Saburo is a Robin Hood-like outlaw who steals from the rich, embarrassing the police in the process because they don't know his real identity or where he will strike next. When Saburo demands that Okada's new play be staged for Osaka's poor, he taunts the police by saying he will be at the play. The play is about a thief like Saburo who ends up fooling the police in the play, just as the police in the audience are fooled. This is Saburo's way of showing the police he is more clever than they are and that they will never catch him because too many people are willing to protect him.