In the remote mountain village mothers and fathers are seeing off their sons going to the front. According to the tradition, a highlander must not part with the weapons of their ancestors. The old woman Patimat asks Lieutenant Zvorykin to give her sons - Sultan and Magomed - the ancient tribal daggers. Afraid to break the service regulations he does not agree. But the custom can not be broken either, so the single mother holding the weapon in her arms sets out in search of her sons.