"Please, Ladies, Don't Cry" is a story set in a village in Arcadia where a "famous" icon painter, Theofanis, and his assistant, Theodosios, are invited to restore the worn-out murals in a historic church. Theofanis, an amateur astronomer, and Theodosios, involved in various scams, are actually two minor con artists. They are joined by a pure young girl, apprenticed to them.
The villagers mistake them for saints, but in reality, they engage in false philosophizing, observe women with their telescope, and even organize a fake auction. As winter arrives, the miracles cease, and the villagers realize the truth about the two con artists. The story ends with the realization that they should stick to their original trade, as the saying goes, "the cobblers realize they should stick to their last.".