The posthumous publication of Théâtre des marionnettes (Puppet Plays) by Maurice Sand in 1890, describes Jouets et mystères (Toys and Mysteries) as “a fantasy in one act, played for the first time in Nohant, on the 18th of June 1871.” However, in the Mémento (Répertoire des pièces jouées sur le Théâtre des marionnettes de Maurice Sand à Nohant et à Paris; Repertoire of Maurice Sand’s puppet plays played in Nohant and in Paris; Bibliothèque Historique de la Ville de Paris, H 322 SAND), “La Caverne des Trois Tibias (The Cavern of the Three Shins), nonsense” is indicated for this date. Because there are no cavern and no shins in Jouets et mystères, the link between these two texts, if there is any, is certainly very slight.

According to this same Mémento, Jouets et mystères was performed twice in Nohant: on the 31st of October 1875 and on the 20th of January 1876. The play was not performed in the other shows given by the author in Paris.

Having graduated from the University of Heidelberg, Anselme has become an assistant at old Hans’s toyshop, in Nuremberg, in order to grow closer to his employer’s daughter, Wilhelmine, whom he secretly loves. The son of the adviser Paykul also courts her. The Jew Mardochée sells them dolls which look like little women sleeping, and he says that they come from the Moon. In the evening, when Anselme is alone, Queen Lunaria and her companions wake up and tell him that they have come from the Moon. Anselme protects them from the monster Angramanyou, genie of underground fire, by delivering toys to him instead. Spiders threaten the women of the Moon, then different objects (household utensils, balloons) become animated, introduce themselves one after the other and dance. Anselme confesses his love to Lunaria, who grows and reveals herself to be Wilhelmine, the two women having been mistaken for one another in a dream. With Hans’s permission, Anselme and Wilhelmine decide to get married.