Based on a play by Ivan Franko. Anna married Mykola, but does not love him. She likes young Michael. Against the background of the picturesque Carpathian mountains in the nineteenth century unfolds the eternal drama of love and jealousy.
The main film character, an ordinary peasant Martyn Borylya, decided to get a noble order. Having chosen a little and primitive aim, in the chase of the artificial values, he loses everything.
Herasym Kalytka, dreams of hundred thousand rubles to buy as much as possible land. For this purpose he decides to buy notes from the forger. But the forger palmed off to the Kalytka blank papaers instead of banknotes.