This is a story of an extraordinary Farmer, Ted, his sheepdog Rounder and theiradventures created by the mystery and theft of a mystical jewel.The jewel is acquired by Ted during his travels in the mountains of Sylvaniawhere he solves the puzzle of an ancient hermit who has been waiting for himfor a thousand years. In the wood there are creatures of the forest, includingthe hermit's wolf, who have been transformed into animals because of breakingthe sacred laws of the forest.The jewel has mysterious healing powers and, through it, Ted's farm and hisfarmyard animals prosper. The animals have adventures of their own, includingcleverly outmanoeuvring a dangerous dog, and defeating a sly fox with the aidof little mice and a talking crow.The jewel is stolen by two rascals of the road, by trickery, and Rounder and hisfriends go in search of the jewel. Meanwhile Ted is duped by an unscrupulousbusiness man into selling the farm. The animals receive help from a strangefabulous creature, the Gombit, from sideways land. One of the rascals has amoment of redemption after being saved from certain death by Rounder.After pursuing the remaining trickster they return to the farm where they haveone last task to save it from sale with the aid of a courageous goat.The adventure ends with the appearance of a strangely familiar man of power. He bears a profound message from the ancient people of the Lakota.