When Stelio dies, his village commences the mourning process, beginning with wailing and prayers. His now-widowed wife of only one year is inconsolable. The town drunk comes to thank Stelio for his kindness towards her and gives him a strange kiss. But nobody feels his death as much as his brother Stratis. Overcome by grief and love, Stratis runs across the town, into the bell tower. He forces the bell ringer to leave with a shove towards the stairs and begins ringing the mourning bell for Stelio himself, hoping the village can hear how deeply he mourns. Throughout the town's streets, Stelio's old friends, enemies, rivals, and lovers stop to consider how he lived and how they will miss him. Stelio frequently fought, but he loved deeply, as shown by his wife's devotion to him. As Stratis finishes ringing the mourning bells, he recalls how Stelio laughed at his wedding at the thought of death, saying warmly that "death comes for us all." Now, only a year later, his neighbor is digging his grave.