Act 1

The engagement festivities of the schoolmaster Baculus and the very young Gretchen is being disturbed by the news that the bridegroom were to be dismissed from his schoolmaster position owing to his poaching. The old suitor had gone poaching on the land of Count von Eberbach, in order to be able, in spite of his shortage of money, to dish up a decent roast venison at the wedding celebration. Since the Count has a weakness for pretty women, Baculus considers to send Gretchen to the castle to intercede for him. However, he immediately scraps the idea, whereupon he incurs the first pre-marital quarrel with his adventurous wife-to-be. Baroness von Freimann, the Count’s sister, remedies the situation. Merrily widowed only recently, she is arriving disguised as a student, as she wants to take an incognito look at Baron Kronthal, who the Count wants to her to get remarried to. On hearing about the schoolmaster’s misfortune, she exchanges one disguise for another: dressed up as Gretchen, she is going to the castle in order to plead for the courting poacher. The Count is arriving at the engagement festivities together with the Baron. He neither wants to get married so sight unseen which is why he has disguised himself as an ordinary stable master. Both men are more than enchanted by the false Gretchen and spontaneously invite the entire company to the Count’s birthday celebration to the castle for the following day. Baculus and the Baroness are proceeding toward the castle well ahead of the others in order to promote their case.

Act 2

The Countess von Eberbach has a distinct passion for the Antiquity as well as a certain infatuation with the "stable master". She is planning a performance in celebration of her spouse’s anniversary. Majordomo Pancratius advises Baculus to win her for his case by citing Sophokles’ quotations. The Count however, intends to cling to the dismissal. The Baroness, disguised as Gretchen but falsely regarded as a student by Baculus, is appearing on the scene. Baron and Count are fierily courting the peasant girl. A thunderstorm is arising and the Count persuades the false Gretchen and Baculus to stay in the castle overnight. The lovelorn rivals are playing a game of billiard in the presence of the meanwhile dozing Baculus and his alleged bride. Their contortions to win her favour, however, are not successful. Suddenly the lights go out. Both now sense their chance to seduce Gretchen after all. But the Baroness delivers her from the danger. The Baron offers Baculus a deal: to sell his bride for 5000 thalers to him. What a tremendous amount of money for a fond but poor schoolmaster.

Act 3

Cheerfully and jollily the Count is starting into his birthday. The village girls are congratulating him which induces him to fervently evince them of his affection. Baculus is bringing him his fiancée which he had sold to him for 5000 thalers the night before. Getting aware of the true bride, the Baron is consternated: this is not his Gretchen! Baculus consoles him by revealing the fact that the other one was actually a student, a man. The Baron demands elucidation and the Baroness reveals herself. Hardly having been left alone by the others, she finds herself again exposed to the Count’s advances until the Countess and the Baron intervene. The true identities and relations are coming to light. The Baron and Baroness come together, the Count abides with the Countess, and Baculus, who in the darkness of night had shot his own donkey instead of a roebuck, stays the bridegroom of his sold bride. 

Act 1

At the village hotel, the schoolmaster Baculus is celebrating his engagement to Gretchen. A hunter from the Count von Eberbach then arrives at the festivities with a letter telling Baculus that he has been dismissed from his schoolmaster post, as Baculus had earlier gone hunting on the count's land without his permission. Baculus thinks to send Gretchen to change the count's mind, but then recalls the count's weakness for young women. The Baroness von Freimann, sister of the count and recently widowed, arrives disguised as a student to travel incognito. Her brother wants her to remarry with Baron Kronthal. The Baroness hears of Baculus's misfortune, and offers herself to plead his case in place of Gretchen. The Count then comes on the scene with his shooting party, as does Baron Kronthal. Both the Count and the baron are immediately attracted to Gretchen. The entire party is then gathered for the count's birthday celebration at his castle.

Act 2

The Countess von Eberbach has a weakness for ancient tragedies, particularly Sophocles, and she bores her servant when she expounds on them. Pancratius, the house master, advises Baculus to exploit this feature to gain favour with the countess. Baculus impresses the countess with quotations from these ancient literary works. However, the Count sees this and tries to banish Baculus from the proceedings. Baculus then tries to enlist the Baroness with the idea of her appearing as Gretchen, in disguise. A storm then arises, and this forces Baculus and Gretchen to remain locked in the castle. During a billiards party, the lights suddenly go out. The Count and the Baron take the opportunity to surprise Gretchen. However, the Countess helps Baculus and Gretchen to escape. The baron then offers a reward of 5000 Taler for delivering Gretchen to him.

Act 3

The Count's birthday celebration is continuing. The "correct" Gretchen is now brought to the castle. The Baron notices that Gretchen seems different from before. Baculus then reveals that the "previous" Gretchen was a student in disguise. After Baculus is pressed further, the Baroness reveals her true identity. The Baron demands an explanation from Baculus, and later the Count adds his voice to ask for clarification. The countess eventually arrives as well. The confusion is finally clarified. In the end, Baculus and Gretchen are reunited, and Baculus is restored to his schoolmaster position. It also turns out that Baculus had accidentally shot his own donkey initially, rather than a deer on the count's grounds.