Farmer Jakub asks Rychnovsky the miller for the hand in marriage of his daughter Marie. Marie is distraught as she does not love Jakub. Furthermore, Jakub and Rychnovský slander her sweetheart Konrad, saying that he has his eye on the miller's wife. At her father's request Marie says goodbye to Konrad and leaves for the city. After her departure, Konrad gets drunk and, in the graveyard, spirits appear before him of those who will die within a year. Among them is the miller and Marie. The miller is ill and the grave-digger recommends that he rub his chest with earth taken from a freshly dug grave. The miller takes earth from a grave and suddenly runs into Konrad. He falls to the ground in fright. Marie catches Konrad standing over her father's body and accuses him of causing her father's death. Soon afterwards Marie also dies. However, Konrád manages to get to her just before she dies to play her favourite song. A funeral procession accompanies Marie on her last journey.

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