Through the guidance of his uncle and the retelling of various Native American legends, a young boy learns that everything living and inanimate has its place, should be considered sacred, and given respect.
When cornmeal is stolen from an elderly couple, the others in a Cherokee village find a way to drive off the thief, creating the Milky Way in the process.
When Bear and Brown Squirrel get into an argument about whether Bear can keep the sun from rising, Brown Squirrel ends up with claw marks on his back and becomes Chipmunk, the Striped One.