In the 17th century, in a Cossack village near Chyhyryn on Christmas Eve, Halya, the daughter of centurion Khoma Kychatyi, is looking for a matchmaker from a young Cossack Nazar Stodolya, whom she loves. But her father is ready to give her in marriage to a rich colonel. So, when the colonel's matchmakers come, he tries to deceive his daughter with the help of Stekha, his keywoman, in order to get her consent.