The bells of the Calvinist church in Garabó have been silent for years, and people prefer to go the Rumanian church. Returning from his studies in Utrecht, Simándy Pál - at his own request - gets a job here, in the alpine village. The young Hungarian minister meets Florica, the educated daughter of Todorescu, the Rumanian pope, whom he knew before. She falls in love with him.

Pista Dankó falls in love with Ilonka Jáky, the beautiful blonde lady, so his old love, Rózsi, the wild gypsy girl, puts a curse on him. Ilonka elopes with Pista and they marry. They live in difficult circumstances, but Lajos Pósa takes up the talented young man. Pista wants to recover his legendary violin, which has fallen into the possession of a Russian prince, so he goes on a tour of Russia. Here he meets Rózsi, who has become a famous dancer and now has a hold on him too. Meanwhile, Pista falls ill and returns home to die. In his last hours, a package arrives from Rosie. He plays his last song with the returned violin.