Monna Nonna de' Pulci
Intro
- 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.
Story
- 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.