PLOT

Thanks to his beautiful wife Carmela, to whom the governor of a province of Campana has taken a fancy, Luca the miller enjoys certain privileges, such as that of not paying taxes and fees, as do the other residents, victims of an exorbitant tax system, During a feast in the town, a scuffle breaks out between Luca and several soldiers who are disrespectful toward his wife, The brawl also spreads among the working-people and the tax collectors and in the end Luca and some others are arrested, The governor intends to take advantage of the situation to obtain from Carmela those favors which she has always denied him. Unfortunately he falls into the water and Carmela takes him into the house, pretending to encourage him, Luca meanwhile escapes from jail, finds the governor’s clothes in his house, and plans to take revenge, Wearing the governor’s clothes, he goes to the governor’s house and introduces himself to the governor’s wife, explaining the reasons far his disguise, The governor’s wife joins in the game to punish her husband’s infidelity, but everything is cleared up in the end, Carmela proves her honesty and the governor profits from the lesson to become a good husband and a better administrator. (Enrico Lancia)
Story from the short story 'Il cappello a tre punte' by Pedro de Alarcón.