Page 112 - THE DECAMERON: 100 Days on 100 Etchings by Petru Rusu
P. 112

“Gianni di Procida“



             The setting here is Ischia, a small island in the Bay of                     bound up, naked, and burnt at the stake in the town square
              Naples. On this island lives the beautiful Restituta, who’s                 for this unmentionable sin. They’re brought out in their

              adored by a man called Gianni from the neighboring island                   birthday suits and everyone comes down to the square to
              of Procida. Everything goes well for them at first. But one                 check it out. This includes the Admiral of the Royal Fleet,
              day, Restituta is kidnapped by Sicilian pirates. Since they                 who happens to know Gianni. Gianni tells him the whole
              can’t agree which one of them should get the girl, they                     tale and requests that he be turned to face his lover so
              decide to give her to King Frederick of Sicily as a gift.                   that they can stare into each other’s eyes when they are

              Women as gifts: what an interesting concept. King Fred is                   burnt to death. Now that’s what we call romantic. The
              quite pleased, but he’s not feeling up to despoiling a young                Admiral visits the King and informs him that the condemned
              virgin at the moment. So he puts her up at a posh villa until               young people belong to families that have been his biggest

              he’s ready. Meanwhile, Gianni has figured out the location                  political supporters. The King freaks out and immediately
              of his girl and sets out to recover her. He finds Restituta in              orders their release. He plies them with gifts, gives them a
              her villa and she shows him a way in. They spend the night                  sumptuous wedding and sends them home to live happily
              together. But Gianni forgets to set his alarm clock, so he                  ever after. Extra credit assignment: check out recent
              and Restituta are discovered together in bed by the newly                   Presidential pardons to see if any of them are politically

              recovered King Fred. The King orders that the two lovers be                 motivated.

































                                                                                                                                  “Gianni di Procida” retrieved from publicly source: shmoop
     DECAMERON      112                                                                                       <https://www.shmoop.com/study-guides/literature/decameron/summary/fifth-day-sixth-story>
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