Adolph Turesson is a mild-mannered, meek college professor whose faint-heart isn't impressing the fair-lady he secretly loves, the golden-haired Britta Larsson. Attending a lecture, he witnesses the attention paid to his lady-love by other faculty members, and falls to sleep. He dreams of the olden days and the knights, and the comely ladies of the court over whom they fought. His dream also gives all the cast the change to play a second role. Upon awakening, he proposes to Britta.
A travelling theater-company performs Offenbach's "The Beautiful Helene" when an officer in the audience notices the similarity in appearance between the leading actor Leonard Pettersson and the king Charles XV.With Pettersson dressed as the king and the other actors as the royal suite, they all go to Herrsunda castle where the officer is trying to make an impression on his fiance.
Tailor Vipperup in Ebberöd has problems with liquidity: customers are bad at paying for his services while his own creditors are all the more intrusive. His consolation in life consists of his daughter Ellen and the faithful companion Tadeus. However, the repulsive trader Klemmensen, the town's richest man and most ruthless usurer, casts more and more lustful glances at Ellen.
