A poor boy and girl in rags gather wood in the snow. They pass by a tailor, a butcher and a baker, all of whom pity the children. Later, they arrive home. Their poor mother sets before them the only food she can: some stale bread. The children cheerfully dunk the bread in their glasses of water. After eating, the boy tells his mother he's still hungry. She weeps into her apron, and the boy declares that he was only fooling...