Centered around Djurgården in Stockholm and the blacksmith Jansson and his daughter Birgit. On his way home Jansson finds a young sailor who has been beaten up by thugs and takes him home. The young man presents himself as Arne and is offered a position as Jansson's new apprentice. However, it is soon made clear that Arne comes from an aristocratic family who ran away from home to work as a sailor. His sister writes to him asking him to return home but Arne wants to stay since he has fallen in love with Birgit.