12-year-old Dara, her older brother Sarun, and their mother journey to the Thai border in search of rations.

Here they meet the remnants of another Cambodian family, one of whose members, Jantu, becomes Dara's friend; another, Nea, falls in love with Sarun.

Life is going along well until in fighting among neighboring guerrilla groups forces the families to flee again.

The title comes from Jantu's effervescence and manual dexterity, the combination of which impresses Dara as magic.

She believes a clay marble, having been invested with Jantu's magic, gives her the courage to get through her ordeals.