Page 104 - THE DECAMERON: 100 Days on 100 Etchings by Petru Rusu
P. 104
“Gostanza and Martuccio Gomito“
Here’s another story of two lovers from opposite social waits for her fortune to change. Meanwhile, Martuccio finds
classes: Gostanza (noble and beautiful) and Martuccio out that the King of Tunis is being challenged for his throne
Gomito (handsome and skilled, but poor). Martuccio does and Martuccio lets it slip to his jailer that he knows how
the right thing and asks Gostanza’s father if he can marry the King can win the war. The king gets wind of Martuccio’s
her, but no deal (he’s poor, remember?). So he fits out a boast and sends for him to hear his plan, which is actually
ship and leaves the island, vowing to return only when he’s pretty ingenious. Martuccio had observed that the Saracens
rich. Sounds like a plan. And it is, until Martuccio gets a prefer to fight with archers, so if the King of Tunis could
bit too ambitious. See, he doesn’t want to have just a little simply have more usable arrows than his opponent, he
nest egg; he wants a Bill Gates-type fortune. He plays pirate could easily win the day. To do this, Martuccio orders that
with exactly the wrong people (a whole fleet of Saracen the king’s archers be given bows with a finer string to
ships) and winds up in a jail cell in Tunis. Back at home, them and then make arrows with notches that will only fit
word comes round that not only have all of Martuccio’s men the narrow string. When the enemy has used up all their
perished (true), but that Martuccio himself is a goner (false). own arrows, they won’t be able to re-use the King of Tunis’
Gostanza hears this rumor and is ready to kill herself. But arrows and fire them back. Using this trick, the king wins
she wants to go out in style, so she casts herself out to the war and Martuccio is elevated in importance. The report
sea in a rudderless, oarless boat. No luck, she doesn’t die. of his good work reaches Gostanza, who begs her lady
Instead, she lands a hundred miles beyond Tunis and now to take her to Tunis. Which she does, and the two lovers
she really has a problem. But a good Italian woman called are reunited. There’s rejoicing, then a wedding, then more
Carapresa finds her, takes her in and gets her employment rejoicing. The happy couple takes Carapresa back with them
with a kindly Saracen woman. So Gostanza stays put and to Italy, where everyone’s astonishe
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