186 * year, Napoleon III rules the country, all who can prosper. In the small town of Tarascon, in the south of France, the great hunter Tartaren lives, in whose garden baobabs and other exotic trees grow. The passion for hunting is shared by all fellow citizens of Tartaren, and although the game in the vicinity has long since ceased, the Tarasconians arm themselves to the teeth every Sunday and go out of town, where they are firing on caps - to the delight of the local hats.
As a hunter for caps, Tartaren has no equal, and the Tarasconians revered him as their leader. And only two "completely different natures" of the hero do not allow him to turn around. Possessing the soul of Don Quixote, Tartaren, having read the novels of Gustav Emar and Fenimore Cooper, is eager for feats, but Sancho Panza's "plump" and loving comforts short-legged body impedes the realization of great plans. Therefore, Tartaren lives in Tarascon without any problems. However, one day he almost leaves for Shanghai. The thought of such an opportunity shocks our hero so much that for a long time he talks exclusively about Shanghai and the dangers of life there, which makes everyone in the city soon think that he has already been there. Indeed, in fact, what difference does it make, he really made this trip or not, the main thing is to tell everything about everything well!
After some time, Tartaren performs the second feat that glorified him - he tames the fierce Atlas lion from the menagerie of a visiting circus. The lion, sitting in a cage, growls menacingly at the hero, but he is unshakable like a rock. Enthusiastic viewers gasp, and rumors are circulating throughout the city that Tartaren is heading to Africa to hunt for lions.
But time passes, but Tartaren does not leave. City boys cheekily sing verses, calling into question the courage of the great hunter. And poor Tartaren-Don Quixote, despite the fierce resistance of Tartaren-Sancho, decides to go.
And then comes the solemn day. From early morning, Tarasconians poured into the streets in order to see how their fellow countryman was leaving for the country of lions. Wearing an Algerian costume and huge fez, Tartaren majestically stands behind his luggage, which consists of many boxes, bales and various newfangled hunting equipment.
The first of December, the fearless Tartaren arrives at the port of Marseille and loads on the Zuav packet boat sailing to Algeria.
During the voyage, when everyone around them drinks champagne and plays cards, the valiant Tartaren in his cabin topples from seasickness. Finally, the ship comes ashore, and Tartaren rises to the deck. Here he meets the Montenegrin prince, who recommends himself as an expert on local customs and the Arabic language. While Tartaren looks around, Negro porters climb onto the deck, and Tartaren, mistaking them for corsairs, rushes at them with a dagger. Captain Bar-basu explains to the angry hero his mistake.
Having gone ashore, Tartaren experiences a most severe disappointment: instead of a fabulous city, he sees the usual houses, pavement, coffee houses, which are full of military men and women of easy virtue. It seems to him that he did not leave France. Tired of moving and impressions, Tartaren, accompanied by porters, goes to the hotel, falls onto the bed and falls asleep like a murdered one.
The next day, the hero wakes up with the firm intention to go hunting. Having hardly made his way along the streets filled with carts and camels, he goes out of town, where he meets hunters. But alas! - their bags are full of rabbits and snipe, and no one heard anything about the lions. Until dark, Tartaren wanders through the wild desert, overgrown with bizarre plants similar to bristling animals. At night, the great hunter, wanting to lure a lion, overcomes fear and bleats a kid. And right next to him a silhouette of a huge beast appears. Tartaren shoots, and in response to him comes a dull roar. Having taken a fighting stance, Tartaren is waiting for the lioness, but she does not appear.
While Tartaren is trying to set up an improved tent, it begins to grow light, and with the first rays of the sun the hunter discovers that he is located among the beds with artichokes, and not far from him lies the donkey killed by him at night, called by the locals “lop-eared”. An angry donkey mistress hurries to Tartaren, and our hero hardly pays off from her.
