Veronika and Boris come together in Moscow shortly before World War II. Walking along the river, they watch cranes fly overhead, and promise to rendezvous before Boris leaves to fight. Boris misses the meeting and is off to the front lines, while Veronika waits patiently, sending letters faithfully. After her house is bombed, Veronika moves in with Boris' family, into the company of a cousin with his own intentions.
Two old friends remain socially active even after their retirement...
A self-loving and arrogant priest, strolling through the market square, is looking for a "cook, stable boy and carpenter" who would work for him diligently and a lot, and take only a little money for it. He meets a brave young man, Balda, who is hired as a servant by the popes for a purely symbolic payment - "a year for three cheeks on the forehead". Soon the Pope will have to learn the power of Balda's slap.
