Cr1.18.146KD.18.142 That thou tellest quod truth , is but a tale of waltrot
C.18.146KD.18.142 ¶ That thow tellest quod · it is but a tale of tale of
F.14.146KD.18.142/ [¶] Al þis þou tellyst quod trewthe / is but a tale of walter-hod.F.14.146: Bx reads waltrot, "a foolish or idle tale." W. W. Skeat, The Vision of William concerning Piers the Plowman in Three Parallel Texts . . . (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1886), 2.254, notes its similarities to troteuale, a rare word appearing in Robert Manning of Brunne's Handling Synne, meaning either "vain talk, idle tale-telling, foolishness" or "a deceit, trick, delusion." The forms to be listed in the
MED are trotivale, trotovale, trutevale, tretefale, and tretevale. F has characteristically attempted to make sense of a term unfamiliar to him. We are grateful to Professor Douglas Moffat
of the MED for providing the forms and definitions.