Little Zaches called Cinnabar by E. T. A. Hoffmann. Short summary

5 seconds

A fairy casts a spell on Cexas, and now those around him do not notice his wickedness. He wants to marry Candida, but her lover dispels Céchas’ spell and everyone sees his true face.

1 minute

Tsaches is an ugly faced and soulful little man. The kind fairy Rosbelwerde pities him and bewitches him so that people cannot see his ugliness. Tsaches changes his name to Cinnober. The good deeds done around him are attributed to him. And the bad and shameful ones are attributed to other innocent people, usually those who have suffered from his misdeeds.

Cinnober charms the professor and his daughter Candida. By cunning and guile, Tsaches Cinnober quickly rises through the ranks at the court of Prince Paphnutius and wishes to take Candida as his wife. But the student Balthasar, who is in love with the girl, sees the true face of Cajas.

Balthasar calls on the magician for help and learns Cinnober´s secret from him: he must pluck out three hairs of fire from the villain´s head and then the spell will be broken. The young man succeeds in his task. All the people find out what Tzahas is really like. He hides in his palace, but there he drowns in filth.