Once upon a time, there was a soldier who met the devil on his way home. In exchange for a mysterious book that promises wealth through its reading, the soldier trades his violin, and to seal the deal and teach the devil how to play the violin, he accepts the devil's hospitality. Instead of the agreed three days, he spends - without realizing how quickly time passes - three years in luxury abroad. Declared missing by his loved ones and dismissed from his military position, he now wanders the world. He repeatedly encounters the devil, who first makes him a successful merchant and then leads him to the path of an enchanted kingdom: whoever heals the princess will marry her and become king. A duel for this honor ensues between the soldier and the devil, in which the violin plays a crucial role.