Each year, at harvest time, the bandit chieftain and his men ride into the village to claim their share of the peasant's harvest. By their offering, the villagers buy protection from the cruel brigands for another year. This year, however, drought and pest have destroyed most of their crops. The meager harvest they managed to bring in is not enough to pay the bandits and sustain the villagers through the coming winter. With no other choice, they hold a lottery and pick two of the young maidens from the village, to be this year's tribute...