An unusual children's film set during World War II in Czechoslovakia, this compelling drama unfolds five different segments that present the war through the eyes of three youngsters. The three have a series of adventures which include saving a soldier from being captured by the Germans, helping out the resistance fighters, and meeting up with a young Russian woman trained in guerrilla warfare. As they learn more about life and danger, various circumstances constantly recall the reality of war itself. The title comes from a wounded pigeon under the care of one of the youngsters.

When the young heroine joins a large factory, she has difficulty adapting to the local environment and experiences a series of conflicts before finally joining the work team. This is an exemplary illustration of the thesis that only work truly humanizes a person and helps them find spiritual balance.

Premature motherhood causes serious emotional and psychological problems; the young mother, deceived in her first, still naive love, thinks that she has not yet enjoyed anything and already has to take care of the baby. Even finishing high school becomes a big problem, which requires a lot of self-sacrifice.