Synopsis (complete with spoilers): A little girl is strolling with her mother by a riverside when a gypsy peddler tries to sell them some wicker baskets. The mother is not interested, despite the insistence of the gypsy. He then decides to steal her money purse, but is cut short by the lady's husband who gives the gypsy a severe beating. Back in his wagon-home, the gypsy tells his misfortunes to his wife and comes up with the idea of kidnapping the little girl as a revenge. He then approaches her while she is left unwatched and snatches her; he then carries her back to his wagon-home and once there places her inside a barrel. When the girl's parents find her missing, they head straight to the gypsy's quarters and search the wagon but never look inside the barrel and thus miss the girl. Once they're gone the gypsies depart; during a river crossing, the barrel falls off the wagon with the little girl in it. It drifts right where some boys are fishing and is rescued by them; they open it and find the girl. Her parents are warned and rejoice with the news; they give the girl many hugs.
Appraisal: Entertaining short film, that thrives on the fear middle-class people felt of ethnic minorities in general and gypsies in particular. Even in a simple film like this, one can see some ingenious camera-work decisions, such as shooting from above during the gypsy's run with the child, thus easily showing his efforts not to be seen by another person on his path.
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