When late in life was presenting Cimrman his artistic activity, came arresting knowledge: none of the works he had signed, not recognition. And so he decided to retreat to the anonymity of the author and become folklore. Clairvoyantly recognized that the modern era marked for extinction of folk creativity in areas such as the national song, story, legend, proverb or weather lore. The only thing from the oral folklore of die and stay alive is an anecdote. And she plays a significant role in his play Lijavec.

Don Felice Sciosciammocca, a poor and simple man, goes to the day, hoping that sooner or later will come the right opportunity to change his life. A nice day at Don Felice comes a parcel from a dear cousin, which contains three pairs of old trousers. Apparently only common value objects, but they will create great surprises.

Victor, who lives abroad, must travel to his country of origin sent by the company where he works and will have only one day to visit his family who will do the impossible to honor him in that short stay. At that time, dramatic turns and touches of humor will occur to deep solemnities, within the traditional and beloved domestic bosom.

Happy Sciosciammocca has a double life: he plays sacred music in the convent of Rondinelle and teaches music to the educators, at night he goes to Naples where he is known as the actor.

The action is set in Naples, opening a door onto an imagined maritime world stretching towards the Orient. Faced with two authoritarian fathers, two sons, both of whom are thwarted lovers, turn to the crafty Scapin, who is driven by a mad desire for revenge. The character is a double of Scaramouche, the Italian actor of the adventurous life whom Molière admired: “to tell you the truth, there are few things that are impossible for me, when I put my mind to them” declares the buffoonish servant whose name, as Denis Podalydès points out, derives his from the Italian scappare which means “to escape”, “to scamper off”. Scapin is beaten with a stick at one point but also gets his own back and, against a background of ransom demands and paternal contradictions, he comes up with an avalanche of stratagems and other tricks, which Molière excels in depicting.

A man from a family of rich snobs becomes engaged to a woman from a good-natured but decidedly eccentric family.