Everyone likes Silo, the tramp (Attila Hörbiger). He's sincere, faithful and clever, but there's nothing that can keep him in one place for long. One day, something terrible happens. Someone wants to stab Silo and almost succeeds, but some fishermen find him and bring him back to the village where the young Maria (Heidemarie Hatheyer) is nursing him. And Silo is falling in love with her. Some time later, Maria's husband Alexander is found dead on the banks of the river. Right away Silo comes under suspicion, because the knife that was found next to Alexanders body, belonged to him.