After the death of her parents Pavlínka is borough up by her grandmother Barbora. They both live in a poor mountain region that has just one textile factory, in Svárov. Its owner Baron Liebig pays the workers very meager wages and so in every cottage people thread beads to earn a little extra. Pavlínka also threads beads and helps in any way she can. One day while out collecting herbs, she meets Pavel Zák, a worker from the textile factory, and thus begins Pavlínka`s great love. Her grandmother is strict, however, because she is frightened for the girl, and has no one else in the world.