In a small town in Apulia lives Teresa, spoiled, conceited, arrogant daughter of a wealthy fish trader, who is about to get married to Tonino, her father's employee. In reality Tonino loves Maddalena, a sweet girl of whom Teresa envies everything: the beloved, the beauty, the happiness, the simplicity. Teresa's envy is so strong that she demands Maddalena's presence at her wedding, a function that, however, ends tragically with Tonino's no at the altar and he runs away with Maddalena. The two young people find refuge on a beach in Lecce to wait for the turmoil to subside, but Teresa has been wronged in her pride and wants revenge. She tries all means, licit and illicit, until her aunt takes her to a woman in the village who can work little magic for good. The woman, mother of the barber Angelantonio, refuses to operate as she believes that with magic one cannot console Teresa, but she lets slip that she could do something grand: make her like Maddalena, with the same body, the same face, but certainly not with the same sweetness. Teresa promises fifty million liras in order to get the sorceress's help, going so far as to demand and threaten, but the woman refuses.