Nine-year-old Mariuzzedda lives in post-World War II Calabria, Italy. Each morning, she goes to work harvesting olives, then to school, with a grumbling, empty tummy. She cannot resist the tempting scent of fresh bread coming from the bakery, and begins taking bread, on credit. When Mr. Baker eventually asks her to pay what she owes, she hasn't the money. The devout Mrs. Pious offers to pay Mariuzzedda's debt, in exchange for her hair, to make a wig for baby Jesus' statue in church as a votive offering. Mariuzzedda must decide between giving up her locks or an inevitable beating from her mother. Through her ultimate decision to accept responsibility and pay the harsh, bitter consequences, Mariuzzedda proves a courage and maturity beyond her tender years.