Set in Florence during the Black Death, the film follows ten young Florentines who seek refuge from the plague. Instead of sharing stories like in The Decameron, they embark on wild adventures filled with lust, romance, and swordplay. Along the way, they encounter bawdy nuns, Saracen pirates, and even a seductive cow.
Pampinea, the daughter of a wealthy merchant who dies at the start of the film, finds herself in a whirlwind of danger. Lorenzo, a skilled gambler, is charmed by her beauty, while Gerbino De Ratta, a notorious local thug, seizes her family fortune, claiming her father’s debts. Gerbino threatens that the only way for her to survive is to marry him.
Meanwhile, Lorenzo is on the run from Gerbino after outwitting him at a gambling table. He hides in a convent, pretending to be a mute gardener, and soon becomes the object of desire for the convent’s randy nuns. However, when Pampinea arrives at the convent seeking refuge from Gerbino, she catches Lorenzo in the act and, fueled by jealousy, blindfolds and kisses him. Later, she exposes his deception to the abbess.
At the same time, Count Dzerzhinsky, Pampinea’s fiancé from Novgorod, arrives in Florence only to be ambushed by Gerbino’s men. Though his companions are killed, the Count survives and heads to Florence for his arranged marriage. On the way, he meets Elissa, Pampinea’s best friend, and mistakes her for his bride, falling in love with her instead.
Lorenzo is chased out of the convent and follows Pampinea to her family mansion. He confesses his love for the mysterious woman who kissed him while blindfolded, unaware it was Pampinea. Gerbino and his thugs arrive, imprisoning Lorenzo. To save him, Pampinea agrees to marry Gerbino. Lorenzo, banished to the woods, meets the Count, and together they return to the mansion to defeat Gerbino’s men. Gerbino meets his end by falling into a well.
In the end, Pampinea refuses to marry the Count, realizing he loves Elissa, who had been pretending to be her. She rushes to Lorenzo, and as they discover they were destined for each other all along, they share a kiss and get married the same day, with their friends gathered to celebrate.
