In the canterbury tales, the pilgrim guide requests each pilgrim to tell stories.

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In The Canterbury Tales, the pilgrim guide requests each pilgrim to tell four stories.

The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer, after having introduced the pilgrims the narrator apologizes for the offense possible a reader might take from the tales. He then returns to the story about the night he spent with the pilgrims.

The host of the tavern welcomes the pilgrims and proposes the pilgrims to tell the story while traveling as it would be boring to travel in silence. Further, the narrator adds that hoping not to argue with the host the pilgrims agree immediately over the host's proposition.

Therefore, the host lay out the plan that each pilgrim will be telling two tales while going to Canterbury and two tales while return from there. As a result, in reward, the most meaningful story will receive a paid meal fro rest of the pilgrims on the way back.