He has been initiated into tribal ways, is an accomplished jeweler, and can compete favorably at events such as racing wild horses, which he has either caught or capably traded at market.

At a tribal event, Laughing Boy encounters a beautiful, mysterious young woman known as Slim Girl, and the two are soon attracted to each other.

These complications affect the relationship and his family's view of it in ways that slowly unfold and intertwine as the novel progresses.

The novel was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and was published as an Armed Services Edition during World War II.

It starred Ramón Novarro as Laughing Boy and Lupe Vélez as Slim Girl.