Two brothers twins have different fortunes. One of them who has been a cheeky madcap since childhood becomes a recidivist, a 'thief-in-law', a famous burglar/criminal/offender who is able to break any kind of lock. Another one, who is kind, timid and short-sighted, has become a school teacher. The second world war. The recidivist recruited by the Germans, has been trained in a diversionary centre and gets a task completing which he must return. But he is rendered harmless by the soviet security service and killed while trying to escape. There is an idea to use his brother twin sending him to the diversionary centre. But to put this into practice he must be 'dug up with roots' from his peaceful life and taught with all his brother's knowledge, skills, abilities and likes everything he wouldn't like to know.