The story is based on the French author Hector Malot's novel Sans Famille.

Rémi is a young boy found abandoned at a church as a baby.

The boy grew up happily with his mother, but difficulties came when his father had an accident and was sued.

Rémi was tried to be taken to an orphanage by his father when they met with a former violinist named Vitalis, a street performer with a monkey, Lovely Heart (Joli-Coeur in original French), and a dog, Capi.

Vitalis discovered Rémi's singing talent and offered to "rent" the boy to escape the orphanage.