A peasant couple, though happily married, have a hidden grief. They haven't been given any children. So when their first son is finally born, they expect great things from him. But what they get instead is a cripple, a child unable to walk or do anything for himself. So how did this sickly child become the greatest legendary warrior old Russia has ever known?

In the analysis section, Deacon Nicholas does a deep examination of the idea that Christ used stories as the primary vehicle for transmitting his teaching. In doing so, he reveals some comforting truths about the nature of fairy tales and storytelling in general.