The story recalling the spirit of Gilgamesh, the Sumerian king quarrelling with his approaching death, takes place in a cancer hospital in Budapest. Dávid, the young ethnography scientist resigned to his lot and is indifferent to his approaching death. His specialist reckons, however, that such a searching and stubborn mind with thorough knowledge of the nature of his own illness, will be able to fight death.
Marika is adopted by Orbán Sándor after his wife dies. However, when she reaches the age of 19, he discovers she is more attractive than any of the women he knows. There are a few complications before Marika realizes that her foster father, Orbán, will make a better husband than any of the young men that are courting her.