We are plunged in orthodox fashion in medias res.  The young fisherman is seated upon the rocky heights above the sea before the beautiful woman he loves.  He does not know who she is; he has performed almost superhuman exploits to win her; but there is an obstacle to their union.  She relates that she is the last of the family of the Princes des Baux, who had their castle and city hewn out of the solid rock in the strange mountains that overlook the plain of Arles.  She tells the marvellous history of the family, evoking a vision of the days of courtly love when the Troubadours sang at the feet of the fair princesses.  A panorama of the life of those days of poetry and song moves before us.  The princess even describes and defines in poetic language the forms of verse in vogue in the ancient days, the Tenson, the Pastoral, the Ballad, the Sirventes, the Romance, the Conge, the Aubade, the Solace of Love.  She relates her marriage with the Count Severan, who fascinated her by some mysterious power.  At the wedding-feast she learns that he is a mere bandit, leader of a band of robbers that infests the country.  She fled away through the mountains and found the grotto where she now lives.  The fishermen, seeing her appear and vanish among the cliffs, take her to be the fairy Esterello, who is a sort of Loreley.  Calendau determines that either Severan or he shall die, and seeks him out.  His splendid physical appearance and bold, defiant manner arouse in the bandit a desire to get Calendau to join his company, and the women of the band are charmed with him.  They ask to hear the story of his life, and the great body of the poem consists of the narrative by Calendau of his exploits.  After the last one Calendau has risen to the loftiest conception of pure love through the guidance of Esterello, like Dante inspired by Beatrice.  Then the Count holds an orgy and tries to tempt the virtue of the hero.  Calendau, after witnessing the lascivious dances, challenges the Count to mortal combat.  The latter knows now who he is, and that Esterello is none other than the bride who fled after the marriage-feast.  Calendau is overpowered and imprisoned, and the Count and his men set off in search of Esterello.  But Calendau is freed by Fourtuneto, one of the women, and journeys by sea from Cannes to Cassis to defend the Princess.  Here a great combat takes place with the Count, who fires the pine-woods and perishes miserably, uttering blasphemous imprecations.  The Cassidians fight the fire, and Calendau and the blond Princess are saved.

“The applause of two thousand souls salutes them and acclaims them.  ’Calendau, Calendau, let us plant the May for the conqueror of Esterello.  He glorifies, he brings to the light our little harbor of fishermen, let us make him Consul, Consul for life!’ So saying the multitude accompanies the generous, happy pair of lovers, and the sun that God rules, the great sun, rises, illumines, and procreates endlessly new enthusiasms, new lovers.”