Brother Thomas Frith, O.P., an old and ailing Dominican Friar, has been charged with recounting the three years he spent as a young brother travelling around Eastern Europe. His tale begins when, freshly home from his initial studies at Oxford, Brother Thomas is sent to study 'Humanity' at the Blackfriars' convents in Poland and Hungary. By land and by sea our brother travels the continent and along the way makes the acquaintance of such startling and intriguing characters as wonder-worker Hyacinth, gentle giant Sadoc, and little Princess Margaret of Hungary. This is his story...