Summary Famous armatolos (member of an unorganized military force) Giannos was forced to become a klepht (mountain warrior-bandit). After liberation, he returns to his village, where his name has become a legend, and his heroic exploits have been made into songs – he is now known as Astrapogiannos. When he realizes that rich landowner Kostantis Velousis has taken the Turk Agha’s place and oppresses his villagers just as much as their previous overlord, he thinks nothing of confronting him. In a clash he kills the rich landowner’s son and is again forced to turn klepht. He meets up with his old friend Fotos, and, enlisting the services of other klephts, he starts raiding the land of kotzabasides (small landowners). He goes as far as to kidnap Paschalia, the rich landowner’s beautiful daughter. Her father puts her to death because she responded favorably to Astrapogiannos’ feelings of love for her, and Astrapogiannos pays him back in the same coin. Then, he declares war to the death on the small landowners, and the gendarmerie put a price on his head. Falling victim to betrayal, he walks into a trap set up by the gendarmerie and is shot dead. He is given a hero’s funeral, and, over his dead body, the tenant farmers now become aware of their situation.