Page 150 - THE DECAMERON: 100 Days on 100 Etchings by Petru Rusu
P. 150

“Friar Rinaldo“



              Rinaldo is a handsome young man of Siena who falls in                       the bedroom with Rinaldo (and Rinaldo’s friend is in the

              love with his neighbor’s beautiful wife, Madonna Agnesa.                    attic with the maid). Agnesa does some quick thinking
             Agnesa’s pregnant (Rinaldo’s not the baby daddy) and                         and tells Rinaldo to follow her lead as she opens the
              Rinaldo offers his services as godfather to the child                       door to her husband. Rinaldo dresses himself and takes
              so that he can get close to her. But despite his efforts,                   his godchild (yes, he was in the room with them) in his
             Agnesa’s not interested. Rinaldo becomes a friar (reasons                    arms. Agnesa explains that Rinaldo has saved their child

              unknown) and gives up his desires for a while. But not for                  from certain death. The boy, she says, had worms coming
              long. Like all friars, says Elissa, Rinaldo becomes corrupt                 close to his heart and Rinaldo recited special prayers to
              and full of desires. And Agnesa isn’t made of steel. She                    save him. His friend was in the attic saying prayers, too.

              still has reservations about giving in to a man of the cloth               The poor man’s so relieved that his son hadn’t died that
              who also happens to be the godfather of her child (it’s                     he believes everything. He even gives Rinaldo and friend
              considered taboo). Rinaldo brushes off her worries. Isn’t                   a celebratory meal, which Elissa says they needed after
              the father of the child even more closely related to it?                    their “hard work.” Agnesa’s husband believes them so
              Doesn’t Agnesa sleep with him anyway?  So they hook                         completely that he even has a little wax statue made as

              up and have a great time. But one day, Agnesa’s husband                     an offering to the local saint in thanksgiving for his son’s
              comes home early and surprises her as she’s locked in                       return to health.

































                                                                                                                                    “Friar Rinaldo” retrieved from publicly source: shmoop
     DECAMERON      150                                                                                     <https://www.shmoop.com/study-guides/literature/decameron/summary/seventh-day-third-story>
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