He is born on a bare hillside, near the end of the Dry Time. Abandoned by his mother, cared for and suckled only by a dog, he becomes a creature of the wilds. To the poor villagers, he hardly appears human at all, and they reject him. Yet the dogboy, as he is called, proves to be a survivor. Against all odds, and despite his savage upbringing, he grows into a "special" child - someone destined to change the lives of all who cross his path.