The play has the model of a fairy tale, but with a more mature
story. The animals of the rain forest tell the story of Ti Jean and
his two brothers, and their plight against the devil. A demon
challenges the three brothers to achieve the sympathy of the devil;
if they show rage, however, they will be killed. The first brother,
Gros Jean, is rather stupid and cracks when the devil and her (it
is a woman in the play) minions taunt him by calling him different
names. The second brother shows anger when he cannot catch a goat
they assign him to capture. Both brothers are killed. Ti Jean sets
out to defeat the devil, and is caught by two of the devil's
minions looking at his brother's graves. They assign him to catch
the same goat as before, which Ti Jean castrates. They tell him to
count all the leaves in the sugar cane field, which he burns. The
devil and her friends return, drunk, and discover that Ti Jean has
also burnt down their house. The devil then becomes enraged. Ti
Jean calls her out on this, and claims that he has won. The devil
plays unfair and starts to kill Ti Jean's mother, telling him that
he will only win if he sings for her. Ti Jean's animal friend's
encourage him to sing, which he does. The devil feels sympathy and
grants Ti Jean his wish. He wishes for the demon at the beginning
of the story to have life. The demon is 'born', and they all sing
in a dramatic ending.
