Mars-Film

Journeyman craftsman Paul Paulsen is in his third year of traveling and lives far from his North German homeland in a small village in Central Germany. During a winter storm, he sees a young woman near his door, demanding entry to the prison, but being turned away by the warden. Paul follows the woman and takes her to his landlady's apartment. He recognizes her as Lisei, the daughter of a puppeteer, whom he had met twelve years earlier. He looks back.

Tünnes and Schäl have spotted an accordion in a second-hand shop that they would like to buy. Since they have no money, they go looking for work. They try selling apples on the street, but this fails to bring in the necessary funds. They then arrive at the "Arena Humsti Bumsti" circus, where they are hired as performers. However, they find no success there either, and the ringmaster throws them both out. As they flee, they take an accordion from the circus with them.