When a rich merchant who always brings gifts home from the market for his three daughters is unable to find the blue bean seed that his youngest daughter, Rose, has requested, her sigh of resignation attracts a mysterious being named the Sigh, who produces the desired seed and departs after the merchant promises him a later favor. Rose happily plants the seed and tends to her bean plant every day for a year, but then the Sigh returns and demands that the merchant fulfill his promise by letting the Sigh take Rose away to a secret and distant palace.