Page 170 - THE DECAMERON: 100 Days on 100 Etchings by Petru Rusu
P. 170
“Monna Belcolore“
This particular priest is a bit...unpriestly. He “serves” ladies away. So the priest has his way with Belcolore in the barn
and has little book learning. And he has a thing for a village and he leaves the cloak with her. But regret sets in. He
woman named Monna Belcolore (or “Mistress FineColors”), doesn’t have five pounds. And he really did like that cloak.
who is, do we even have to say it, a married woman. He He works out a good scheme to get his cloak back. Part 1:
learns that Belcolore’s husband will be out of town for a send a child to Belcolore to borrow her mortar and pestle.
bit and thinks he should seize the opportunity to get what Part 2: send child back with mortar and pestle when the
he wants. Belcolore thinks he’s nuts: priests don’t do that! husband is there and have him demand the cloak back as
The priest assures him that they do, and really well, too. though it had been collateral for the kitchen equipment.
But Belcolore isn’t sure. She wants something in return. Belcolore has to play along. Score one for the priest.
She needs five pounds to get her best clothes out of the Belcolore sends a message to him: no more grinding in
pawn shop. Otherwise, she has nothing to wear to church. my mortar with your pestle. Ouch. The priest thinks this is
Okay, says the priest, but he doesn’t have a fiver on him pretty funny and brings Belcolore around by threatening
at the mo. He’s good for it, though. Belcolore’s heard that hellfire. He also appeases her by “putting a new skin on her
one before. She wants some collateral. The priest offers tambourine” and attaching a new little bell to it. Double
his cloak, and promises that he’ll send her the money right entendre? We like to think so.
“Monna Belcolore” retrieved from publicly source: shmoop
DECAMERON 170 <https://www.shmoop.com/study-guides/literature/decameron/summary/eighth-day-second-story>
