This is the tale of the origins of the Roma. A flock of birds living free arrives in a rich land. They feast and feast until eventually they can no longer take off. “Our claws became legs, Our wings became hands, And so we remained on the ground. Instead of the soaring into the skies. Once birds, we became people.”
The story presents the life and trade of a family of Roma trough cutters, who earn their living by cutting wooden basins. They face innumerable challenges and prejudices in their struggle to fit in. But when the village is flooded and they save the villagers’ children with their troughs, they win respect and recognition.
The grandfather – a basket weaver – and his scatterbrained grandson live in poverty by the side of a river. The boy does not want to learn his grandfather’s craft until one day he gets a magic wand from a stranger and advice on how to find both happiness and wealth. He grows into a stalwart, trustworthy young man, and his magic baskets are always full of all kinds of good things. But is it always a blessing if one has too much of everything?
In the depths of the forest, with only animals as company, lives a kind but ugly girl. When she catches a glimpse of the handsome prince, she immediately falls in love and into despair. The animals want to help, but they can’t begin to grasp what the difference is between this thing called ugly and this thing called beautiful.
Our hero is a Gypsy blacksmith, a man quite capable of all kinds of mischief and no less fond of drink, but also someone who never shirks work. He lives and works close to God in his workshop, tucked away in the hills above a village with lovely forests and parks, so it is hardly surprising that one day, the Lord God, a bit curious to see his creation, dropped in. The two share adventures and trials, and indeed it seems in the end to be true that it is no easy task to make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear, but perhaps that is as it should be.
Káló, the handsome Gypsy lad, lies among the wildflowers on the banks of a stream, lost in idle daydreams. He falls in love with the seductively beautiful queen of the underwater realm and finds himself mixed up in all sorts of adventures to win her hand. With the help of Drinkárta, the witch with seaweed hair, he finally wakes up from his reveries, and in the end he lives happily ever after with Gilze, his true love.
Once upon a time, a very long time ago, back when only the Gypsies shed tears, there lived a beautiful woman named Vunida. She lived with her three children in terrible poverty. This film tells the tale of Vunida, her encounter with the devil, her escape, and the curse that transformed her into a cherry tree. Her children, having drawn strength from the juicy cherries hanging from the boughs of the tree, set out in search of their mother.