The three bogatyrs (Slavic knight errants), are imprisoned by Baba Yaga and her henchman in a huge barrel that's dumped in the ocean and replaces the heroes with impostors. The witch then overthrows the Prince of Kiev. The wives of the heroes discover something is amiss (the fact that they don't cast shadows or appear in a mirror are a good hint) and organize an unsuccessful counter-revolution and are captured. In the meantime, the heroes wash ashore on an island and are rescued by friendly pygmies. Can they defeat the pygmies' greatest enemy (a gigantic ape) and return to Kiev before their wives are executed?