Based on Jan Neruda's column of the same name, which depicts the troubles of an old straw man. The film is introduced by poet Jaroslav Seifert with a speech about Jan Neruda and his work.

A film about a young schoolgirl and her two loves: figure skating and music. Because she can't properly divide her energy and time between studying, sports and piano, she has setbacks. She is about to give up on one of her loves, but her teacher gives her courage and shows her by her example how to manage her energy and time properly.

The film, in individual episodes, captures the fate of Bedřich Smetana from 1856 until the end of his life, from his young years until the moment when, exhausted by human and artistic hardship, he sees the fulfillment of his great dream, the opening of the National Theatre.