Moominpappa's childhood began in the Hemulin orphanage, where there were many strict rules but no one who marveled at things like he did. So one day, he decided to take his fate into his own paws and ventured out into the world. But that was just the beginning of his adventures. Now, many years later, Moominpappa is sick for the first time in his life and decides to write down his stormy youth, filled with historical encounters, dreadful surprises, and fateful events, in his memoirs to read to his family later.