In the boundless Kazakh steppe, the old man Agatay lives in a house on a hill. His beloved wife has died long ago, they had no children, and there are no relatives left. But Agatay doesn't rest: his life is full of worries and work. He looks after his modest household as best as he can, and protects the steppe that he considers his homeland. Finally, the old man accomplishes another good deed: he adopts a child who has fled the orphanage.