Prince Ehtejab, one of the last remaining heirs of the Qajar royal family, is suffering from tuberculosis, which he knows is fatal. He spends his last days alone in the magnificent rooms of his wintry palace, from where he recollects the glory days of his ancestors as well as days of degradation. Among the latter are the gruesome manner in which his cruel grandfather murdered his mother and brother, and the way that he himself caused the death of his wife.

A gypsy woman named Setareh, after being rejected from home, leaves her young son Ali next to a house and runs away. Farrash-bashi (School Janitor) finds Ali and takes him to his workplace, which is a busy elementary school, and takes care of him with the help of school children.

After spending time in prison for killing his wife's lover, Reza is looking to settle down and find a good wife for himself and a mother for his daughter. He meets a young girl and falls in love. But her circumstances and her past are standing in the way of their happiness.

Shahbal, a member of the Black Mountain tribe, gets into a fight with several people and rides a horse towards Musa Khan's tribe with a wounded body. Musa Khan's sons and some of his men want to kill him, but Musa Khan prevents him and entrusts his daughter Ghazal to heal his wounds.