Tales from the Decameron

A new translation of one of the choicest stories from Boccaccio's bawdy classic.

The 1st Tale of The 8th Day

You've heard many stories of the tricks women play upon men. I'd like to amuse you now with the tale of a trick played by a man on a woman.

Don't misunderstand. I do not mean to blame the man, or to suggest that the woman did not deserve it. I merely wish to show that men can trick those who trust them, even as they, themselves, are tricked by those whom they trust. Properly speaking, my tale concerns a just punishment rather than a trick. Let me explain.

I believe you will agree that modesty becomes a woman, and that she should be expected to guard her chastity as she would her life. Being human, however, this is not always possible. Therefore, I say that a woman who gives up her chastity for money deserves the fires of hell, but the woman who yields to love, deserves pardon.

Now there once lived in Milan a German soldier named Gulfardo--a bold but honorable fellow. This soldier became infatuated with a beautiful woman named Madonna Ambruogia--the wife of one of his friends, a wealthy merchant named Guasparruolo Cagastraccio.

The soldier kept his feelings to himself, so neither the merchant nor any other person was aware of them. At last, however, overcome by his emotions, he spoke to the lady. He told her of his love and begged her to submit to him.

After suitable hesitation, the lady consented -- she would yield, she said, on two conditions. The first was that no one should learn of the affair. The second was the payment of two hundred gold florins to satisfy certain of her womanly needs. If the handsome soldier would present her with that sum, she would be at his command from that day forward.

Gulfardo was shocked and deeply hurt by the greediness of his lady. And, indeed, her selfish words promptly turned his love to intense dislike. He resolved, upon the spot, to play a trick on her, and so agreed to her demands. She was to let him know when she wished him to come to her with the money. He further promised that no one should know of the affair except one friend whom he trusted with his closest confidences.

A few days later the lady sent word to Gulfardo that her husband was going to Genoa on business for a few days. She promised Gulfardo to let him know the exact time and send for him.

Gulfardo read the lady's message, and went immediately to the husband, Guasparruolo, and said:

"I need two hundred florins for a certain affair, and I want you to lend them to me at your usual rate of interest."

Guasparruolo trusted Gulfardo, and since the lending of money was his business, he promptly counted out the two hundred florins. Later he left for Genoa and his wife promptly notified Gulfardo of his absence.

Her note asked Gulfardo to come to her and reminded him to be sure and bring the money. Gulfardo invited his close friend to go with him and together they traveled to the lady's house. They found her awaiting them with a smile. Gulfardo immediately poured the two hundred florins into her hands before the eyes of his friend and said:

"Madonna, take this money and give it to your husband when he returns."

The lady assumed Gulfardo's strange words to be a method of fooling his friend and disguising the fact that the money was really a payment for her body.

"I will gladly do so, but I must count it first," she said.

She poured the coins out on a table, counted them and found that there were, indeed, two hundred. Thus satisfied that her demands had been met, she invited Gulfardo to her room. There she allowed him to satisfy himself on her body, not only that night, but on many others before her husband returned from Genoa.

When the soldier heard that Guasparruolo had returned, he went to the merchant's home at once, taking his close friend with him. He found Guasparruolo and his wife seated together, and so he said, "Guasparruolo, I did not need the two hundred gold florins you lent me because I was unable to carry out the affair for which I borrowed them. I brought them to your wife in your absence and gave them to her, so you must cancel my debt."

Guasparruolo turned to his wife for confirmation and she, remembering that Gulfardo's friend had witnessed the transaction, could not deny it.

She was forced to say, "Yes, I hid the money away and forgot to tell you about it."

"I am satisfied," said the merchant. "Your debt is cancelled, Gulfardo."

Gulfardo thanked him and departed, and the tricked lady had to present her husband with her ill gotten gains. Thus the clever lover enjoyed his mercenary mistress for nothing.