This book tells the story of how the lives of many families with the drought in the hinterland.
With the arrival of drought in the hinterland, Sinhá Fabiano and his wife Victoria, the two children, and the parrot bitch whale were forced to change. Walked a long journey in the terrible drought. Before we die of hunger ate the parrot, following the journey the eldest boy fainted, had to carry the boy and was so found an abandoned farm where he settled.
The boys, the dog, and even Sinhá Victoria Fabiano fat in pigs and cattle ranch established.
Fabiano was a day to the city to buy the missing at home, but decided to go take a glass of rum. It was there that a soldier appeared yellow and called for a card game, as the man was accepted authority, but after the first round was even.
The soldier he followed the hamper until Fabiano angry cursed his mother. With that went to jail. The ignorance that poverty does not allow him to explain it well and won a beating and a night in jail.
Winter came and the family is nourished front where the fire stopped short conversation primary. The home also came with it and the whole family dressed in new clothes that they only worry was to church, so the frightened people and the memories of injustice appointed by yellow soldier, Fabiano drank and went to challenge the men. Just lying on the sidewalk taking a nap while Sinhá Win smoked and children fight with whale to have disappeared.
After these times got sick whale. Wounds appeared, and she dropped the coat weight. Fabian decided to kill her quickly to save you the pain. Win Sinhá is locked with the children and covers them heard. Fabiano injured with a gunshot to the back of the dog is dragged by the frightened juazeiro without understanding where he died.
One day walking by catinga Fabiano met the soldier who never forgot yellow. Precipitated is raising the knife, but stopped before they hurt the man. See how he was a loose as not to endure is both trembling. They were face to face until the soldiers saw that Fabiano back, asked him the way, Fabiano replied taking the hat.
The boss of the cheating accounts and hamper Sinhá victory always showed they were wrong, but when the boss was calling was filled with rage and said he could go, Fabiano lost his job.
Fabiano apologized up and left. In this context the drought returned.
The secava water, the river also were still dozens of birds that drank the little water that remained on animals that weight loss. Fabiano kill them, but they were many. The salt will kill it and keep. The drought arrived. Fabiano knew it was time to leave, to flee, but adiava. He then killed the one calf which they belonged and salt from the meat of birds, locked and left the farm. Without warning.
Fabiano is tormented with memories: the yellow soldier, a bitch whale, the horse that was to die because it belonged to the boss and he could not take it. But then started to talk and leagues passed without even seeing, lunch and the hopes of finding a new land where the children have different future and a present more worthy they where not needed escape from drought, led them away. And again had to fight the drought.