4 h 36 minAudiobook7 minSummaryRead it, hear it, the 15-minute summary, and print and large print at cost
Audiobook edition · 4 h 36 minPaperback · 6 × 9 in · printing soonHardcover · 6 × 9 in · printing soonAbout this book
A poor man faces a rich one, a jester is cornered—and a few well-chosen words can change everything.
Il Novellino gathers brief medieval Italian tales where wit, courage and generosity come into sharp focus. Frederick the Second tests those who approach him. Saladin seeks wise counsel, while Melchizedek must answer a dangerous question with care. Emperors, merchants and ordinary people share a world where the right reply matters as much as rank.
This anonymous collection draws on classical stories, French romances and local tales. Its main strands move from rulers and ancient philosophers to Arthurian knights, including Lancelot, Tristan and Queen Guinevere. Each story offers a single situation and a swift close. Together, they reveal how people judge one another—and offer an early glimpse of the Italian short story.
What you’ll discover
- Wit under pressure Meet courtiers, jesters and poor men whose carefully chosen words can change their fortunes.
- Rulers put to the test Discover tales of Frederick the Second and Saladin, where power meets cleverness and counsel.
- Love in Arthur's world Encounter Lancelot and the Lady of Scalot, whose love begins with the sight of his shield.
- Wisdom in small scenes Find Greek philosophers and Alexander the Great in compact stories that invite reflection.
- The pleasure of brevity Enjoy swift tales shaped around a neat reply, a clever trick or a lesson in generosity.
Who will love it
For readers who love short stories, medieval courts and legends, clever replies and lessons in generosity. It also suits anyone curious about the beginnings of the Italian short story and the world that prepared the way for Boccaccio.
What’s inside
The key ideas, in the 15-minute summary
- A book of tales with no author
- Emperors and sultans set the standard
- Knights and ladies from the Arthurian world
- Quick wit wins the day
- Wise men and old stories
- Why the book is built so small
Who’s who
- Frederick the SecondThe generous emperor, shown as clever and proud, who tests the wit of those who come before him.
- SaladinThe Muslim sultan, pictured as generous and wise, who looks for answers and counsel from those around him.
- MelchizedekA wealthy and shrewd Jew whom Saladin questions about which faith is the true one, and who must answer with care.
- LancelotThe great knight of King Arthur's court, admired for his courage, and loved by a young lady.
- The Lady of ScalotA young woman who falls deeply in love with Lancelot, though he does not return her love.
- Messer AzzolinoA lord known for his harsh rule who asks a storyteller to amuse him through the night.
Formats and delivery
- eBook
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- Large-print eBook
- The same book in bigger, clearer type, from the first page.
- Audiobook
- 4 h 36 min, complete, read by Lucas Linden.
- 15-minute summary
- The key ideas in about 7 minutes, to read or to hear.
- Paperback
- 6 × 9 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
- Hardcover
- 6 × 9 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
- Large print paperback
- 8.5 × 11 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
- Large print hardcover
- 8.5 × 11 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
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Il Novellino
by Anonimo; Edward Storer (traduttore) · 1290
Before emperors and sultans, a clever reply tests wit, wins favor and reveals the value of generosity.
Medium level2–5 hours to read25 languages
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In short
Il Novellino is a small book of short tales written in Tuscan Italian in the late thirteenth century. Nobody knows who put it together.
From the 15-minute summary · Key idea 1
A book of tales with no author
Il Novellino has no named author. It seems to have been gathered in Tuscany around the end of the thirteenth century, a time when Italian cities were growing rich and proud. The compiler drew on many sources. These included stories from the ancient world, tales of King Arthur, accounts of famous rulers, and brief scenes of everyday life.
The oldest manuscripts do not agree. Some have a prologue, some do not, and the tales appear in different orders. The title Novellino means little novelty or little news. The Italian word novella later came to mean a short story, and this book is one of the earliest places where that kind of writing shows itself in the Italian language.
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What is Il Novellino about?
It is a collection of about one hundred short medieval tales. They tell of emperors, sultans, knights, philosophers and common people, and most end on a clever reply, a generous act or a small lesson.
Who wrote Il Novellino?
No one knows. It is anonymous and was probably compiled in Tuscany, likely Florence, in the late thirteenth century by an educated person who gathered stories from Latin, French and local sources.
Why is the Novellino important to Italian literature?
It is one of the earliest collections of short prose tales in Italian. Its brief, direct style helped shape the novella and prepared the way for Boccaccio and his Decameron.
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