In the year 1347 in Garfagnana, a convent of nuns is led by Father Tommasso. The nuns include Alessandra, who wants a better life for herself and is held at the convent due to her father's support of the church rather than her own bidding; Ginevra, a gossip who is later revealed to be a lesbian and Jewish; and Fernanda, an emotionally unstable and violent woman. The three of them routinely assault the gardener, who quits in disgust. Meanwhile in Lunigiana, a young servant named Massetto gets caught having sexual relations with his master's wife. While on the run, he discovers Father Tommasso, who has gone to sell some embroidery but has instead gotten drunk and lost his possessions in the river. Massetto helps him get back home. The two arrange to have Massetto work as a gardener while pretending to be a deaf-mute, in hopes that this will dissuade the nuns from giving him trouble.