Page 76 - THE DECAMERON: 100 Days on 100 Etchings by Petru Rusu
P. 76
“Alibech and Rustico the Monk“
Alibech is the young daughter of a very wealthy merchant Hell. Rustico explains that God has clearly sent her to him for
with many children. She’s taken an interest in Christianity his salvation. Would she help him? Since Alibech is a virgin,
and wants to know how best to serve God. She learns that the process hurts her “like the devil.” Dioneo keeps up the
those who best serve God live far away in the Sahara. So euphemistic language throughout the storytelling. You get the
she heads out to find these holy people. After several days, idea. As it turns out, Alibech really likes this service to God.
she stumbles into the hut of holy man, who sees that she’s She becomes very zealous in the practice. So much so that
young and beautiful. Tempted, he knows immediately that he Rustico’s devil is worn out. Meanwhile, Alibech’s father and
has to get rid of her, so he sends her on to the next hermit, siblings are burned to death in a house fire. Alibech inherits
called Rustico. She asks him what it means to serve God. his property. Rustico’s relieved when a young, fortune-hunting
Now Rustico wants to prove that he has strong willpower, man comes from the city to look for her. She doesn’t really
so he doesn’t send her away. But pretty soon, he finds that want to go what if the men of her city don’t know about this
his willpower just can’t cut it. He’s just got to figure out kind of holy life? Before her marriage to this young man, the
how to have his way with Alibech without sounding like a women of the city ask her about her service to God. She
pervert. Rustico tells her that the best way to serve God is explains everything she learned with Rustico and the women
to help him by putting the devil back in Hell. Alibech wants laugh. They reassure her that her husband-to-be understands
to know how to do that. So Rustico shows her the proper everything about putting the devil back in hell. It soon
“praying” position: taking off all clothes and facing each other. becomes a joke among the ladies of her city and the saying
Dioneo can hardly help himself here, quipping that Rustico crosses the ocean to Italy. Dioneo concludes by advising the
experiences a “resurrection of the flesh.” Alibech is a total ladies in the group that they should put the devil into Hell if
innocent and asks what that bit of anatomy is. This, Rustico they need God’s grace. Fun fact: this story was considered
says, is the devil. Alibech thanks God that she has no such so over-the-top obscene that many later versions of the book
devil. But Rustico tells her that she has something he doesn’t: either deleted it or cleaned it up beyond recognition.
“Alibech and Rustico the Monk” Retrieved from publicly source: shmoop
DECAMERON 76 <https://www.shmoop.com/study-guides/literature/decameron/summary/third-day-tenth-story>
