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How do the pilgrims decide who tells the first tale

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The pilgrims in Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales decide who tells the first tale by drawing straws.

The Knight, the highest-ranking pilgrim, draws the shortest straw and is thus assigned the honor of opening the storytelling competition. This decision is made by the Host, Harry Bailey, who serves as the judge of the tales and arranges the storytelling order.

So, While the Host suggests drawing straws to decide the order of the tales, the actual order becomes less rigid as the storytelling progresses. The pilgrims often interrupt each other, and the order becomes more thematic than hierarchical. This reflects the lively and unpredictable nature of the storytelling competition.

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The Canterbury Tales

how do the pilgrims decide who tells the first tale

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