Rich American Sam, along with his younger cowboy brothers, John and Pete, comes to St. Petersburg to show himself to the country. In the market, he meets a trading guy Pronka Greznoy, from whom he buys bast shoes. Interested in Pronka, Sam offers him a bet: he doesn't wash for 15 years and trades, and John and Pete must follow him. Pronka agrees and becomes a super successful trader, literary character and movie hero.