Arveragus, a noble Breton knight, marries a beautiful maiden called Dorigen. One day Arveragus has to travel to a distant land for two years. Lonely and grief-stricken Dorigen wishes the rocks on the coast to be removed so that they will not hinder her husband's message. At a merry picnic party she meets Aurelius who falls at once in love with her. She does not want to disappoint him. So she poses him with an unresolvable problem. She will yield herself to him if he removes the dangerous rocks. For a 1.000 pounds of gold a student makes the rocks disappear by magic. On Arveragus's return Dorigen is desperate. He decides that she has to keep her promise. Nobly Aurelius does not insist on the fulfilment of the bargain and the student renounces the gold.

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