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In Florence, two old men, Cornelio and Gostanzo, were proud fathers. Cornelio had a son named Rinaldo, while Gostanzo had a son named Fortunio and a daughter named Bellanora. Both old men were strict and watchful, especially Gostanzo, who locked his daughter away from any chance of love. Rinaldo, however, had fallen deeply in love with Bellanora, and his friend Fortunio, though foolish and careless, often helped him in his secret attempts to see her. The lovers could never meet openly because of Gostanzo’s harsh rules, and so they depended on Fortunio’s silly schemes and Rinaldo’s daring plans to exchange letters and glances.
One day, Rinaldo decided to trick both old men to win his love. He pretended to be obedient to his father and to serve Gostanzo as a humble friend. His clever words and polite behavior soon made both old men trust him. Fortunio, who was too simple to understand Rinaldo’s cunning, began to cause trouble by talking too freely about their secrets. Rinaldo often scolded him but still used his foolishness to his advantage. Gostanzo, thinking himself wiser than everyone, constantly bragged that he could never be fooled, even as his own household became the stage for clever deceit.
Meanwhile, Gostanzo planned to marry his daughter Bellanora to a wealthy but dull old man named Gasparo. Bellanora was heartbroken. She loved Rinaldo deeply and prayed for some way to escape the cruel plan. Rinaldo, hearing of this, promised to rescue her with wit instead of weapons. He began pretending to help Gostanzo arrange the marriage, earning the old man’s full trust. At the same time, he secretly made plans with Fortunio and Bellanora’s maid, Gazetta, who was sharp-tongued and brave. Gazetta agreed to help if Rinaldo would find her a husband, and he promised she would have Fortunio, knowing the match would please both of them in the end.
Gostanzo’s greed and pride grew as the marriage day came nearer. He bragged to Cornelio that his daughter’s wedding would be the finest in Florence. Cornelio, not to be outdone, said his son would marry soon too, though he had no idea of Rinaldo’s secret love. The two old men competed foolishly, each pretending to be wiser and richer than the other. They became blind to everything around them, so full of pride that even the servants laughed at their quarrels. Rinaldo saw this as his chance to carry out his plan.
He arranged for a meeting between Bellanora and himself, disguising himself as a messenger sent by her supposed future husband. Gazetta smuggled him into the house at night, and under the moonlight, Rinaldo and Bellanora met for the first time in secret. Their joy was great, but their fear was greater. Rinaldo comforted her, saying that soon they would be united forever and that both their fathers would be forced to accept it. Bellanora trusted him completely and promised to do whatever he asked.
Fortunio, however, nearly ruined everything. Wanting to show his cleverness, he bragged in public that he knew secrets about Gostanzo’s house and the marriage. A few servants overheard him and told Gostanzo, who grew suspicious. He locked his daughter even tighter and ordered everyone to watch her. Rinaldo quickly realized that if he didn’t act fast, all would be lost. He sent Fortunio away on a false errand, telling him to deliver letters that led nowhere. This kept the fool busy while Rinaldo focused on the real escape.
That night, Gostanzo invited Cornelio and other friends to his house for a feast, proud to display his good fortune. Rinaldo used the gathering as cover. He secretly entered Bellanora’s chamber with Gazetta’s help and whispered to her that the time had come. She changed clothes with Gazetta, who pretended to be her in the room, while Bellanora escaped with Rinaldo through a back door into the quiet streets of Florence. The two hurried to a nearby church where a priest, bribed earlier, was waiting. There, under the flicker of candlelight, Rinaldo and Bellanora were married.
At the same time, chaos broke out in Gostanzo’s house. Fortunio, returning from his pointless errand, stumbled into the house and began shouting that Rinaldo was a thief. Gazetta, still dressed as Bellanora, screamed that she had been kidnapped, adding to the confusion. Gostanzo ran through the house like a madman, calling everyone a traitor. Cornelio tried to calm him, but soon they were shouting at each other, each blaming the other’s family. Servants ran in every direction, and Fortunio, frightened by the noise, hid under the table, crying that ghosts were attacking.
When morning came, the truth began to unfold. The priest who had married Rinaldo and Bellanora could not keep the secret for long, and word spread through the city. Gostanzo was furious, but the citizens laughed at him, saying he had been too proud and too sure of his wisdom. Cornelio, at first angry, later softened when he saw that his son had married a virtuous and loving woman. Gostanzo had no choice but to forgive them, for his daughter’s happiness was clear, and everyone mocked him for being fooled by his own cleverness.
Rinaldo and Bellanora returned to face their fathers bravely. Gostanzo shouted and stamped, calling everyone fools. Rinaldo bowed humbly and said that perhaps they were all fools in love, but that love had made them wiser in the end. Cornelio, trying to appear noble, pretended he had known everything from the start. Gostanzo finally gave up his anger, realizing that his pride had made him the biggest fool of all. The two old men, now tired of arguing, embraced and agreed to forget their foolish rivalry.
Fortunio, seeing everyone happy, asked Rinaldo to keep his promise about Gazetta. To everyone’s amusement, Gazetta agreed to marry him, saying that a fool should have a fool for company. Their wedding followed soon after, filled with laughter and music. Gostanzo tried to act serious but could not stop smiling at the strange turn of events. The city celebrated the two weddings, calling them “The Day of Fools,” for every trick and misunderstanding had somehow led to joy instead of sorrow.
As days passed, the families grew close again. Rinaldo and Bellanora lived in peace, their love stronger for all the trouble they had faced. Fortunio and Gazetta continued their comic quarrels, making everyone laugh with their silly arguments and endless affection. Gostanzo and Cornelio often met in the market, still boasting about their wisdom, though now they laughed at themselves. They had learned that pride and control brought only confusion, while kindness and trust made even fools happy.
The story of their foolish adventures spread across Florence. People told it to remind themselves that cleverness can blind the proud and that love, even when hidden behind tricks, shines brighter than pride. Rinaldo’s cleverness was praised not for deceiving others, but for uniting hearts that belonged together. Gostanzo, though still grumbling, admitted that his daughter’s happiness was worth more than his pride. Cornelio, too, admitted that he had been foolish to believe old men could control the young.
In the end, peace settled over both houses. Rinaldo cared for his wife with gentle devotion, and Bellanora’s laughter filled their home. Fortunio became less foolish under Gazetta’s sharp tongue, though he still found ways to make people laugh. Gostanzo and Cornelio grew old together, spending their days recalling the chaos of those times and warning others never to think themselves too wise. The people of Florence never forgot how two proud fathers, two foolish friends, and two brave lovers had turned deceit into delight.
The tale ended not with anger or sorrow, but with smiles and forgiveness. The wise and the foolish alike had learned their lessons. The city that once laughed at their madness now celebrated their joy, for it proved that even in a world of tricks and pride, honesty of heart could triumph. Thus, through confusion, disguise, and love, all fools became wise at last.