An expedition into the interior of Papua New Guinea comes across a tribe of ape-like people who may or may not be ancestors of early man.

Leim, the carpenter’s journeyman, invests his lottery winnings wisely and marries his master Hoblmann’s daughter Pepi, securing a comfortable middle-class life. Zwirn, the tailor, falls for the alluring Signora Palpiti and lavishes his newfound wealth on her, rapidly depleting his fortune. Knieriem, the stout shoemaker’s apprentice, spends his windfall on endless drinking and revelry, embracing the carefree life without regrets.