According to the legend, Madame Zeroni came to Camp Green Lake many years ago with a request for a farmer named Trout Walker. She asked him to help her carry a large sack up to the top of God's Thumb, a mountain overlooking the lake. Trout Walker refused to assist her, leading to Madame Zeroni placing a curse upon him and his family.
The curse took effect in many forms, including financial misfortune and poor harvests. However, the most striking aspect was the appearance of a swarm of yellow-spotted lizards, referred to as "yellow-bellies," in Camp Green Lake. These lizards caused harm and damage to the town's inhabitants.
To break the curse, it is said that someone must perform a series of tasks, including carrying a five-pound sack of onions up God's Thumb. As the novel unfolds, the protagonist, Stanley Yelnats, unknowingly fulfills these tasks while attending Camp Green Lake as part of a juvenile delinquency program.
Ultimately, through Stanley's actions, the curse of One-legged Gypsy is lifted, and the negative consequences befalling Camp Green Lake begin to be reversed. The novel ends with the town experiencing renewed prosperity and a more positive outlook.
