Ghino di Tacco and the Abbot of Cluny
Intro
- Storyteller: Elissa
- Everyone praises King Alphonso's generosity, but Elissa says she can top that. She has a story about a group that everyone knows is the least generous in the world—the clergy. So her story is even more amazing because it's about an abbot who showed magnificent generosity. That's pretty much a miracle, according to Elissa.
Story
- Ghino di Tacco, an Italian version of Robin Hood, was banished from his hometown of Siena and decided to start a rebellion against the Church of Rome.
- He sets himself up on the road between Rome and Siena and sees to it that anyone passing through is attacked and robbed.
- Meanwhile, back in Rome, the Abbot of Cluny is visiting Pope Boniface VIII when he begins to have tummy trouble. He's advised to go to the baths of Siena to recover.
- The Abbot's very wealthy but not too informed on current events: he doesn't know about Ghino, so he travels to Siena with all his wealth on display.
- When Ghino's men capture him, the Abbot has no choice but to go along to Ghino's fortress.
- Ghino puts him in the worst room in the place while giving everyone else in the retinue comfortable rooms.
- Ghino appears before the Abbot and pretends to be a servant. He asks the Abbot the reason for his travel and when he learns of his illness, Ghino's determined to help him recover.
- He keeps the grumpy Abbot separated from his men for a few days and feeds him only a small quantity of toasted bread and wine. The Abbot has to admit that he's actually feeling a lot better.
- Now that the Abbot's appetite has returned, Ghino allows him to rejoin his friends and prepares a huge banquet for them.
- When it comes time for the Abbot to leave, Ghino assembles all of the Abbot's belongings in one room and his horses in the courtyard.
- He reveals who he is and tells the Abbot that he won't take any of the treasures, as he would normally do. Instead, he wants the Abbot to decide whether or not to give him any portion of it for his medical services.
- The Abbot is so moved by Ghino's good care and generosity that he keeps for himself only the bare minimum he needs to get back to Rome. They part good friends.
- Back in Rome, the Pope has heard about Ghino's abducting the Abbot and his men.
- He asks if the Abbot feels any better and the Abbot tells him the whole story. He claims that Ghino's really a prince of a man, but that his fortune has been, well, unfortunate.
- The Abbot asks the Pope to restore Ghino to his "good graces" because he feels that Ghino is a real gentleman and will behave better if he's allowed to live properly.
- The Pope takes the Abbot's word for it and pretty soon he sees that the Abbot's right. Boniface is so pleased with Ghino that he makes him a Knight of the Order of Hospitallers because of his healing powers.