Page 126 - THE DECAMERON: 100 Days on 100 Etchings by Petru Rusu
P. 126
“Cisti the Baker and Messer Geri Spina“
Messer Geri Spina is a nobleman in the good graces of Pope won’t accept. If Cisti won’t attend, Messer Geri hopes he’ll
Boniface VIII, so when the Pope needs to send a delegation to send a small flagon of his good wine along to the party, just
Florence, he asks Geri to lodge them in his house. During this so his guests can take a little taste of it. He asks his servant
visit, the delegation walks past the local church every day as to take a small flask for the job. This servant, however, is
they get on with their business. Next to this church is Cisti’s disgruntled that he can never taste his master’s wines, so
bakery. And Cisti’s not just any baker: he’s gotten quite rich he takes a huge vessel along with him, so he can skim some
from his talents in the kitchen. Fortune gave him a humble off the top. When Cisti sees this, he chases the servant off,
calling, but rewarded him with riches. But Messer Geri, along since he knows that Geri would never ask for so much wine.
with most everyone else, doesn’t realize that Cisti’s wealthy That would be unseemly. The servant tells Geri that Cisti has
enough to have an awesome wine cellar. They just see the refused his request, saying that Geri would never ask for his
humble part. Because it’s hot, Cisti decides to arrange things wine. Geri sends the servant back, who proceeds to visit Cisti
so that Messer Geri will come to him to ask for a drink of wine. again with a supersized container. Again, Cisti sends him back
He can’t just outright offer it, because of the differences in to his master empty-handed. Messer Geri gets suspicious and
their social situations. That’s how these things work. So Cisti asks to see the flagon that the servant brought to Cisti. When
sits in the doorway drinking his wine and smacking his lips he sees the size of it, he scolds the greedy servant. Then, he
over its deliciousness until Messer Geri can’t stand it anymore. sends a smaller flask for Cisti to fill. Cisti knew what was going
Cisti offers him and his friends a drink. They’re completely on the whole time and didn’t want to waste his good wines
bowled over by how good it is. So every morning, Messer Geri on servants. So now that he sees that Messer Geri knows the
and his group appear at Cisti’s to drink a little wine. When score, he sends his new friend his entire supply of good wine.
the papal emissaries are leaving, Messer Geri throws a huge Messer Geri receives it happily and from then on the two men
banquet and invites Cisti to it. But Cisti’s a humble man and are the greatest of friends despite their class differences.
“Cisti the Baker and Messer Geri Spina” retrieved from publicly source: shmoop
DECAMERON 126 <https://www.shmoop.com/study-guides/literature/decameron/summary/sixth-day-second-story>
