An aging father, Sigbert, and his three sons become lost in an immense forest, enduring hunger and exhaustion as they search for a way home. The narrative follows their daily struggles and contrasts the sons’ temperaments and abilities, from a daring swimmer to a nimble climber and a fragile younger boy. Village beliefs and omens, including worship of land and sea spirits and a star linked to a goddess, shape decisions and tensions about offerings and blame for failed harvests. Interwoven episodes of rescue, ritual, and communal hardship portray a rural community facing vanishing prosperity and uncertain fortunes.