Decameron Sixth Day, First Story Summary

Madonna Oretta

Storyteller: Filomena
Filomena compares quick-witted responses to stars and to flowers that brighten up a meadow.
Women shouldn't make long speeches, so all of these things are suited to them rather than men.
She complains that women are either too stupid or just unlucky, because they can't seem to think of anything witty to say.
However, she'll tell a story about one woman who figured out just the right thing to say to a knight.

A very clever woman, Madonna Oretta, found herself in the company of a knight as she was on a journey through the countryside.
The knight promised to take her riding by telling her the best story ever.
Oretta is delighted. However, it turns out that the story was good, but the storyteller—not so good.
He flubs the story endlessly and he actually succeeds in making Oretta feel sick.
She pleasantly tells him that he has "taken [her] riding on a horse that trots very jerkily," and begs him to set her down.
The knight laughs at his own shortcomings and decides to tell her a different sort of tale.