The Is Mascareddas company has been performing in Cagliari since 1980. It has played an important role in spreading puppet theatre in Sardinia, which did not have its own puppet tradition before. In this play, the authors create a new character – Areste Paganòs – who then became the comic hero of several of their plays. Areste was born in Pulcinella’s stomach, having been put there by the Devil. The name “Areste” – meaning “rustic” in Sardinian – points to the character’s wild personality, while his surname is derived from an adjective that is used to refer to the Devil in some Sardinian tales.

The Scorpioni Verdi and the Ragni Blu – two feuding families – make so much noise that the puppeteer herself wants to get rid of them. However, the Devil convinces her to grant him three days to make peace between the two families. But he cannot use his powers to do it. Instead, he will have to manage this by influencing someone else. The Devil meets Pulcinella and has him bring Areste Paganòs into the world. Areste then becomes the hero of the play. He elaborates a strategy to try and reconcile the feuding families: he will use the love between their children, Rosina Ragno and Rocco Scorpione. In this plot reminiscent of Romeo and Juliet, in which Rocco and Rosina drink a poisonous mixture that should put them to sleep but instead accidentally kills them, Areste manages to fulfill his mission. The Devil brings the two lovers back to life and the joy they share at being reunited helps their families understand that they should not have fought. They all celebrate the young couple’s wedding.