Salka is a faerie who falls for Owain the human who fishes in the lake in which she lives. She decides to reveal herself to him and they swiftly become betrothed to be married - but she promises that if he ever strikes her more than three times then she will disappear from his life forever. He is horrified at the thought, but as prejudice and suspicion breeds in the town, Owain wishes his beautiful and gifted wife was more ordinary and did more to fit in. She tries, but ultimately can't and won't compromise. With each failure to conform, Owain shames her publicly, which for Salka constitutes a blow to the heart - on the third occasion she disappears from his life forever, going back into the lake, and taking their children and his homestead with her.

The story ends with Owain at the side of the lake calling to her - will she ever reappear again?

Narrated through the eyes of various characters in a theatrical verse-like manner, this is a timeless, heavyweight of a novella that will linger in the mind long after reading.