The servant Fatyueva Vanka, sent by his master to the future father-in-law with a pie, is trying to find out the road from a peasant for four miles from the city. With difficulty, he succeeds, and, having reached the goal, he unties the pie and plunges into sweet thoughts about his merits.

Appearing Dasha, the maid of the bride Fatuyeva - Prelesta, asks Vanka about the purpose of his arrival. He reports that the master calls his gentlemen Dasha for breakfast and sends a pie to them. Vanka praises the virtues of the cake, complaining about the lack of money received from the master. Dasha supports his enthusiasm for the cake and begins to persuade Vanka to try a piece. He hesitates, but Dasha shows him a way to hide what he has done, namely: turn the cake upside down, cut the bottom with a penknife, try the toppings, and then turn over

him back. They savor the cake and discuss the proposed wedding: Dasha says that the young lady loves another - Milon and that her current bridegroom is in poor health. Both were so carried away that they ate the whole filling of the pie. They quarrel and blame each other. Dasha runs away, and Vanka decides to rely on chance.

Fatuyev asks Vanka about the Vspyshkins - the family of his bride - Prelests, the same in dismay constantly translates the conversation to the virtues of the cake. Finally Fatuyev decides to check the quality of the pie, but Vanka successfully distracts his attention with the merits of the crew and the alleged presence of Grubinin, the creditor Fatuyev, at breakfast. In order not to meet with Grubinin, to whom he owes two thousand rubles, Fatuyev tells Vanka to tell Vspyshkin that he had gone to refuse to marry Princess Snafidina.

Prelest and her beloved Milon unsuccessfully convince Ujima, the wife of Vspyshkin, to persuade him to refuse Fatuev. The appeared Vanka talks about the pie for breakfast and the letter of Fatuyev. Milon and Prelesta are desperate, romantic Ujima sympathizes with them, but nevertheless has nothing against the proposed dinner, at which he plans to perform sentimental songs.

Happily excited Vspyshkin appears and, wishing to tell something to Ujima, calls her Malanya Sysoevna. She is angry, accuses him of barbarism and asks to call her Melania, as they say in the novels. Vspyshkin considers all this a trifle and calls her with him. Vanka gives Vspyshkin a letter from Fatuyev and shows the pie sent for him. Going to try the pie, Vspyshkin again teases his wife with references to her age. Ujima is angry, reproaches him for being rude. Finally, Vspyshkin stops bickering, telling her what he intended, namely: pointing to the church in a birch grove, which Ujima calls palm and cypress in enthusiasm, informs that he “made a priest” and as soon as Fatuyev appears, he will be immediately married . Ujima regrets the unfortunate Milon, to which Vspyshkin with a laugh reports that there are no novels without unhappy lovers.

Vspyshkin beckons Milon and his daughter and is about to bite a pie. Vanka in every possible way delays the moment of exposure, for which he fussyly begins to bring a table and chairs. Everyone is seated around the table, and Vspyshkin is lively, asks Vanka who made the pie, advises Milon not to spoil the sadness of the pie, explaining that few girls get married, and men get married of their choice, take a knife and cut the pie. The result throws the whole company into bewilderment, the cake is without filling. Milon scoffs, Vspyshkin demands an explanation from Vanka, he rolls around a fool, portraying bewilderment. Vspyshkin is furious and promises to pay off the "hang" Fatuyev. Remembering the letter, he begins to read it, which causes a new outburst of anger in him, he reproaches Fatuyev for the expressions that seem to him disrespectful, and he accepts the mention of the trip to Princess Snafidina and the filling of the pie as refusing to marry Prelest. Unable to read further, Vspyshkin hands over a letter to Dasha, who adds on her own a proposal ending in refusing to marry Prelest. Vspyshkin demands from Vanka information about the marriage of Fatuyev to Princess Snafidina. He, under the influence of Dasha, confirms this alleged fact. Vspyshkin curses orders to transfer Fatyuev, so that he does not appear more with him.

Fatuyev appears and asks about the pie. Vspyshkin attacks him with curses and takes his daughter away with him. Milon and Ujima also do not want to explain and leave.

Fatuyev interrogates Vanka about the reasons for the Pripyshkin’s displeasure, suggesting that maybe the pie was bad, it bothers, plays surprise and assures Fatuyev of the excellent quality of the pie - after all, even the fillings were gone, the partridges, according to him, were the freshest. Fatuyev is perplexed, secondly demands from Vanka to state the reason for the scandal, suggesting it in a letter. Vanka portrays enlightenment of memory and says that it was in the process of reading the letter that everyone present was very angry and called Fatyuev a scoundrel, a fool, an idler. Fatuyev is in complete bewilderment and decides to find out everything from Vspyshkin himself, since he does not want to lose Prelest and, most importantly, her dowry. Vanka struggles to dissuade the relationship, stressing that they insulted Fatyuev, noticing the approaching Pospyshkins, Milon and Dasha, disappearing.

Milon and Prelesga, who had just been married in the church, rejoice at the circumstances that have changed so suddenly, and Vspyshkin persuades them not to remember the old one, everyone talks animatedly and peacefully meets Fatuyev. Fatuyev, who did not suspect anything, exchanged peace-loving phrases with each company and, believing that the misunderstanding had been settled, gradually came to a good mood. Vspyshkin asks Fatuyev about his wedding, he does not understand what the difficulty is, for he is ready to get married at any time. Vspyshkin clarifies the question of Princess Snafidina, to which Fatuyev assures those present in the successful resolution of problems, everyone congratulates him, and Vspyshkin asks Fatyuyev to congratulate him on his son-in-law as well. Mutual misunderstanding is increasing. The son-in-law is not Fatuyev, but Milon. Fatuyev accuses Vspyshkin of breaking the word, to which he indignantly reproaches him for mockery, because the cake is empty, without filling. Called to account Vanka confesses to misconduct, mentioning in the accomplices and Dasha. She admits in everything, as well as in the addition to the letter of a nonexistent phrase about marriage to Princess Snafidina, as well as in the destruction of the letter itself. Vspyshkin, despite the evidence of Fatuyev's innocence, does not regret what happened and hugs Milon. Fatuyev grieves over the slipped dowry.

The appearing clerk of the local village of Potap conveyed to Vspyshkin a congratulation from the mistress, the mistress of the village, and invited her to celebrate. Vspyshkin, feeling himself, invites Fatuyev.