Efektna vlasnytsya mandrivnoho tsyrku frau Grite perezhyvaye skrutni chasy. Malo toho, shcho yiyi cholovik vyyavyvsya avantyurystom i znyk bezvisty, tak shche y trupu dovodytʹsya vid zubozhinnya ryatuvaty. Do vsʹoho, koronnyy nomer — vystup veletensʹkoho ruchnoho vovka — na mezhi provalu: yuna hlyadachka, yaku vsi vvazhayutʹ prychynnoyu, skhodytʹ na stsenu y pryborkuye hriznoho zvira. Shcho tse, yak ne vidʹmatsʹki chary? Tsyrk rushaye dali. Ale z toyi zustrichi v smuhastomu shatri, na odyn vechir napnutomu posered skoshenoho polya, bere pochatok nova istoriya: pro tykh, khto shukaye lyubovi y spravedlyvosti, pro lyudey i perevertniv, shcho namahayutʹsya vidnayty svoyu istynnu sutnistʹ. Heroyam romanu dovedetʹsya piznaty hirkotu zrad i porazok, zdiysnyty spovnenu pryhod mandrivku ukrayinsʹkymy zemlyamy pochatku KHKH storichchya i navitʹ znayty spilʹnu movu z dyvovyzhnymy istotamy z davnikh lehend.