Klymko's journey is a test of endurance and humanity. He faces cold, hunger, and the constant threat of German patrols. Despite the "smallness" of his stature, he demonstrates immense moral strength, helping others he meets along the way. The story ends tragically: just as Klymko returns to his village, he is killed by a stray bullet during a skirmish.
The story follows a young orphan named during the Nazi occupation of Ukraine in World War II. After his uncle Kyrylo is killed, Klymko lives in a railway station barracks. Faced with hunger and the onset of winter, he decides to travel on foot to the city of Sloviansk to get salt, which he hopes to trade for food to survive and help his teacher, Nataliia Mykolaivna, and her newborn baby. Klymko's journey is a test of endurance and humanity