In the village where ten year old Mina lives you can only find children and old people. The coldhearted king has abducted all the other men and women and put them to work in his dungeons. The remaining villagers are desperate. In a final attempt to mollify the king, brave little Mina sets off on a long journey to his castle. With the last two pieces of silver left in the village she is going to attempt to buy back her parents and the other prisoners. On the way, with her helpfulness and naievity, she melts the hearts of an unhappy forester, a mysterious ferryman and a sad mother. The king however, proves to be a more difficult task.