Juraj Hordubal se vrací domů po pěti letech dřiny v daleké Americe. Jeho rodina i vesničtí sousedé si však myslí, že v cizině zemřel. Manželka Polana se už dala dohromady s čeledínem Štěpánem a aby obhájila svůj nový život, neváhá těžce nemocného manžela zabít…

After five years of hard work in America Juraj Hordubal (Anatoliy Kuznetsov) returns back home. He is looking forward to his wife Polana (Libuse Geprtová) and his little daughter Hafie. The family and the village welcome him with hesitation. Everybody believed that Juraj died in America because Polana stopped receiving money from him already two years ago. Polana's farm was prospering first of all thanks to the young stable boy Stepán (Sándor Oszter). Men in the pub first indicate and then say to Juraj directly that Polana has been unfaithful to him with Stepán.