As children, Juan and Plumitas dream of becoming bullfighters. But one day when they go to the ring, they are offered a chance to fight the bulls and become candidates. Juan freezes, and it is their friend Chiripa who jumps into the ring. Chiripa is killed, and then Juan unfreezes and draws off the bulls. He is hailed as having great potential and is recruited. Plumitas can't believe Juan would do this when Chiripa has been killed, and the two brothers become estranged.