In the winter forest, a wolf talks with a raven, squirrels play with a hare in the burner. They are seen by the Stepdaughter, who came to the forest for brushwood and firewood (her cruel stepmother sent her). The stepdaughter meets the Soldier in the forest, tells him about the game of animals. He explains that all kinds of miracles happen on New Year's Eve, and helps the girl collect the bundle. And the Soldier himself came to the forest for the Christmas tree for the Queen. When he leaves, twelve months gather in the forest to make a bonfire.

The fourteen-year-old Queen, the same age as the Stepdaughter, an orphan. The gray-bearded Professor teaches the wayward girl calligraphy and mathematics, but not very successfully, because the Queen does not like to be contradicted. She wants April to come tomorrow, and issues an order: promises a great reward to someone who brings a basket of snowdrops to the palace. Heralds announce the beginning of spring and royal order.

The stepmother and her daughter dream of a reward. As soon as the Stepdaughter returns with brushwood, she is immediately sent back to the forest for snowdrops.

A frozen stepdaughter wanders through the forest. He enters the clearing where the fire burns, and around him twelve brothers-months are basking. The girl tells them her story. April asks the brothers to give him an hour to help the Stepdaughter. Those agree. Snowdrops bloom all around, the girl collects them.April gives her her ring: if trouble happens, you need to drop the ring, say magic words - and all months will come to the rescue. The brothers punish the stepdaughter to not tell anyone about meeting them.

The stepdaughter brings snowdrops home. Stepmother Daughter steals from the sleeping Stepdaughter the little ring donated by April. She immediately guesses about it, begs her to return the ringlet, but the old woman and her evil daughter do not even want to listen. They go with the snowdrops to the royal palace, leaving the Stepdaughter at home.

Gala Reception at the Royal Palace. The Queen announces that the New Year will not come until they bring a full basket of snowdrops. Gardeners with greenhouse flowers appear, but there are no snowdrops among them. Only when the Stepmother and Daughter bring Snowdrops, the Queen admits that the New Year has arrived. She orders the "two persons" to tell where they found the flowers. They weave a tale about a wonderful place on which flowers, mushrooms, and berries grow in winter. The queen decides to send them for nuts and berries, but then she has the idea to go there herself with the courtiers. Then the Stepmother and Daughter say that the wonderful place is already covered with snow. The queen threatens them with deceit by execution, and liars admit that the flowers vomited the Stepdaughter. The queen goes to the forest, ordering the "two persons" to accompany her along with her stepdaughter.

In the forest, soldiers clear the road in front of the Queen. It’s hot for them, and the courtiers are freezing. The queen orders everyone to work and takes the broom herself. The Stepmother, Daughter, and Stepdaughter appear. The queen commands to give the stepdaughter a fur coat.The stepdaughter complains that the ring was taken from her. The Queen orders her stepmother to return the ring, and she obeys. The Queen then demands that the Stepdaughter tell where she found the snowdrops. The girl refuses, and then the angry Queen orders to remove her fur coat, threatens with execution and throws her ringlet into the hole. The stepdaughter finally utters magic words and disappears somewhere. Spring comes immediately. Then the summer. A bear appears next to the Queen. Everyone runs away, only the Professor and the old Soldier defend her. The bear is leaving. Autumn is coming. Hurricane, rain. The courtiers, having left the Queen, run back to the palace. The Queen stays with the Professor, the old Soldier, the Stepmother and her Daughter. Winter is returning, a severe cold. There is a sled, but you can’t ride: the horses rode the horses. The queen is freezing. How to get out of the forest? An old man appears in a white coat and invites everyone to make one wish. The Queen wants to go home, Professor - so that the seasons return to their places, Soldier - to warm themselves around the fire, Stepmother and Daughter - fur coats, even dog coats. The old man gives them fur coats, they scold each other for not asking sables. And then they turn into dogs. They are harnessed to the sled.

Twelve months and stepdaughter are sitting by the fire. For months, they give the girl a chest with new clothes and a wonderful sleigh drawn by two horses. A royal sleigh appears in a dog sled. Months allow everyone to bask in the fire. On dogs, of course, you will not go far. It would be necessary to ask the Stepdaughter to give a lift, but the arrogant Queen does not want to and does not know how. A soldier explains to her how this is done.The queen finally kindly asks the stepdaughter, she puts everyone in a sled and gives each fur coat. And in three years she’ll lead the dogs to the New Year’s bonfire, and if they are corrected, they will again be turned into people.

Everyone is leaving. Months remain at the New Year bonfire.