Manas is hired to work for master Tatos till the spring, "when the cuckoo will call". There is one condition of the contract: if anyone of them gets annoyed with another, he loses everything. Unable to stand the day-and-night work for stingy master, Manas leaves without a pense of salary for months work. Next servant who knocks at Tatos's door is Manas's small brother, smart Simon.

Rich Nikoghos-agha buys some beef liver for Nerses-akhpar's family. Although months have passed, Nikoghos-agha does not hesitate to remind his "charity" to Nerses-akhpar every time they met.