Oleg is a high school student who, together with his friends, engages in petty theft. Olga is the daughter of a military man who controls her every move.

A most unusual teacher of Mari history and culture appears in school. Instead of announcing the topic of the lesson he retells three tales to the children. These are modern interpretations of the legends of Onar, Irga and Chotkar, the Mari legendary heroes, "the last pagans in Europe". But the deputy school master senses something fishy and tries to expose the teacher.