In the not-so-distant past, somewhere in northern Norway. The main character is Margit, an orphaned young girl. She has been sent to live on the farm of Krestian and Johanna, where we also find the farmhand Bæla, a physical giant but mentally still a child. Krestian and Simon, his brother, are constantly fighting with each other, and Simon tempts Bæla with "a thousand kroner" to get him to "beat the crap out of Krestian." Margit senses that something is about to happen and tries to prevent Bæla from becoming a murderer. Margit's surroundings include the helpless Vavva, the consumptive and malicious young boy Arild, and Magdalena, who has entrusted her life to the Lord.