Young Rémi, a foundling, lives on the farm run by his impoverished foster parents. When their money runs out, unbeknown to his foster-mother, Rémi is sold by his hard-hearted foster father to an old street performer named Vitalis. Vitalis was once a famous opera singer, but became destitute after a tragic love affair. Ever since that time he has been a traveling showman, touring the country with three dogs and a monkey. Rémi is given a warm welcome by the strange troupe, and actually learns how to read and write. On a houseboat Rémi meets Johanna von Straussberg, a melancholy German woman, whom he cheers up with his jokes. She wants him to stay with her, but Vitalis is eager to keep Rémi to himself. The troupe thus continues on its way, unaware that Johanna is actually Rémi's mother. Johanna's evil brother-in-law Georg is all to well aware of the truth, however. After his brother's death he had little Rémi abandoned in order to marry Johanna and inherit her fortune. He now has Rémi followed by his sidekick Charles. Before Rémi manages to outwit these opponents and finally return to his mother he goes through a whole host of adventures: he has to face the brutal Garofoli, who forces children to beg and he dodges several attempts on his life. On the positive side he falls in love with Charles's niece Lisa, and also becomes firm friends with a young musical prodigy named Mattia. When everything has finally turned out for the best, and the evil Georg has been killed by Vitalis after a fight, the happy end seems perfect # but Vitalis dies from his injuries.