The story concerns Luke Steffink's Christmas house party and his "ne'er-do-well" nephew Bertie. One of the guests recalls that, according to Russian folklore, animals are given the power of speech once a year at midnight on Christmas Eve. To indulge the young people, Luke and his wife decide to take everyone down to the cow house at midnight. Bertie, who is not in a festive mood, declines to join the expedition. The party comes to regret allowing him to stay behind.