A tronka, a sheep bell made from a trophy shell casing, symbolises peace from war. In the Ukrainian steppe, where shepherds use tronkas, a military training ground exists. Major Uralov, an officer, marries a local woman, and they have a daughter, Alenka, who dies. After her death, the Uralovs leave the steppe with the military unit, enduring their grief but remaining unbroken. Based on a novel by Oles Honchar.