Story of an innocent and carefree little girl whose father is a member of the anti-French resistance.

Rapid rising water in the river can potentially break the dike and cause disastrous flood endangering the villagers. Miss Dung, Chairman of the Commune, must find a way to persuade people to destroy the minor dike and sacrifice some parts of their houses and land in order to protect the main dike.

The inhabitants of a small island in the delta of the turbulent Red River are doomed to poverty: floods wash away crops, livestock, and even people. From generation to generation, a legend is passed down about a kind dragon that can drink the river's water and save the village. But the dragon is a fairy tale, and the people have decided to block the treacherous river themselves. With extraordinary perseverance, fighting against the elements, the village population builds protective fortifications around the island.