A family of nomadic shepherds assists with the births of their camel herd in the South Mongolian Gobi Desert. One of the camels has an extremely difficult delivery, but with help from the family, delivers a rare white colt. Despite the efforts of the shepherds, the mother rejects the baby, refusing it her milk and motherly love. When any hope for the little one seems to have vanished, the nomads send their two youngest boys on a journey to a town in search of a musician who, according to ancient ritual, will perform a ceremony that is meant to coax the mother into nursing her baby.