The first failure does not discourage Tartaren. But soon he for a long time forgets about any living creatures, for he falls in love with a Berber. He roams the city for days, trying to find his beautiful stranger, “about whom he knows nothing except the smell of shoes and the color of his eyes! Only a madly in love with a Tarascon can venture on such an adventure. ”
Suddenly, providence to the aid of Tartaren comes in the image of the Montenegrin prince Gregory, for whom our hero pays a card debt. The prince is looking for the Mauritanian Tartaren. The girl’s name is Baia, she doesn’t speak French, she is guarded by a fierce brother who needs to be appeased by buying more pipes from him. Tartaren buys tubes with boxes, and he is allowed into the house of a beautiful Moorish woman. True, she seems to Tartaren a little thicker and shorter than the beauty that struck his imagination, but in general is also not bad.
Tartaren rents a house for his lover, and from now on his life is filled with "hookah, bathhouse and love." Since the girl does not speak French, only locals and Prince Gregory visit them. All of them eat Tartaren’s jam, smoke his tobacco and take off in the evening.
One day, while driving past a coffee shop, Tartaren notices Captain Barbas. The captain expresses an seditious thought that Baia speaks excellent French, and at the same time advises Tartaren to stay away from the Montenegrin princes. From a piece of newspaper received from the captain, the fearless hunter finds out how saddened Tarascon is the lack of news about his great countryman. And by the way, where are the skins of lions?
After reading the note, the Tarasconian pales: Don Quixote awakens in him. Tartaren drops his turban and shoes and travels to the south of the country in a creaky stagecoach - to hunt for lions! Having landed in one of the villages, he finally encounters a lion - an old sick animal holding a bowl for alms in his teeth. Overwhelmed with righteous anger, Tartaren wants to free the proud beast, but here the blacks come running with batons, and only time has come when Prince Gregory helps the unlucky Tarascon from trouble.
The next day, Tartaren accompanied by the prince sets off to hunt for lions. For his many luggage, Tartaren has to buy a camel. Our hero travels farther south, but there are no lions, no. In each village, festivities are held for him, for which he pays the bills. Finally, Tartaren sets up a night ambush in the oleander grove, and so that in case of an attack the lion does not inadvertently tear his wallet, the Tarasconian gives it to the prince for preservation. In the morning, only a camel awaits in the Tartarena camp. The prince disappeared with his wallet. “His Highness has been waiting for such an event for a month” ... Tartaren is shocked, but then a lion jumps at him. Bah! Bah! Done ... Alas, it was the same lion that was collecting donations.
The trial begins. Tartaren gets acquainted with another side of Algeria's life - with the world of judges and suspicious solicitors, doing their business in cheap coffee houses. The unfortunate fighter of lions was sentenced to a fine and, in order to scrape up money, sells his luggage. After paying the fine, Tartaren only has the skin of a lion and a camel. Having carefully packed the skin, he sends it to Tarascon. Attempts to sell a camel are unsuccessful.
Tartaren walks to Algeria on foot, the camel faithfully follows him. The closer the hero comes to the city, the more he wants to get rid of the camel. Finally he manages to hide from him.
In the city, he goes to the house of his beauty, where another surprise awaits him: in the courtyard there is captain Barbasu, and next to him, Baya, who does not know how they assured him not a word in French, sings French couplets cheerfully ...
Barbas tells Tartaren that his prince went to jail for fraud, so that the great hunter obviously will not return his money, However, the kindest Barbas agrees to bring the hero to Marseilles. Climbing to the deck, Tartaren sees his loyal dromedary following him towards the ship. Moved by this spectacle, the captain takes the animal aboard.
Having landed in Marseille, Tartaren goes to the station and gets on the train. Looking out the window, he discovers that his camel is racing next to the train. Oh woe to Tartarenu! He returns from the expedition without a single su ... but with a camel!
As soon as Tartaren leaves the train in his native Tarascon, the vaults of the station are announced with a roar of greeting: "Long live Tartaren - the lion exterminator!" The reason for all this hype is the skin of a blind lion, so successfully sent by Tartaren to his homeland ... The hero instantly becomes more energetic, patronizingly slams the dromedary who has crept up to him and proudly paces home, surrounded by admiring cap-hunters. And already on the road begins to talk about their extraordinary adventures ...
