Yolanda is a beautiful peasant girl who dances to her orchestra of wild songbirds. Her father forbids her to dance, but her mother, Olga, encourages her secretly. The Grand Duke Boris sees the girl dancing in the woods, and perceives in her the promise of dazzling success. Without revealing his identity, he gives the mother money enough to take herself and Yolanda to Petrograd. Boris establishes the girl in a luxurious villa. The mother and the girl think this is part of the ballet training. Youloff, the ballet master, is enthusiastic over Yolanda's dancing. Yolanda falls in love with Alexander Pribyloff, a young artist, but Boris, jealous, forbids her to see Alexander. Yolanda begins to see why Boris has been so kind to her. She meets Alexander secretly. Peter, Yolanda's peasant lover, and Serge, her brother, come to Petrograd to see her. Serge tells the mother that the Grand Duke must be keeping Yolanda as his mistress. Olga denies this, but her eyes are opened. Boris has the two men put out. Yolanda assures her mother that Serge's accusation is not true. Olga's health wanes, and shortly afterward she dies. Yolanda scores a tremendous success. She tells Boris that now she can repay him in money. But he is now wild about her, and offers her a morganatic offer. He insults Alexander, who strikes him. For this Boris has him sent to Siberia. Boris goes to Yolanda and attempts forcibly to take possession of her. Her brother kills the Duke. Drolinski offers to get her out of the country, but she asks simply to be sent away with Alexander. So, through Drolinski's influence, Yolanda and her lover ride away to Siberia together, happy in each other's love, even though destined to prison. And Drolinski, who also has loved Yolanda, finds it in his heart to envy them.