The Nain jaune (yellow dwarf) wants to marry Fleur de Bois, a princess, but she turns him down. To avenge himself, the Nain, with the help of Satan, puts the king, the princess and everyone in the palace to sleep, and he promises to come back in a year. Yvon, a young man described as “not very rich but lazy”, begs a Prêtre (Priest) for money. The Prêtre turns into a genie and gives him an enchanted sword so he can save the princess. He and his servant fight the Nain, the Géant Romular (Giant Romular) and Satan, and enter the castle. Once inside the castle, Yvon cuts the king’s beard with the sword to deliver him from the sleeping spell. When the king wakes up, he gives Yvon his daughter Fleur de Bois as a wife.

String marionette

Not specified

France

Lille

Handwritten outline

Devil

Sleep

Wedding

Genie

Magic object

Sword

Beard

Unrequited love

Enchantment

Fantasy

French

Domestic servant

Satan

Dwarf

Priest

Knight

Black Man

Snake

Giant

Improvised dialogue

Avista

Apparition of a genius

Apparition of the Devil

Fight

Yvon, ou la Barbe d'Acier

Yvon, or the Iron Beard

The English Marquis leaves the strongbox in which he keeps his wife’s jewellery with the Innkeeper. The brigand Fradiavolo witnesses this and tells his men. At nightfall, the robbers break into the inn to steal the strongbox. But as they hear Cerline’s (the innkeeper’s daughter) prayer, they hesitate. At that moment, Robert – Cerline’s fiancé – arrives at the inn with his own men. The robbers decide to postpone the theft. The following night, the drunken robbers sing Cerline’s prayer. Their plan is thus exposed. Robert is warned by Cerline and manages to arrest the robbers, among which was Fradiavolo.

Rod and string marionette

Casette

Robber

Tourism

Theft

Arrest

Jewel

Prayer

Dramatic

Sergeant

Marquis

English man

Frà Diavolo

Innkeeper

Inn scene

Night scene

La Capture du fameux Fradiavolo

The Capture of the famous Fradiavolo

Florindo confesses his love for Rosaura to Fasolino, and he declares that this love is so strong that he will kill himself if he cannot marry her. But Fasolino explains that the marriage is virtually impossible, as Rosaura’s father – Pantalone – wants her to marry Gervasio, a wealthy retired colonel. Florindo sings a serenade for Rosaura, with a group of singers. Pantalone and Brighella hear the music and come out of the house to see what it is happening. Brighella tells Pantalone that this is Florindo’s plan to persuade Rosaura not to marry Gervasio. Pantalone asks his daughter to explain herself, and she confesses that she loves Florindo. Right away, Pantalone decides to leave for Paris with Brighella and Rosaura, so that the latter forgets about Florindo. Pantalone suggests that they invite Gervasio to Paris in the meantime. Florindo and Fasolino overhear him and decide to go to Paris too. Florindo promises Rosaura that he will meet her in Paris. Brighella tells Sandrone and Gervasio that they are leaving for Paris. Gervasio swears that he will get his revenge on Florindo, and he sends Sandrone to the port and asks him to save them cabins on the next boat.

Glove-puppet

Nino Pozzo (Matteo Pozzo)

Italy

Verona

Impossible love

Boat trip

Social classes

Soldier

Comical

Nino Pozzo, Fasolino soldato in Francia

Italian

Pantaloon

Brighella

Servant

Fagiolino

Colonel

Sandrone

Polonia

Song

Fasolino soldato in Francia

Fasolino soldier in France

Asdrubale comes back from the market with the piglets and leaves them in his pigsty. He asks Canzio to cook a pigswill to feed them. The pigs are starving and eager to eat and they knock against the door with their small hooves to ask for food. Asdrubale worries and raises his stick to them, but this does not pacify them. Canzio exits the kitchen with the pot to feed them. Two farmers are walking towards the pigsty with the food, but a loud noise is heard – the three piglets have opened the door and run away.