The story is set around 1956, two years after the first film. What was menacing then has become bitter truth: The Immenhof has been closed by officials, awaiting auction. In the meantime, Angela has died, so Jochen is now a widower. Oma Jantzen and Angela's younger sisters Dick and Dalli live with him in the forester's house. To save the manor house, Dalli has started a "pony circus" with the village children in the barn, while Dick has given up hope of Ethelbert ever returning; he hasn't written in over a year. She doesn't know he's already on his way, bringing along his university friend Ralf. When Ethelbert learns from Dalli that Dick and Ralf are getting much better acquainted than he was bargaining for (we're talking about getting to first-name basis here, it's the 1950s), and he also learns of the trouble the Immenhof is in, he secretly summons his rich uncle Pankraz and his beautiful daughter Margot to the forester's house. After many pranks the ponies and Dalli's gang of would-be cowboys play on Pankraz, he finally caves in, saves the Immenhof, and allows his daughter to marry Jochen. Dick is now expecting letters from Ralf, and Ethelbert may or may not transfer his attentions to Dalli.