As a child, Stefan was told fantastical bedtime stories about the Austrian Navy, featuring Count von Otto, Elfrieda the pirate scourge of the seven seas and Hermann the Birdman. Ashe retells them, another story unfolds: that of Stefan's father and mother and the larger-than-life characters of their annual holidays in Austria. Fairy tales and family tales echo and illuminate each other, resulting in a rich and dazzling story of the trials and endurance of family love.