In the provincial Mexican kingdom of San Gregorio, Solimar and her friend, the quetzal bird Lázaro, hurry to the oyamel fir tree forest to watch the monarch butterflies arrive from their yearly migratory journey. Solimar carries a red silk rebozo, or shawl, and a crown she made of flowers. Although she is not allowed to be in the forest alone, or to cross the dangerous creek, she wants to sit amongst the butterflies.

Solimar decides she is old enough to cross the rushing water, despite Lázaro’s chirped warnings. Solimar jumps rocks across the creek, observing one special stone that has a sword-shaped crevice. Once across, Solimar watches, awed, as thousands of butterflies land on her rebozo. She promises them that she and her family will protect their forest. Solimar believes it is a miracle that the butterflies return to the same place every year. She wishes she knew what will happen in her life.

A ray of light passing through the sword-shaped hole in the river stone shines on Solimar as she holds out the butterfly-covered rebozo. She is enveloped in a sparkly cloud of butterflies and hears chanting.