The Decameron

For the sixth day, Elissa takes over as the queen. She announces that the day’s theme will be stories in which characters save themselves from embarrassing or difficult situations using their wit. After a short scene involving two servants, the stories resume.

The first storyteller is Filomena. Madonna Oretta travels through the countryside when she meets a knight travelling in the same direction. She accepts his invitation to ride with her, as he promises to tell her “one of the finest tales in the world” (715). During the ride, the knight tells his story. However, he is a terrible storyteller. Quickly becoming bored, she asks him to stop the ride and leave her beside the road. The knight can only laugh at his lack of storytelling talent.

The next storyteller is Pampinea. An “exceedingly rich” (718) baker named Cisti possesses a large collection of wine. Geri, a local nobleman, visits Cisti’s successful bakery and he and Cisti share a glass of wine. Later, Geri returns the favor by inviting Cisti to a banquet in honor of a papal delegation visiting Florence, but Cisti declines. Though Cisti is not able to attend the banquet, Geri hopes that the baker will send some of his delicious wine for the delegation to enjoy.