# The Manciple's Tale explained — The Canterbury Tales > Chapter companion for The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer. ## What happens The Manciple tells a fable about Phoebus (Apollo) who keeps a white crow that can speak and sing. Phoebus has a wife whom he loves jealously, but she takes a lover while he is away. The crow reveals the adultery to Phoebus, who in a rage kills his wife. Overcome with grief and remorse, Phoebus curses the crow, turning its feathers black and taking away its speech, condemning all crows to be black and voiceless. The tale warns against speaking too much and revealing uncomfortable truths. ## Themes in this chapter ### Corruption and Hypocrisy in the Church The tale critiques the hypocrisy of those who punish truth-tellers while ignoring the moral failings that prompted the revelation. ### Fortune and Providence Phoebus's rash act and subsequent grief illustrate the unpredictable turns of fortune and the consequences of human folly. ## Character check-ins ### The Manciple Teller of this fable about Phoebus and the crow. ### Chaucer Narrator who introduces the Manciple's tale. ### Our Host Host who calls upon the Manciple to tell his tale. ## Key lines > Ther is no werkman, whatsoevere he be, / That may both werken wel and hastily; / This wol be doon at leyser parfitly. No craftsman can work both well and quickly; a task done at leisure is done perfectly. _The Manciple's opening reflection on the value of patience and careful work._ > My sone, keep thy tonge, and keep thy freend; / A wikked tonge is worse than a feend. My son, guard your tongue and you will keep your friend; an evil tongue is worse than a devil. _The moral of the tale, warning against loose speech and the dangers of revealing painful truths._ ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_canterbury_tales_se/chapters/the-manciple-s-tale - Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_canterbury_tales_se - All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_canterbury_tales_se/chapters