An Elf from Scandinavia, who is both traditionally dressed and well-travelled, arrives in the garden of a country house brought by a gust of wind - his normal method of transport. He finds a discarded pumpkin in the compost heap and makes it his new home. He soon makes an enemy of a lop-eared rabbit that lives in a hutch in the garden and learns to give it a wide berth. He is extremely well fed by the leftovers of the family who seem to throw away no end of tasty morsels. He loves to watch the activities of the children and whenever possible, plays tricks on them.

After exploring he finds a new but unlikely friend in the shape of a piece of bark seemingly attached to a tree. But this is an incredibly clever creature, and he helps the Elf on several occasions, saving a frog from drowning and a nest of baby birds from falling into the stream.

The Elf knows when it is time to travel on and waits for the winds to take him to a new place and more adventures.