From the 14th until the 19th century the last novella of Boccaccio’s Decameron , also known as the Griselda story, has been translated and adapted countless times in many European languages. This story’s success can be explained by considering it a myth and analysing how this myth engages with contemporary discourses, such as the definition of the ideal wife, the querelle des femmes , the socio-political consequences of social exogamy, and tyranny.