Fanyüvő (Treeshaker) is born as the third son of a
horse, and he gains his power by suckling the horse's milk. He listens to old tales, mostly about the Forefather and the end of his reign, caused by evil humanoid
dragons freed by the three wives of the three sons of the Forefather. After the horse's death, Fanyüvő decides to search and destroy the dragons, who seized power over the world. He meets his two brothers, Kőmorzsoló (Stonecrumbler) and Vasgyúró (Ironrubber), who both possess powers in a similar fashion to Fanyűvő. In search of the Underworld's entrance (home of the humanoid dragons), they accommodate themselves in a tree hollow. One of them stays there every day, in order to cook
porridge and make rope while the other two search for the entrance. An ancient and mischievous creature, Hétszűnyű Kapanyányi Monyók (Sevenwinged Skullsized Gnome) keeps asking them to give him some porridge. Kőmorzsoló and Vasgyúró refuse to give him food, so Hétszűnyű attacks them and eats the mush from their belly. Fanyüvő, however, stops him by trapping his beard in the tree hollow. Trying to escape, Hétszűnyű fells the tree, and the heroes find the entrance of the Underworld under its roots. They shave his beard — the source of his power — and forge a sword from it for Fanyűvő. Only Fanyüvő dares to go down there, whereupon he finds the Gnome; they make a pact, and he shows him to the first princess. He slays the first dragon, the princess then leads him to the second dragon, whom he also kills, and finally he cuts the third dragon down as well. After the victory, Kőmorzsoló and Vasgyúró pull the
cauldron up, with the princesses in it. When they lower it once more, Fanyűvő puts three apples — each containing a princess's castle — into the cauldron, and although both brothers and the princesses try to lift it, it is too heavy for them. The opening closes, and Fanyüvő is left in the Underworld. On the condition that he gives his beard back, the Gnome tells him of a
griffin who could lift him up. A
snake tries to eat the griffin's chicks, but Fanyüvő stops it. To show his gratitude, the Griffin Father offers to take Fanyüvő to the Upper World. The journey is too long for him though, and he tasks Fanyűvő with getting twelve oxen and twelve barrels of wine. By killing the dragons, the Forefather's power had been restored, and he grants Fanyűvő the oxen and wine. The flight to the Upper World is too long, and Fanyűvő has to cut his own leg off to feed the bird. After the arrival, the griffin chicks restore Fanyüvő's leg, which gives him more power. He is furious at his brothers, for he believes they left him behind on purpose but forgives them. All three marry each one of the princesses and move into the castles. The story ends with the three brothers living happily ever after, until their deaths. In the final shot, we see Fanyüvő walking above a modern cityscape, fading to black as the credits roll. ==Production==