Maria is a girl from Nazareth, who has the same love for the stories in the Bible that Don Quixote has for adventure stories. As a female she is not allowed to do anything, not even learn to read and write. But in the synagogue she listens enthusiastically to the prophets, who demand explanations fom God as equals. She dreams of freedom, knowledge, adventure, escape. And she rebels against God's plan, all the way to the ultimate disobedience. Joseph is her teacher and accomplice, a charming and powerful man, very different to the hunched old fellow of the holy paintings.