The people of the small town of Manlleu lived in fear of a terrible serpent that resided in the nearby Devesa forest. A reckless young man sought to prove his bravery by stealing the serpent's diamond in order to impress a blonde woman. Upon discovering the theft, the furious serpent set out to find and eat the thief, singing to help locate her diamond. The man hid the diamond in mortar just before the serpent arrived and squeezed him to death.