A wandering singer, returning to his native kingdom after seven years of wandering, discovers that his compatriots have changed strangely. Peasants no longer welcome travelers as long-awaited guests, merchants rush to get rich, not thinking about those they ruin, crowds of beggars wander along the roads... An ominous Werewolf, the main character of modern fairy tales, prowls the forests. The royal chambers are also uneasy. The throne, vacated after the death of the old king, is seized by one of the courtiers, but a certain Master becomes the behind-the-scenes “gray cardinal.” Only the Minstrel, who can awaken people's hearts with his songs, are ready to resist him, wandering actors who show real valor and real heroes in plays, and the young queen with her chosen one - a forest hunter worthy of becoming a real king. The text of the novel uses poems by St. Petersburg poets Ekaterina Achilova and Olga Mareicheva.