This is the story of two friends, Alice and Fay. Alice lives in a stony house in the wall of a garden in the South of France, and Fay lives nearby in a leafy house under a rose bush. One hot, dry summer Alice and Fay and the other garden folk hear a call for help coming from the ruins of the old chateau. When they learn that the tiny tadpoles who live there are in trouble, they know they have to do something, because, as Alice says, "When someone small and frightened needs your help, you have to be brave." Alice and Fay go together to the chateau, where Fay uses her fairy magic to save the tadpoles and Alice uses her lizard magic to save Fay. In the end, all is well, but what has happened to Alice's tail?