Decameron Sixth Day, Third Story Summary

Monna Nonna de' Pulci

Storyteller: Lauretta
Lauretta wants to make a distinction between a witty remark and an insult. One's like the bite of a sheep and the other like that of a dog.
It's okay to bite like a dog if you've been bitten likewise, but you've got to choose your time and place.
And you've got to remember, says Lauretta, that people can give as good as they get. So, if you bite like a dog, expect to be bitten back.

This story involves a dishonest transaction made by one Messer Dego, Marshall to King Robert of Naples, and a relative of the Bishop of Florence, who was Dego's friend.
Dego falls madly in love with the married niece of the Bishop's brother (figure that one out) and promises to pay her husband 500 gold florins to "borrow" her for a night.
But Dego hands over only gilt silver pieces, thereby cheating the husband and humiliating the family when the rumors spread. Everyone in town knew about it.
So one holy day, Dego and his friend the Bishop are riding through the town and surveying all the beautiful young ladies who are walking around when they see Monna Nonna.
Monna Nonna's a beautiful and newly married woman. The Bishop stops, and in front of everyone present, asks her if she could "conquer" his friend Dego.
Monna Nonna's furious at the public implication of a lack of virtue, so she bites back.
If he did conquer me, she says, I'd make sure he paid me in real coins. Ouch.
So the Bishop and his friend are publicly humiliated and have to slink away from the holiday crowd.