A creature bearing the ominous name "Mishap" is hot in pursuit of an unfortunate lumberjack and eventually decides to live with him. It soon gets bored, however, and asks the lumberjack to hand it over to the rich merchant Habermoos. Habermoos manages to sell Mishap to the king, although he is being attacked by robbers. The king is bankrupt and threatened with war by other countries. Young Michael has to go to war for the king. The creature tries to secretly join him. When Michael gets hold of the situation, he manages to get rid of Mishap once and for all. After all, he has more important things to do. At the last moment, he prevents his girlfriend Kathrin from getting married to the pompous merchant Habermoos.
A story spanning three generations, from 1871 to 1945. When Gustav Wengler, a farmer’s son, returns from the Franco-German war in 1871, he goes to work for a precision mechanics and optical company, where he soon becomes a master craftsman. Wengler loyally promises the owner on his deathbed that his sons and grandsons will also stand by the company.
