Father Gianni
Intro
- Storyteller: Dioneo
- Dioneo says that people who are different from the others are easier to notice, and sometimes you can appreciate something better by seeing its opposite.
- His own foolish behavior, for instance, sets off the tact and discretion of the rest of the brigata.
- Therefore, he asks the group for permission to tell a really stupid short story really only meant for a good laugh.
Story
- Father Gianni is a poor priest in the town of Barletta (on the Aegean Sea side of Italy) who takes goods to market to supplement his income.
- He makes friends with another poor man named Pietro who does the same kind of work.
- Although Pietro lives in Tresanti (southwest of Florence), Gianni calls him "Neighbor Pietro" out of friendship.
- The two men travel back and forth to each other's towns in order to conduct business. Gianni has a horse, but Pietro uses a donkey.
- Each man offers the other hospitality when he visits, but Gianni's better able to put up Pietro in his church.
- Pietro's house is so small that there's only room for one bed for himself and his beautiful wife.
- Whenever Father Gianni stays with them, he has to sleep on hay in the barn next to his horse and Pietro's donkey.
- Pietro's wife, Gemmata, offers to stay with a neighbor so that Gianni can share the bed with Pietro, but he declines the offer.
- I'd rather stay with the mare, Gianni says, because I know a spell that will turn her into a beautiful woman.
- Gemmata is more beautiful than clever and believes everything Gianni says.
- She tells her husband to learn the spell so he can turn her into a horse. That way, they can carry more goods to market.
- Gianni agrees to show him and tells Pietro that the hardest part of the spell is attaching the tail.
- Early one morning, Gianni goes to their room in his nightshirt to perform the "spell." He tells Pietro that no matter what happens, he shouldn't say anything. Ditto for Gemmata.
- Gianni takes off Gemmata's clothes and makes her get down on all fours. He begins to stroke her body, remarking what a fine mare she will make. We can sure see where this is going.
- Gianni gets to the bit about attaching the tail.
- Pietro naturally gets upset. "I don't want a tail!" he cries out.
- But too late. Gianni's already done his thing. He tells Pietro that he's ruined the spell by speaking and now he can never do it again. No mare for him.
- Gemmata's angry at her husband: he just ruined their financial prospects!
- After this incident, Gianni and Pietro pack up their wares and go about their business as if nothing had happened.