Overview

People in his village have made the gullible farmer Tinus de Schel believe that he has won the first prize in the lottery, ten thousand guilders. He goes to collect his money, but learns from the local police constable that it will be a couple of hours before the office opens. He falls asleep and dreams about how he will spend his prize, deciding first of all to make a gentleman of himself. He starts by visiting shops in Helmond (their names and what they sell are mentioned in rhyming couplets in the inter-titles), where he buys himself a new suit, a vacuum-cleaner, a radio, a Chevrolet, a bicycle, cigars, medicine, caramels and also gets his hair cut. When he wakes up and realizes that he has won nothing at all, he contents himself with the thought that if ever he does win the first prize in the lottery he will know in which Helmond shops he is going to spend the money.