The mongrel Lyolik becomes a witness to the arguments between his young owners, and attempts to reconcile them. Lyolik is a very unusual dog: he talks (ruminates, to be more precise) offscreen, in the tones of a street hoodlum to boot, which is no surprise since he spent his early childhood on the streets. Lyolik is not indifferent to his owners, and tries with all his power to help them with their problems. But alas, all that people hear is a dog’s barking…

The story of Dante, a graduate of the philological faculty who works on the railroad, pins the tracks to the railroad ties with a terrible noise, and then falls in love with a deaf-mute girl.