Cossack Vasyl (Ivan Mykolaichuk) prepares himself for a mounted voyage to Saint Petersburg, the capital of the Russian Empire. Vasyl carries a hramota (sealed official document) given to him by the hetman through his secretary, Pereverny-Kruchenko, that is rumored to cost ten Poods of gold. Vasyl's wife sews the hramota into his hat and his father (Vasyl Symchych) gives him magic tobacco to repel evil and an advice to find a good co-journeyman.