La Tentation de Saint-Antoine (The Temptation of Saint Anthony) is one of the most popular plays performed by string marionettes theatres in the 19th century, and most notably in France by travelling troupes that performed in fairs. The present version is a reconstruction by Gaston Baty of the traditional text, based on the combination of several manuscripts. One of the manuscripts belonged to the Guentleur dynasty, who had been puppeteers since 1818. Another one is the manuscript that Louis Levergeois had learnt by heart circa 1875, based on the version performed by Auguste Legrain in Rouen for several decades and which Gustave Flaubert had attended regularly. Gaston Baty lists six other versions of this play.

The play begins with a council of Démons (Demons) during which Pluton (Pluto), furious that Antoine (Anthony) is diverting the souls of the Underworld with his prayers, orders the Démons to capture him, and promises a reward for the one who will succeed. Proserpine (Proserpina), his wife, asks for permission to go alone to seduce the hermit. Antoine recognises her immediately and resists her charms.

Pluton then tries a different approach, and pretends to be a beggar caught in a storm. Exposed, he asks Antoine to surrender his soul to him, but the hermit reasserts his faith in God. The Démons then appear suddenly, drag Antoine in a hellish dance and set fire to the tail of his Cochon (Pig). They also destroy his hermitage and tell him that they will transform his faithful companion into a sausage. Antoine is exhausted and begs God, who sends down an Ange (Angel) to rebuild the chapel and turn Pluton into a basket of flowers. During the grand finale, Antoine rises to the sky followed by his Cochon.