The novel depicts ,the early years of Krispos' childhood, as his village was raided by the Kubratoi and taken back to Kubrat to work for them.There, at the ceremony where he and his fellow villagers are freed, he gets the the magic coin that destines him to become the leader of his people. It also shows the cholera outbreak in his village and how his village is practically robbed by Anthimos III's tax collector, the events that made Krispos leave for the imperial capital, Videssos the city.