At the edge of the forest, in front of the mill, the miller Thaddeus mills a windmill to repair the mill. He discusses the superstitions of people who are convinced that no mill can stand without a sorcerer. But he himself was born and raised in a mill and did not see a single brownie in his eyes. Well, if anything should be considered witchcraft, then this is cheating and deceit.
Appearing Filimon - the groom of Anyuta, the daughter of the peasant Ankudin, asks the miller to disturb about the missing horses. The miller, anticipating the wait, promises to fulfill the request, but requires payment in advance. After a long bargain, the miller agrees to twist and tells Philemon three times to turn in the sun, then once against the sun and go up to the tree. In conclusion, the miller blindfolded Philemon with a handkerchief and orders him to wait for his return, without answering anyone's questions. He draws a circle around Philemon with chalk and steps back.
The crashed Filimon encourages himself with a song. The miller takes out the millstones and, rotating them to create noise, casts spells. Philemon is even more afraid and, trembling, clutches at the tree. For some time the miller casts spells in an ominous tone, after which he unties Filimon's eyes and calms him.To Filimon’s question about horses, he alludes several times to payment and, having received the money, upsets the fact that the horses will not return.
Looking at the palm of Philemon, the miller, who had long felt his state of mind, speaks of a grouse plaguing him, and tells him to tell everything without hiding. Philemon talks about his desire to marry Annie, who is hampered by her mother - "noble offspring," according to Philemon. And if the father of Anyuta is a peasant and wants to have a son-in-law, the mother is a noble son. Miller promises to settle the matter, for which he was promised "a quarter of good rye." Miller and Philemon, satisfied with each other, go to the tavern to note the contract.
Anute comes out of the peasant's yard Filimon. Annie, fearing her parents and embarrassed, makes an attempt to leave, but the desire to stay overpowers, and she stops. Philemon, seeing her indecision, becomes angry and reproaches her for this, saying that there is more beautiful than her and he will not chase her. Anyuta, whom Philemon likes, slowly approaches him and starts a conversation. To the question of Filimon, why she does not come to gatherings, Anyuta complains about her mother, who does not let her out of the house. Philemon reassures her and promises that they will get married soon.
The drunken miller who appeared appeared annoyed Annie, as it interferes with their explanation with Filimon. Philemon, on the contrary, reassures her that with the help of the miller they can play a wedding. Anutea's mother, who appeared in the distance, Fetinha forces the miller and Filimon to hide from her behind the peasant's yard. Fetinha scolds Anyuta for idleness and drives her to work.Anyuta reproaches her mother, because other girls are walking, and she is still at work, but she obediently leaves.
Miller asks at the house of Fetinha. She invites him and listens to the magic of the miller, who guessed about her secret thoughts. The miller tells the astonished Fetinier to bring him something to drink and receives a whole flask of wine as a present.
For the purpose of enchanting about the narrowed Annie, the miller sends Fethinho away, puts Annie with his back to the month, gives her a mirror and tells her to look at the reflection of the month. Then he imperceptibly makes a sign to Philemon to step out of the shadow and appear to Anyuta. Annie, seeing the image of Philemon, rejoices at the prediction. The miller with signs tells Philemon to disappear again, and Annie orders to hit the mirror so that the vision does not seize her. The appeared Fetinha asks Anyuta, who seemed to her, she does not want to talk and leaves for herself.
Fetinha asks to bother what kind of son-in-law she will have, because she wants a nobleman. The miller sends her to walk along the path, saying that whoever she first meets will be her son-in-law. On the path, Fetinha meets Filimon and, frightened, runs back. The miller reassures her and asks about the meeting, whom Fetinier apparently liked, but she doubts whether he is a nobleman? Melnik assures that he is a nobleman, and even describes that he is from “the village of Khleborodov, the village of Dobry-Pozhny,” however he refuses to give a name.
Appeared Ankudin drives a horse and talks about the heavy peasant share. He is stopped by the miller and Philemon, and, after greetings, the miller marries Philemon, characterizing him as a smart guy,grown without father and mother. Ankudin liked the guy, and he almost agrees, only fears that his wife will be against him, and he cannot cope with her without help. Miller promises him to overcome this obstacle.
Fetinha meets Ankudin at the gates of the house with the words that she had got her daughter around, to which Ankudin said that he had also got around Anyuta. Both do not want to say for whom they are quarreling, but each insists on his choice: Ankudin - for the peasant, and Fetinha - for the nobleman
Fetinha, sitting among the working girls, tells Anyuta that they sang wedding songs for her. When asked about the narrowed Fetinha convinces her of his good choice - a nobleman from the village of Khleborodovo. Ankudin who came up was surprised and asked again, Fetinha repeated that Anyuta’s groom was a landowner from the village of Dobry Pozhni and was married by Thaddeus the Miller. Ankudin does not believe and talks about the matchmaking of the miller, but only a peasant from the same village.
Ankudin and Fetinha interrogate the miller about his divination. He convinces everyone of the correctness of his choice and promises to provide the groom, who for Ankudin is a peasant, and for Fetinha a nobleman. Ankudin suggests that the miller wooed him a werewolf. Fetinha agrees with him.
A drunken miller with a balalaika represents Filimon Fetigne, Ancudina and Anyuta. Each of them recognizes in Filimon the person with whom he met earlier. The miller explains the seeming misunderstanding with the words of the song that in Russia we have long been "The landowner himself, the peasant himself, / The slave himself and the boyar himself."Such people, the miller explains, are called "the classmate - both the nobleman and the peasant - are all one." Annie persuades her father and mother to give her for Philemon.
Ankudin and Fetinha, who understood nothing, are satisfied in their own way, each of them is half satisfied. Everyone agrees that they need to play a wedding, and thank the miller. The choir comes into action, which glorifies the miller and blesses the wedding. In the song, each of those present expresses his attitude to what is happening and, turning to his father-in-law, urges him to lead everyone to his feast.
