The amphitheater of the open-air theatre is filled with young spectators, at the courtyard there prepare the actors, they lit up bonfire, sing a song about "the chap from Kolocava" and the story begins... Nikola (Miroslav Donutil) and Uhrín (Daniel Díte), deserters of war, make the promise to the old hag Morana (Blanka Rudová) that they will marry her daughters. Of reward Uhrín will get rich and Nikola will never be injured by a bullet. The men do not want to keep a promise and prefer killing the hag. In Kolocava Nikola is awaited by his beloved Erzika (Iva Bittová). But Erzika's father does not give her away in marriage to a poor man. Therefore Nikola becomes a highwayman.