Karoline and her daughter Marlene do not know that their long-absent son and brother Franz has been killed in the war. Franz's soldier friend Alwin goes to tell them the news, but in the event he can't bring himself to tell them the truth.
The wild peasant lad, Göndör Sándor, loves Bátki Tercsi, but the heart of the girl burns for the son of the mayor, Feledi Lajos. He is frantic with despair, and Finum Rózsi who is hopelessly in love with Sándor tries to calm him down in vain.
