When the beavers bring Yakari a battered old canoe, the young Sioux and his friends repair it and go for a little trip - and find more adventure than they bargained for in the shape of a father coyote. Fortunately their new friend lives up to his reputation for cunning. When Buffalo Seed is cornered by an angry puma, it will take all of the coyote's tricks, combined with Yakari's bravery, to get the young hunter out of his predicament.

When the beavers bring Yakari a battered old canoe, the young Sioux and his friends repair it and go for a little trip -- and find more adventure than they bargained for, in the person of a father coyote. Fortunately, their new friend is up to his reputation for cunning: when Buffalo Seed is cornered by an angry puma, it will take all of the coyote's tricks, combined with Yakari's bravery, to get the young hunter out of his predicament.

When the beavers bring Yakari a battered old canoe, the young Sioux and his friends repair it and go for a little trip—and find more adventure than they bargained for, in the person of a father coyote. Fortunately, their new friend is up to his reputation for cunning: When Buffalo Seed is cornered by an angry puma, it will take all of the coyote’s tricks, combined with Yakari’s bravery, to get the young hunter out of his predicament.

Spring is a long time coming on the Great Prairie. The Sioux tribe awaits the return of the buffalo. The tribe is hungry. Yakari, who lives his dreams, goes with Little Thunder to look for the herd led by White Buffalo. The two friends cross a scorching desert before finding themselves faced with a wall of rocks. Yakari scales the wall and discovers green pastures where the much-awaited herd is lingering. The bison take refuge there when they lack food during the migrations. Yakari is the first human to walk these fertile lands that are hidden in the desert. Knowing that the Red Men need them, the buffalo obey their destiny. Yakari will keep his discovery a secret.

This book is about Yakari's adventures.

Yakari is a young Sioux Native American who is able to understand and speak animal languages. During his adventures, he meets all sorts of North American animals. His best friends are a girl Sioux, "Rainbow", and his pony "Little Thunder". He has a totem animal, "Great Eagle."

Yakari discovers a colony of beavers busy building their dam. There we find Thousand-mouths, the short-tempered building site boss; Dam-of-Wood, the smiling old wise man; Wooden-Bed, the sleepyhead; Double-Tooth, the eternally inspired sculptor... and Little Lime Tree, a lively kid. While they are bathing, this infernal little beaver disappears.