In one small provincial town lives Savva Kulikov. In ordinary life, he is an exemplary Soviet citizen and an up-and-coming economist, but Kulikov has an unusual hobby — he trains his own pets, teaching them many amusing stunts. Among the "pupils" Savva already have a dog, a cat and even a parrot. One day the chimpanzee gets into Savva's hands. The animal was easy to train, with dexterity performing all the tricks of Kulikov, and he decided that his hobby should go to a new, more serious stage - performance in public. Circus friends help Savva break into the circus arena. The main character performs with his monkey in a local circus and the show was an incredible success, breaking a storm of applause from a grateful public.