1877 when Girgl, nicknamed Jennerwein, returns from the Franco Prussian war, he finds his native land poverty-stricken. Girgl rebels against owners and the great land owner who refuse to allow the peasants to hunt, thus driving them to starvation. Jennerwein goes hunting and shares his prey with the poor. At first he helps his best friend Pfoderl. Both to them are wanted for disobeying the law, especially by Mayr, the king’s forest warden,. When Jennerwein falls in love with his friend’s beloved agerl, Pfoderl, consumed with hate, joins forces with Mayr and his troops. Jennerwein is not intimidated, although the forest becomes increasingly dangerous for him. It is a question of survival, for Agerl and the orphans he has taken in. Nevertheless Pfoderl becomes more and more dangerous and makes an attempt on Jennerwein’s life..