In his palace sits the formidable Khan Giray, angry and sad. Why is Giray saddened, what is he thinking about? He does not think about the war with Russia, he is not afraid of the machinations of enemies, and his wives are faithful to him, they are guarded by a devoted and evil eunuch. The sad Girey goes to the abode of his wives, where slaves sing a song for the glory of the beautiful Zarema, the beauty of the harem. But Zarema herself, pale and sad, does not listen to praise and is sad because Girey had fallen out of love with her; he fell in love with young Maria, a recent inhabitant of the harem, who came here from her native Poland, where she was an adornment of her parents' house and an enviable bride for many wealthy nobles who looked for her hands.

The Tatar hordes that rushed to Poland ravaged the house of Mary's father, and she herself became a slave to Girey. In captivity, Mary withers and finds joy only in prayer in front of the icon of the Blessed Virgin, which has an unquenchable lamp. And even Giray himself spares her peace and does not violate her loneliness.

A sweet Crimean night arrives, the palace calms down, sleeps in a harem, but only one of Girey’s wives does not sleep. She gets up and sneaks past a sleeping eunuch. Here she opens the door and finds herself in a room where an icon lamp burns in front of the Most Holy Virgin and an unbreakable silence reigns. Something long forgotten stirred in Zarema's chest. She sees the sleeping princess and kneels in front of her with a prayer. Awakened Mary asks Zarema why she was here as a late guest. Zarema tells her her sad story. She does not remember how she ended up in Girey’s palace, but she enjoyed his love completely until Mary appeared in the harem. Zarema begs Mary to return Girey’s heart to her, his betrayal will kill her. She threatens Mary ...

Having poured out his confessions, Zarema disappears, leaving Mary in embarrassment and in dreams of death, which is nicer to her than the fate of the concubine of Girey.

Maria's wishes came true, and she rested, but Giray did not return to Zarema. He left the palace and again indulged in the pleasures of war, but even in battles Girey could not forget the beautiful Mary. The harem was abandoned and forgotten by Girey, and Zarema was thrown into the abyss of the waters by the guards of the harem that very night, when Mary died. Returning to Bakhchisaray after a fatal raid on the villages of Russia, Giray erected a fountain in memory of Maria, which the young virgins of Tauris, recognizing this sad legend, called the fountain of tears.