Charles Ferdinand Ramuz

Hans has killed the dog of Firmin, a shepherd. Wild with rage, Firmin kidnaps Elsi, Hans' fiancée and locks her up at his home. Hans, a peddler, vows to find the missing girl. This is what he does and he manages, with the help of Mânu, the village idiot, to give Elsi a letter. On seeing her, the changeling falls in love at first sight with the young woman. Elsi soon realizes that Mânu can become her instrument of vengeance.

In Valais, during the 1950s, cowherds are confronted with an epidemic raging in the Sasseneire mountain pasture. Joseph, who wants to marry Victorine, wants to take his animals there despite the place's bad reputation. Barthélemy claims that an evil curse is responsible for the death of the cows. The mountain pastures are soon quarantined. Clou, who is innocent, is cruelly locked up.

Back in Saxon after ten years of absence, Farinet discovers that the village is under the yoke of Gaspard de Sepibus, director of the casino and president of the commune. He starts making counterfeit money to pay off his father's debts and help the villagers send their children to school.