Hoderi, a poor, honest gardener for a Japanese nobleman, saves the life of a small fish, who turns out to be a sea princess. When the sea king presses him to accept a reward, he modestly asks for a conch shell he sees in the palace. This is the magic ear that enables him to understand the language of animals, restore the health of his employer's daughter, and ultimately cross class barriers to marry her (though readers are never told what her thoughts or feelings are).