: The police overseer is trying to do his job, but the grafted worship is stopping him.

Police overseer Ochumelov and red-haired city Eldyrin are walking through the market square. Suddenly they hear outraged screams and a dog screech. They see how a three-legged dog runs out of the wood warehouse, looking around, followed by a half-drunk man, goldsmith master Khryukin. Khryukin grabs the dog by its hind legs, around them, "as if grown from the ground," a crowd gathers. In the center of the crowd is Khryukin, showing a bloodied finger and a puppy he caught.

Ochumelov and the city go to understand what happened. Khryukin complains to the policeman that the dog bit him. Ochumelov threatens to fine the owner of the dog and destroy the dog. Learning that this is General Zhigalov’s dog, the policeman quickly changes his mind and pounces on Khryukin. Eldyrin notes that the general does not have such dogs. Ochumelov again changes his mind to the opposite, he says to Khryukin so that he doesn’t leave this business like that. Having struck the city’s thoughts, he says that perhaps she’s the general’s one too, he saw a few days ago in the general’s yard. Ochumelov again changes his mind, orders Eldyrin to deliver the dog to Zhigalov and say that he, Ochumelov, found her.

A passing general’s chef, Prokhor, is asked if this dog is theirs, to which Prokhor answers - no. Ochumelov again wants to destroy the dog. The cook continues to speak, and it turns out that this is the dog of the general brother Vladimir Ivanovich. The police overseer is moved and gives Prokhor unhindered to lead the dog away. The crowd laughs at Khryukin, Ochumelov threatens him and, sinking into his greatcoat, continues his journey through the market square.