Nils Holgersson is a boy who would rather cause trouble than be responsible. One day as he is skipping out on going to church he captures an elf. His treatment of this small creature provokes it to transform him into an elf as well. Along with his greatly reduced size this also gives him the ability to talk with animals.

Following this mishap Nils joins one of his family’s geese as it accompanies a flock of its wild brethren on their migration. During his travels over the many historical areas of Sweden Nils has many adventures that help him to become a better person. He also learns that if he can prove he has changed for the better he may be able to regain his normal size. - Summary by Gerald Moe