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The Novellino

Translated by Roberta L. Payne- Introduction by Janet L. Smarr


Roberta L. Payne

The Novellino is an anonymous collection of 100 short stories and anecdotes in Italian written sometime before 1300 A.D. It is a vast and true panorama of the Middle Ages. The Novellino describes every level of Italian life, from the common peasant to the emperor Frederick II, emphasizing the importance of wit, intelligence and quick thinking. It contains tales of the entire world as medieval Italy knew it, ranging from Saladin to English kings, who demonstrate the importance of true nobility.