chunk: The knight with his squire heads for his castle. Along the way, they pass some actors, Jof (Nils Poppe) and his wife Mia (Bibi Andersson), with their infant son, Mikael, and their actor-manager, Skat (Erik Strandmark). Jof is also a juggler and has visions of Jesus and Mary, but Mia is skeptical of them.
  The knight and squire enter a church where a fresco of the Dance of Death is being painted. The squire draws a small figure representing himself. The knight goes to the confessional where he is joined by Death in the robe of a priest, to whom he admits that his life has been futile and without meaning, but that he wants to perform "one meaningful deed." Upon revealing the chess strategy that will save his life, the knight discovers that the priest is Death, who promises to remember the tactics. Leaving the church, the knight speaks to a young woman (Maud Hansson) who has been condemned to be burned at the stake for consorting with the devil.