Tales of a Wayside Inn

More about the book

Longfellow's version of the Canterbury Tales, set in an inn near Boston. Contains the Paul Revere's Ride and The Children's Hour. At an inn near Boston a group of travelers exchange stories. Many of these stories were derived from classical sources and some of the travelers were based upon friends of Longfellow. The Student, was Henry Ware Wales, a Harvard scholar; the Spanish Jew is based upon Israel Edrehi; the Sicilian is Luigi Monti; Lyman Howe, the innkeeper at Sudbury was the source for the Landlord; the poet was Thomas William Parsons; the theologian was professor Daniel Treadwell; and the Musician was based upon the Norwegian violinist Ole Bull.