Page 184 - SUMMARIES OF BOCCACCIO’S DECAMERON - A Visionary Journey in 100 Stories and 100 Etchings by Petru Russu

Calandrino and the Pig
SURREALIST EXAGGERATIONS
CONVEY THE ABSURDITY OF
DECEPTION AND GULLIBILITY,
REINFORCING THE COMEDIC TONE
OF THE TALE
DECAMERON 184
This novella tells the uproarious tale of Calandrino’s gullibility
and the mischievous antics of his friends Bruno and Buffalmacco.
Themes of deception, humor, and human folly drive the narrative.
Calandrino, a naïve and trusting man, becomes the victim of yet
another prank by his wily friends, Bruno and Buffalmacco. They
cunningly steal a pig that Calandrino has purchased, intending to
resell it for profit. To further toy with him, they offer a ridiculous
solution to recover it: magical pills of ginger and vernaccia wine.
Claiming these pills will reveal the pig’s location, Bruno and
Buffalmacco prepare two “doses” laced with dog-ginger and aloes.
Calandrino, desperate and unsuspecting, consumes the pills, which
cause unpleasant side effects. His friends seize the moment to
convince him that these effects indicate he must have eaten the
pig himself during a bout of forgetfulness.
Terrified that his wife will find out about the missing pig,
Calandrino agrees to “buy” their silence by paying them off. Bruno
and Buffalmacco gleefully pocket the money, completing their
scheme.
The story concludes with Calandrino humiliated but none the wiser,
while Bruno and Buffalmacco revel in their cleverness. The tale
serves as a humorous commentary on gullibility, trust, and the art
of trickery.
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