In what is for her a lucky accident, a curse spell spoken by Big Momma Turnyipp affects Merk McNeap whom she enjoyed tormenting with a different curse earlier. This time he grows thick fur on his palms and soles, making it hard to do many routine activities and even harder to hide that pelage so he won't be seen as a freak. While he is adjusting to his new condition and confirming the reason for it Merk overhears three weird cultists who call themselves Lundys explain how they have interpreted "the signs" to mean they must sacrifice Big Momma to their deity Great Lund. Since only she can release him from the hairy palms curse, he warns her about the Lundys - and then must actively defend her from them when she won't believe that strange people who call themselves by horse's names are a real threat. In a showdown in a train yard boxcar Merk assumes a role he never anticipated to try to save his tormentor from the devoutly determined Lundys and their real if like themselves not too sharp machete. He triggers a resolution of several hassles in a sequence of events he hopes will end the curse on him and begin a more restrained because restricted way of life for Big Momma.