Page 38 - THE DECAMERON: 100 Days on 100 Etchings by Petru Rusu
P. 38
“Rinaldo d’Este and the Widow“
Rinaldo d’Este, a merchant, hooks up with some for the night. Rinaldo sees that there’s a house jutting out
respectable-looking travelers on his way home from from the castle walls, so he makes a little nest for himself
Bologna. But they’re not respectable. They’re thieves. And there. He does plenty of complaining to St. Julian thanks for
they intend serious harm. After traveling and chatting nothing. Inside the house lives the most beautiful lady that
together happily for a couple of days, one of the thieves ever was (surprise), who was waiting for her lover, Marquis
decides to toy with Rinaldo a bit. He asks Rinaldo if he ever Azzo, to show up. But the Marquis is called away on urgent
says any prayers before traveling. Sure, says Rinaldo. He business, and the lady decides to get in the bath that
always says the Our Father and Hail Mary in the name of she’d drawn for him. The bathing room is right on the other
St. Julian, patron saint of innkeepers, so that he’ll always side of the door from where Rinaldo took shelter. She can
find safe harbor at the end of the day. The thief tells him actually hear his teeth chattering so she sends her maid to
he’s personally never prayed to St. Julian, but he does say find out what’s up. The maid finds Rinaldo nearly freezing
some other prayers that are effective. He wonders out loud to death and returns to her mistress to tell his pitiful story.
who will have better lodgings that night. Whose prayers The lovely lady takes Rinaldo in, lets him bathe, feeds
will be answered? Of course, the thief knows that he and him the dinner meant for the Marquis, and dresses him in
his compadres plan to mug Rinaldo that night and steal her late husband’s clothes. Since she was already in the
his money. Rinaldo doesn’t know this, so you can imagine mood for love and Rinaldo’s handsome the two decide to
his surprise when his three new friends beat him to pieces make the most of the night. In the morning, the lady gives
and steal his horse and money late that night. To add insult Rinaldo traveling clothes and money and helps him find his
to injury, they taunt him as they ride away: Let’s see if St. servant. How could it be better? Well, the three thieves
Julian answers your prayers. So Rinaldo’s left to fend for were caught in the night and all of Rinaldo’s belongings
himself, half-naked in the snow outside the city walls. He were restored to him. In the end, St. Julian did keep up his
heads for Castel Guglielmo in hopes of saving himself, but end of the bargain and Rinaldo had no need to complain.
when he arrives, the city gates are closed and locked up Ah, the twists and turns of Fortune.
“Rinaldo d’Este and the Widow” Retrieved from publicly source: shmoop
DECAMERON 38 <https://www.shmoop.com/study-guides/literature/decameron/summary/second-day-second-story>
