A wooden puppet who can talk embarks on a maritime quest to find his missing father; aided by a friendly dolphin tutor and a young pupil, he travels beneath the waves and visits varied oceanic locales. Along the way he learns manners, encounters sea creatures from playful dolphins to great whales, rides currents to polar waters, discovers a treasure ship, witnesses a battle between a sea wolf and a whale, and survives dangers with the help of companions. The episodic narrative combines adventure and moral lessons as the protagonist pursues reunion with his father through a sequence of underwater voyages and tests of character.