Page 60 - THE DECAMERON: 100 Days on 100 Etchings by Petru Rusu
P. 60
“Agilulf and the Groom“
King Agilulf of Lombardy marries Theodolinda, the beautiful it. The Queen tells him that he should really take it easy;
widow of the former king.But a lovely Queen doesn’t go he might hurt himself if he does too much “work” in the
long without an admirer and Theodolinda’s no exception. evenings. Agilulf immediately understands what must have
Her lover is of incredibly low social status, but also capable happened, but keeps quiet. He can tell that the Queen has
and handsome. He’s also not stupid, so he keeps his love no idea that she’d been duped. Later on, Agilulf makes his
to himself. Instead, he tries to do things for the Queen way to the servants’ quarters so that he can check the
that will attract her notice. The Queen shows him a small heart rate of the “sleeping” servants. Surely, the guilty
bit of favor by always choosing the horse under his care party would still be pumped up after that exertion? When
to ride. But that’s all the hope the groom gets, and pretty he reaches the groom, he knows he’s got his man. But
soon, it just isn’t enough. His love burns even hotter and he’s still concerned for his wife’s (and his own) reputation,
he determines to die if he can’t have her. But he’s going so he doesn’t make a fuss. Instead, he grabs a pair of
to do it in such a way that a) The Queen knows the reason shears and cuts off a lock of the groom’s hair so that he
he died and b) he’ll be able to get what he wants from the can identify him in the morning. The groom, meanwhile,
Queen just before he dies. The groom decides that the is really awake but pretending not to see what the King’s
best way to do this is to impersonate the King. They’re the doing. After Agilulf leaves, the groom comes up with an
same height, after all. So the groom hides in the palace to ingenious plan: he’ll just cut a lock of hair off of all the
study what the King wears and how he behaves when he sleeping servants. So when the King lines them up the next
approaches the Queen’s chamber for the night. The groom morning, he finds that all the servants have the same lock
finds a cloak similar to the King’s and chooses a stick so of hair cut off. He can’t identify the perp. Agilulf realizes
that he can bang on her door the way the King does. Then that his adversary is clever and - still concerned about
he takes a nice bath so that he doesn’t offend with his his reputation - issues a general warning and leaves it at
odor. And guess what? His plan works. He manages to that. In doing this, King Agilulf scores a point: he doesn’t
“enjoy” the Queen multiple times in one night. After he distress his wife or reveal his shame but makes sure that
leaves, the Queen gets a surprise visit from the real King, the groom knows his moves and won’t allow him to get
who is feeling very rested and ready to make a night of away with those shenanigans again.
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