The envious Goose traded from other birds what he liked: the neck of the Swan, the nose of the Pelican, the wings of the Raven, the legs of the Crane, the tail of the Peacock; the Rooster's scallop and a "crow" in addition. The Goose began to look like no one, just for some reason everyone laughed at him. The Sparrow helped him with advice, suggesting that the Goose's stupidity be replaced with the wisdom of the Owl. At the Owl, the Goose also learned that "A smart bird can not be proud of other birds feathers." Recognizing his mistake, the Goose changes everything back.
Alexander Chatsky returns from three years abroad, hoping to rekindle a romance with his childhood sweetheart Sophie. In the meantime, however, she has fallen in love with Molchalin, her father's scheming secretary. As scandal erupts, Chatsky is met with accusations of madness.
In 1907, the Russian authorities learn that a revolutionary known as 'Granddad' is living in hiding with his brother. The revolutionary is soon arrested and sent to Siberia. After ten years of struggling to survive in harsh conditions, he is finally released when the Tsarist government is overthrown in February 1917. He is welcomed home as a hero, but he soon finds that even his own son has different views than he does about the future of Russia.