Samten Norbu, 20, lives in the mountains herding yaks(mountain cows) for a rich man in a faraway town called Gasa. As a child Norbu grows up drinking milk from a yak. When the yak dies giving birth to a calf, the calf is named Samten Norbu. The two of them grow up together and a special bond develops between the two. They are inseparable and like brothers. Choeki, the female protagonist, enters the scene and complements the unique relationship. She is the daughter of the village Lama (head) and accepts to marry Samten. In the turn of events, the daughter of the owner of Samten's yak is scheduled to marry at the same time. When Samten has to take his father to Gasa for treatment a yak is identified to be sacrificed for the marriage ritual of the owners' daughter. The yak selected is Samten Norbu and slaughtered for the festivities leaving behind the young Norbu in deep grief. Meanwhile Choeki develops ambitions to go to town and to discover what more the world can offer to her. Norbu decides to become a lama. He leaves his village wandering about the country where he finally finds back the spirit of his beloved Yak, Norbu.