Page 158 - A Homage to Giovanni Boccaccio by Petru Rusu
P. 158
A Jealous Husband, His Wife and Her Lover
This novella unfolds a tale of wit, jealousy, and deception, as a
clever wife outsmarts her suspicious husband. Themes of trust,
cunning, and romantic escapades frame the story.
A jealous husband, consumed by suspicions of his wife’s infidelity,
disguises himself as a priest to trick her into confessing. During
the false confession, his wife, fully aware of his ruse, slyly “admits”
that she is in love with a priest who visits her each night.
Eager to catch the supposed priest in the act, the husband stations
himself outside the door to watch for the intruder. Meanwhile, his
wife ingeniously brings her lover into the house through the roof.
While the husband stands guard, she secretly spends the night with
her true lover.
The next morning, the husband, none the wiser, is left with
nothing to show for his efforts but his own gullibility. The wife’s
intelligence and quick thinking ensure her secret remains safe, and
she maintains the upper hand in their relationship.
This witty tale offers a humorous critique of unfounded jealousy
and the amusing lengths to which suspicion can lead.
DECAMERON 158 159
