Soviet Russia, the Volga, in 1921. Do not have time otgremet battle of civil war, as a new calamity overtook a young Soviet republics. The drought dried up the land of the Volga. Cereal crop failure led to mass starvation. Soviet power was not in a position to help poor farmers. To save his mother and younger brothers from hunger, peasant boy, Misha Dodonov, along with another Serezhey sent to Tashkent to work. On the way Serguei sick typhoid and remained in the infirmary at a railway station. Further one-way Misha continued. Having experienced many hardships and dangers, exploitative and adult, he arrives in Tashkent. Here he batrachit at vineyards Baia, with difficulty, but the plane from its earnings. With money and several bags of grain Misha returning to their villages. In survivors, he zastaet just sick, haggard mother. Younger brothers and Yash Fedja died of hunger.