Page 152 - A Homage to Giovanni Boccaccio by Petru Rusu
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Peronella: The Lover in the Barre


                                                                                  This novella humorously recounts the resourceful actions
                                                                                   of Peronella, who outsmarts her suspicious husband while
                                                                                   maintaining her secret affair. Themes of wit, deception, and quick
                                                                                   thinking shine in this tale.


                                                                                   Peronella, a clever and charming woman, enjoys the company
                                                                                   of a lover while her husband is away. One day, her husband
                                                                                   unexpectedly returns home while her lover is visiting. Thinking

                                                                                   quickly, Peronella hides her lover inside a large tun (a barrel used
                                                                                   for storage).

                                                                                   Unaware of the situation, the husband declares his intention to sell

                                                                                   the tun to a potential buyer. Peronella, ever resourceful, claims
                                                                                   she has already sold it to a man who is currently inside inspecting
                                                                                   its condition. She convinces her husband to wait until the “buyer”
                                                                                   emerges.


                                                                                   Her lover, playing along with the ruse, jumps out of the tun and
                                                                                   declares it needs cleaning before he can finalize the purchase. The
                                                                                   husband, still oblivious, dutifully scours the tun himself and then

                                                                                   carries it to the lover’s house, believing he is helping complete the
                                                                                   sale.

                                                                                  This witty story celebrates Peronella’s quick wit and ingenuity,

                                                                                   leaving readers amused at the husband’s gullibility and the lover’s
                                                                                   complicity in the charade.







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