Moomin and his friends carry home a wounded bird, which has been brought down by some hunters. The bird is large and very beautiful, quite old, and not to be found in any book on birds. Not even the Hemulen has seen it before. Her grandma being away Alicia is staying with the Moomins for a few days, and it is she who finally finds out what bird it is, and what it wants. The request is quite strange but they comply with it, helped by all the villagers to bring about a staggering transformation.