The story of the legendary architect Petr Parléř, who is charged by the king Charles IV with the task of building a Gothic cathedral in Prague.

A highly romanticized autobiographical novel by a Czech 19th century writer, Bozena Nemcova. It's a classical, compulsory reading in Czech schools, about a wise, working-class woman, happier in her simplicity and good heart than the nobles whom she serves.

He, Doctor of Philosophy Alois Pech, is his mother's impenetrable and unindependent pet who works as a prison librarian. She, Marcela Johnová, is a self-confident, energetic and successful girl from high society. While she lives in the big world, surrounded by luxury and admirers, he lives a quiet, modest life with his caring mother. They are introduced by a completely random night-time phone call made from Marcella's apartment by one of her guests. Although for her the pleasantly clumsy man is primarily an entertaining addition to a life full of pleasures, Alois falls in love with the girl and begins to look for opportunities to meet again.

Gabriela Tuzarová still loves her husband Petr very much, even though he has cooled off towards her. Petr is an accountant in a printing house. He secretly speculates on the stock market and maintains a relationship with the owner of the company, Šeborová. He speculated on Gabriela's dowry and thirty thousand crowns, which he borrowed from the company treasury. The famous conductor Štěpán Tuzar, Petr's brother, arrives in Prague. Štěpán is enchanted by Gabriela...

In a small village in the Chodsko region, people live with daily worries about making a living. Many are dependent on work on the estate. Only the priest Jiří is able to stand up against the undignified conditions here, but he receives no gratitude, because the steward turns the villagers against him. Staněk, an engineer whose son Ondřej is studying at a grammar school, also works on the estate. The boy would like to continue studying law in Prague and is very surprised by his mother's wish for him to become a priest. His mother relies on the priest to talk Ondřej out of it. However, Jiří was once in the same situation, so he knows how difficult it is to perform well a mission that one has not chosen for oneself...

At the end of the First World War, Nikola Shuhai and his friend from the army desert. On the way home, to the village of Kolochava, they both find refuge with baby Jaga. Jaga mixes them a drink to protect them from the deadly bullets. The bachelors must promise to marry her daughters in exchange for a drink, or they will be punished. Nikola finds his home village in poverty. He stands against the powerful and the rich, and they turn the gendarmes against him. Nikola hides from them in the woods, where he will remain even after the end of the war, because nothing has changed for the villagers. Out of poverty and hopelessness, other men join Nikola and together they raid the wealthy. Nikola distributes the obtained booty to the poor and needy, who see him as their protector and hero.

Pharmacist Pavlovský has a modern and sporty son, Karel, also a pharmacist, whom he would like to marry. He therefore sends him to Kutná Hora to live with his friend Řep, who has a daughter of marriageable age. However, Miroslava is a girl strictly led by her conservative parents and therefore lacks any charm. Karel also meets his uncle Ambrož in the family, who lives a double life. He is a serious older man by day and secretly flees at night so that he can perform in the local theater.