A Mexican outlaw known as "The Stranger" is part of a band of thieves that steal a cargo of gold from a stagecoach. However, the Americans in the band betray him, and shoot all the Mexicans. The Stranger is not completely dead though, and crawls his way out of his shallow grave, continuing his pursuit of the gold, and exacting a bloody vengeance.
A work of Valle-Inclán, the story takes place in Galicia in the early twentieth century. To escape poverty, the wife of a sacristan uses a hydrocephalic child as a sideshow attraction. This causes a confrontation with her sister-in-law.
Minimalistic frieze fifteen episodes about human behavior (desire, submission, love, jealousy, wisdom, honesty, sincerity, passion, faith, ...) located between two fantastic stories about the will and doubt.
