The story is told as a collection of allegories based in a medieval fantasy setting, but aimed at mature audience. The main character is Helga, a girl who lives completely ostracized from her fellow-villagers, but she seems to enjoy it rather than suffer from it. The people in her life, whose stories we also get to explore, are her best friend Eda, the kind young mayor and two of his servants. And in the heart of the village and the story is the bell-tower which changes everything with its chime...