[2] A humble fisherman's son and a spoiled prince cross paths in a fantastical quest involving magic, deception, and love, as they both vie for the hand of a powerful underwater princess.

On his way home, he stops for water at a forest well, only to be seized by the underwater king, Chudo-Yudo, who demands that Yeremey give him "what he doesn't know he has."

Assuming he has nothing to lose, Yeremey agrees, only to return home and discover that his son, Andrei, was born during his absence.

Underwater, Chudo-Yudo plans a wedding for his daughter, the sorceress Varvara, who desires a loving husband from the human world.

Mistakenly identifying the fisherman’s son as his own, Yeremey sends Andrei the prince into Chudo-Yudo’s realm, where he fails Varvara's tests due to his selfishness.