Addressing a conference on the contemporary relevance of fairy-tale themes, a complacent young academic is floored when a beautiful woman demands to know whether or not he actually believes them. Intrigued and attracted, he follows her out of the conference - and into a fairy tale.

So begins a strange quest in pursuit of his elusive princess, through a realm of talking beasts and immeasurable distances, of monstrous dangers and magical gifts. Struggling after the girl-lion towards the distant tower, waylaid by snares and pitfalls as he tumbles in and out of reality, the reluctant hero slowly learns that expertise is no substitute for faith...