to be slave!
The Crowd's attention moves from the Weaver to the Carpenter.

CARPENTER (cont'd)
For him there is no logic to discern - receiving such a gift, a status not well earned. These unfair quotients he must needs refute, for sake of keeping to a slave's repute.

INT. PRINCESS' BEDROOM - NIGHT

A BEAUTIFUL PRINCESS sits on her bed while her MAID combs her hair. The maid leaves and the Princess starts to CLOSE THE SHADES in her room.

CARPENTER (V.O.)
He's now devised a plan to be expelled, and hated, thus relieving his distress: stealthily kidnap the King's Princess.

With the drawing of the last shade, the Princess reveals the Young Man hiding behind it.

The Princess is startled at first, but then amused. The Young Man is timid with his approach, awkwardly trying to scare and attack the princess at the same time.

She dodges and gasps, thinks of screaming for help but is unsure of his intents.

He trips on the curtains, hits his head on the wall, and makes her laugh.

CARPENTER (V.O.) (cont'd)
By cupid was this wicked scheme reversed, whose arrow was to strike her first. So gentle his arrest and crimes thereof, she acted not repelled, but fell in love!

Wrapped in curtains and blankets, the Princess and the Young Man fall together into bed.

EXT. KING'S COURT - DAY

The KING pops a bottle of Champagne. The ROYAL FAMILY cheers and the Princess holds her loved one's hand.

CARPENTER (V.O.)
In full delight, the King arranged a festive night, to grant the boy new name and covenant: of Prince, for marriage was so evident.

The Young Man fakes a smile, distressed and out-of-place.

EXT. ROAD TO CANTERBURY - DAY

CROWD
Marriage!

WEAVER
So sad!

CARPENTER
Already at such young an age - ashamed he'd disappoint his heritage.

INT. PRINCE'S CHAMBERS - DAY

The Young Man, now Prince, takes out an old drawing of his ancestor slaves.
He buries his face in the picture, melodramatically.

EXT. CASTLE ROOFTOP - NIGHT

The Prince is about to step off the edge of the top of the castle. Dozens of feet below is solid ground.

CARPENTER (V.O.)
That night aloft the roof he dips his life, into a senseless sea he'd drown his strife, traveling asunder like a wingless otter, throughout the depths of pitiful self-slaughter.

The Prince jumps.

He falls freely through the dark, eyes closed, slams into something abruptly -

There are two startled gasps, then two thumps. The Prince lands lightly on his side, and another body falls lifeless beside him, in the dark.

CARPENTER (V.O.) (cont'd)
He dives to die - but lives! By one who walked below he's saved, the KING HIMSELF - now laying crushed by weight!

EXT. CASTLE YARD - FOLLOWING DAY

A shocked crowd gathers around the DEAD BODY OF THE KING, while the Parrot FLIES in circles above.

PARROT
His evening trod cut short,

CARPENTER (V.O.)
The Parrot said.

PARROT
When skies and stars above fell on his head.

CROWD
The King is dead!

The Prince stares from a distance, too terrified to approach. In tears, the Princess embraces him.

CARPENTER (V.O.)
And people wondered then what fate should bring. Perhaps to turn the Prince... now into King.

The crowd slowly gathers around the Royal couple.

EXT. ROAD TO CANTERBURY - DAY

The company of travelers surrounds the Carpenter, stunned, skeptical and indignant about his story. The Carpenter adjusts his garments as if to say his story is done, and he begins to mount his horse again.

Through the crowd, the HABERDASHER now slowly makes his way, moving people aside until he reaches the front of the group.

HABERDASHER
Oh, Carpenter, please give me leave to tell, the tale's rest which I should know so well. For I MYSELF am that who turned to King, so rapidly a terrible mishappening.

CROWD
Oh my! What more?

CARPENTER
Disguised of Haberdasher, crowned by curse. A slave, a boy, a myriad of faces in reverse!

EXT. KING'S COURT - DAY

The King angrily commands a troop of SOLDIERS from his THRONE.

HABERDASHER (V.O.)
To fix the problem then I'd plan again, I'd use the power given by my reign, to cause a war and let the chances play, that if I'd walk into the battle's way, for sure I'd die with no one to be blamed, and saved by none, by all I would be maimed.

EXT. BATTLEFIELD - DAY

Hundreds of the King's soldiers brace themselves for full-fledged combat with the opposing army across the vast field. The King dismounts his horse, tosses aside his crown and gets ready to plunge, weaponless, into the middle of the battle.

HABERDASHER (V.O.)
So soon we'd march into the battleground, that stupid parrot starts to fly around. What it was doing - they would stop to look - Reciting verses from the Holy Book.

Heads turn to listen to the bird, men suspend their combat positions.

HABERDASHER (V.O.) (cont'd)
It knew a lot, a hundred lines at least, for once it had belongéd to a priest. The words inspired each and every knight, embraced one other, soon to stop their fight. In shock I was when tears fell from their eyes, at war they looked now with despise!

The King watches furiously as the two armies fully disarm and begin to join hands, walking towards him. The parrot lands on the King's shoulder.

HABERDASHER (V.O.) (cont'd)
When the people of both kingdoms found, that the parrot now belonged to me, suddenly did they all agree: a Prophet I must be.

EXT. ROAD TO CANTERBURY - DAY

CROWD
Blasphemy!

HABERDASHER
So they hailed me as one of the greatest Heroes of all time...

CARPENTER
Oh!

HABERDASHER
Building large temples in my honor, in both nations...

CROWD
Blasphemous confabulations!

HABERDASHER
Both kingdoms -

CARPENTER
Oh boundless fortune!

HABERDASHER
Gathering together in daily prayer at my feet, because now...

WEAVER
What woe!

HABERDASHER
I was a god.

Moments of silence.

The crowd has spread apart, leaving the Haberdasher in the middle of the road.

A horse neighs.

CHAUCER (V.O.)
The company now stopped at such discourse. In disbelief they stood, so curious.

WEAVER
So why you've come to join our old traverse? Incomprehensible this is to us.

CHAUCER (V.O.)
Replied the Haberdasher:

HABERDASHER
But of course, towards Canterbury I now take my horse. Soon I shall find myself good providence, and rid my soul of troubles so immense. Pursue what always meant the most to me, a decent life devout to slavery.

People glance at each other, murmuring. The Haberdasher begins to panic as he hears sounds of protest.

CROWD
This mustn't be!

CHAUCER (V.O.)
Said they.

CARPENTER
Take hold of him! His mind has gone too base, his sight too dim!

WEAVER
He's thrown away what took so long to earn! This god, now to his Kingdom must return!

All attack him at once, to his disbelief. He tries to fight, in vain. And on the back of one of the horses he is tied in a hurry, as they all ride down the road to Canterbury.

FADE TO BLACK.

 

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