Lines 708-746
- Hearing Nicholas's cry and thinking it refers to the flood, John cuts the ropes attaching his tub to the ceiling.
- John crashes to the floor, where he lies in a faint.
- Alisoun and Nicholas run out into the street, crying in a panic.
- Hearing the commotion, the neighbors run to the carpenter's house to see what's going on.
- The neighbors gape at John, who still lies in a faint and has broken his arm.
- John tries to explain what has happened, but he is interrupted by Nicholas and Alisoun.
- Nicholas and Alisoun tell the gathered crowd that John is crazy and so afraid of a flood that he bought three tubs in order to avoid drowning.
- The crowd laughs at John. The clerks of the town declare him crazy.
- Thus is John cuckolded, Absolon humiliated, and Nicholas branded.
- The narrator declares the tale concluded.