"You meet a mysterious stranger in a tavern." Origins?

[Mannahnin]

I don't recall a specific example, but I'm sure there's probably at least one or two Irish legends that involve a "public house" - possibly as early as the 7th and 8th Centuries the Irish legal system (Brehon law) had actual regulations on how many sheep, cows and barrels of ale a public house was required to have on hand. Although the term "tavern" traces back to Roman times, I wouldn't be surprised if the basic concept existed in Ireland for quite a while before that.

Free Public Hostels in Ancient Ireland

Free Public Hostels, from A Smaller Social History of Ancient Ireland, by P. W. Joyce, 1906

www.libraryireland.com

 

[The Soloist]

A cromagnon man, Lucy and a homosapien meet in near a stone pot hole, filled with water, in which barley and berries fermented slowly under the sun. They each took a sip. The rest is history. ....

 

[Spectral Anomaly]

As others have said, it likely goes back to the Canterbury Tales. More specifically, the Ratcatcher's Tale where the group had to first go to the tavern's basement to take care of a rat problem.

 

[Deset Gled]

A cromagnon man, Lucy and a homosapien meet in near a stone pot hole, filled with water, in which barley and berries fermented slowly under the sun. They each take a sip. The rest is history. ....

Hmm...

https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/101850/cavemaster-rpg

 

[Autumnal]

Free Public Hostels in Ancient Ireland

Free Public Hostels, from A Smaller Social History of Ancient Ireland, by P. W. Joyce, 1906

www.libraryireland.com

This is great stuff. Thanks for the link!

 

[Clint_L]

As others have said, it likely goes back to the Canterbury Tales. More specifically, the Ratcatcher's Tale where the group had to first go to the tavern's basement to take care of a rat problem.

It's first in the "General Prologue" - all the pilgrims meet at a tavern (The Tabard - it was an actual place that Chaucer knew), and that's where they come up with the idea for a tale-telling competition. Pilgrimage was the one event where people from the different estates (commoners, clergy, nobles) would regularly mix, so this made it a perfect set up.

So they all meet at an inn and, indeed, set up a kind of a quest: to find the best story.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

As others have said, it likely goes back to the Canterbury Tales. More specifically, the Ratcatcher's Tale where the group had to first go to the tavern's basement to take care of a rat problem.

Man, I got so excited for a moment there.

 

[Clint_L]

Man, I got so excited for a moment there.

I'm pretty embarrassed that I didn't catch that, given that I taught the CT as a TA in grad school. Obviously, there is no Ratcatcher's Tale.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

I'm pretty embarrassed that I didn't catch that, given that I taught the CT as a TA in grad school. Obviously, there is no Ratcatcher's Tale.

Sure there is, it's between The Ranger's Tale and the Sorcerer's Tale.

 

[Dioltach]

Isn't the whole idea much simpler? Bars and taverns have traditionally been places where people gather for food, drink and company. My experience with American bars is limited, but enough to know that there's a very low threshold for someone going up to a complete stranger and interacting with them.

I imagine that in the 1970s, before the internet, social media and streaming television, people spent much more of their time there, and many relationships - personal and business - were forged there just by talking to strangers.