Dawn in Old Baghdad and the poor street poet, Hajj, is kidnapped by the bandit Jawan. Jawan wants Hajj to find his son for him. Hajj is able to convince Jawan he will find his son for him and is released. Back in Baghdad the Wazir welcomes his wife Lalume back from her travels. She has brought three princesses with her for the Caliph to marry. Meanwhile, the Caliph and Hajj's daughter Marsinah have met and have fallen in love. The Wazir captures Jawan the bandit. Jawan recognizes the amulet around Wazir's neck as that as the one belonging to his son. This does not matter to the Wazir and he sentences his father to death. Caliph shows up and announces that he will be marrying Marsinah, not the princesses. The Wazir, panicked, asks Hajj to stop the marriage and promises him riches. Hajj tells Marsinah if she marrys Caliph he will be killed, so she flees to Damascus. Caliph is inconsolable. Lalume has decided to make Hajj her lover and takes him away with her to an Oasis. Marsinah is brought back and placed in the Wazir's harem. Then Wazir tells Hajj he is going to marry Marsinah. Hajj thinking fast tells Wazir that a unmarked golden plaque will show him the name of the Caliph's bride. It is cast into a deep pool. Wazir jumps into retrieve it and as he does, Hajj is able to drown him. Caliph and Marsinah are then able to wed. Hajj is sent into exile for killing the Wazir but is joined my Lalume.
