It's carnival in Paris and lawyer Paul is with his wife Angèle from London to visit his journalist friend Georges and his wife Marguèrite. At the upcoming opera ball, the two women want to put their husbands to the test.

Kummerow, a village in North East Germany, around 1900: Mean-spirited miller Düker wants to drive cowherd Krischan out of the village. Being popular with the local children, Krischan can rely on the help of schoolboys Martin and Johannes and their friends, who try to prevent the miller's plans by playing pranks on him.