The romance is happening between 1898 and 1915, the two periods of drought. Tangidos the merciless sun, Valentine Pereira, his daughter Soledade eoa daughter of Pirunga leave the farm of Bondó, in the area of the desert. Encaminham for the regions of the devices in rejo, where they received the ingenuity Marzagão, owned by Dagoberto Marçau, whose wife falecera occasion of the birth of the only son, Lucius. [BR]Turning the holidays in ingenuity, Lucio knows Soledade, and it is passion. The student returns to school and back again when, on vacation, the company''s parent, notes that Valentine Pereira is arrested for having murdered the feitor Manuel Broca, supposed idols and lover of Soledade. Lucio, already lawyer, resolves defend Valentine and informs the father of their purpose: marry themselves with Soledade. Dagoberto does not accept the decision of the child. Everything is clear: Soledade is press of Lucius, and Dagoberto was who actually fired. Pirunga, taking knowledge of the facts, announced the godfather (Valentine), and he asked, under oath, ensuring that you do ingenuity (Dagoberto), until he can perform his "duty": killing the real idol of his daughter. Then Soledade and Dagoberto, accompanied by Pirunga, leave the ingenuity and go to the farm of Bondó. Cavalgando by trays of farm, Pirunga causes of the death of Mr ingenuity Marzagão, inherited by Lúcio, with the death of the father. [BR]In 1915, for another period of drought, Soledade, already with the beauty destroyed by the time of the meeting will Lúcio, to deliver the child, the fruit of their love with Dagoberto.