Bavaria: There are two huts at the edge of the forest, below the large Sternsteinhof farm. There, Muckerl lives in a hut with his mother and in the other, Leni, a half-orphan with little money who really wants to advance socially. Muckerl is very much in love with Leni, but she dreams of a future at Sternsteinhof and wants to be the wife of the farmer's son, the ruffian Toni. Toni gets engaged to her and Leni lets honest Muckerl stand for the rich villain. But Toni's father doesn't want him to marry a low-ranking woman. He sends his son to the military for two years. Leni, who is already pregnant by Toni, marries faithful Muckerls out of existential fears. When Toni returns, his father weds him to Sali against his will. But Sali dies a short time after. Now Toni is "free" again, he continues to court Leni, destroying her relationship with Muckerl.