In a village in the Peloponnese, on the slopes of Mt. Chelmos, lives rich sheep owner Mitros with his wife Asimina, his son Thymios and adopted daughter Astero. The children love each other, but Mitros betroths Astero to Stamos, another rich sheep owner. When Stamos is killed and Astero loses her mind, Mitros, watching his son wither away, tells him that his entire fortune is Astero's and urges him to marry her.