The Story of Dame Ragnell and The Wife of Bath's Tale The Story of Dame Ragnell and "The Wife of Bath's Tale" are very similar works and yet they have differences that distinguish the two. The most obvious comparison between the two works is the dilemma faced in each. In both stories a man's life is at stake and all he has to do to be spared is answer one question. This question has to do with what women really want. Another similarity concerns the outcome of each story. The differences between the two stories are revealed in the plots. The differences that stand out the most are the circumstances that lead to the question and the attitude of the person who must marry the old hag to get the answer to the question. In the story of Dame Ragnell and "The Wife of Bath's Tale", the men in question find themselves in a very serious situation. The knight in "The Wife of Bath's Tale" puts himself in his predicament by raping a young maiden. In "Dame Ragnell", King Arthur is accused of giving Sir Gawain the land that belongs to someone else, Gromer Somer Joure. Their crimes are completely different, yet they still deserve similar punishment. While the reason each character finds themselves in their situation is a clear difference between the two stories, in both cases the characters' lives are at stake because of something they did. To be saved from death they must answer one question: "To show me at your coming what women love most in the field and in the city." (Ragnell 91-92) This is what King Arthur is asked by Gromer Somer Joure in the story of Dame Ragnell. In "The Wife of Bath's Tale", we can see that the question is phrased differently. The Queen says to the knight: "I thank you if you can tell me what is the thing that women most desire." (Bath 910-911) Although there is a slight difference in the wording of the question in each story, each still has the same idea: what is it that women desire most? In both stories the main characters, the knight in "The Wife of Bath's Tale" and King Arthur in, the story of Dame Ragnell, seek the answer to this question. Both characters eventually find a person who knows the answer. In each story there is an old witch who knows the answer to the question the knight and King Arthur must answer. This is where the differences between the two stories begin to stand out. In "The Wife of Bath's Tale" the witch asks the knight to do the next thing she asks of him and she will give him the answer. He agrees and she gives him the answer. He goes before the queen and answers the question. The old hag then says to the queen: I taught this answer to the knight, whereby he promised me his truth. The first thing I would have asked him he would have done, if it was within his power. (Bath 1056-1059) The crone then asks the knight to marry her. The knight doesn't want to marry the crone but he has to because he gave his word. Similarly, in the story of Dame Ragnell, Arthur meets a witch, whose name is Dame Ragnell, who knows the answer to the question he must answer. Ragnell requests that King Arthur convince Sir Gawain to marry her and she will answer the question for him. Sir Gawain agrees and King Arthur is spared. The difference here is that Sir Gawain is not afraid to marry Ragnell, while the knight is terrified of having to marry the hag. Gawain is more than willing to do the deed for King Arthur and doesn't try to back down. Finally, we are given the results of each story, which are similar to each other. In both stories the answer to the question is that women desire sovereignty over their husbands. In every story, the old witch has the ability to make herself beautiful. In "Dame Ragnell", the witch asks if Sir Gawain would rather have her beautiful than., 1966