I think that with this excellent example of an animal
fable we need to be aware of the danger of being distracted by the conflict between
Chanticleer and the fox and pay more attention to the role of Pertelote. Note her role
in bringing about Chanticleer's near-death experience: she deliberately berates
Chanticleer about his dream and the fear that he suffers as a result, shaming him into
carrying on as normal, whereas if he had paid attention to his dream and the message it
was giving him, he would not have met the fox:
"Get along with you! Shame on you,
faintheart!
Alas!" cried she, "For, by the Lord
above,
Bow you have lost my heart, lost all my
love.
I cannot love a coward, that I
swear!"
Remembering that the
teller of this tale was the Priest in a convent of nuns, surrounded by women every day,
we can therefore perhaps see this tale as a subtle satire on women and how dangerous it
can be to pay attention to their advice. Note that, although not acceptable today, in
the past the woman was portrayed as the cause of man's fall in the Garden of Eden and
therefore was considered as an unreliable counsellor.
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