Poor King Ferdinand the Thirteenth! He has yet more problems to solve. The menfolk are unhappy about a Pedlar, some sheep are disappearing, one by one, and Gorth the Sculptor has just broken up one of his carvings. A suitable successor has to be found for the River Warden, Eustace the Pageboy is dreadfully untidy and lazy, and a young man is trying unsuccessfully to fly! Once again the Wizard-who-lives-in-the-Wood is asked to help – but can he?