The novel begins with the writer's arrival in Florence, where he visits an exhibition about his native Peru and Peruvians. One of the photographs reminds him of his childhood friend Saul, or Mascara. Mascara was a great admirer of the Machigenga, an Indian tribe from the Amazon rainforest. Because of this friendship, the writer takes us through the myths and legends of the Machigenga. He warns us about the oppression and ruthless interference in their tribal life for the higher interests of white civilization, and the plundering of their natural resources. We learn the story of the friendship between the writer and Mascara, who ultimately renounces civilization and, as the Narrator, lives with the Machigenga in the Amazon rainforest.