English for Students

As Brown As A Berry

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As Brown As A Berry : Phrases

From Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, (the Monk's Tale), 1386-1400:

He was a lord full fat and in good point;


His eyen stepe and rolling in his head


That stemed as a fornice of a led;


His botes souple, his hors in gret estat,


Now certainly he was a sayre prelat.


He was not pale as a forpined gost;


A fat swan loved he best of any rost;


His palfrey was as broune as is a bery.

[Note: a palfrey is a horse]