The little African girl Asina is eagerly waiting for her new friend Karli. Karli is a young sailor from Rostock who has promised her a gift on his next arrival in Coccatuttibana. Karli keeps his promise and smuggles a stowaway onboard the “MS Wismar”. Kasimir, a snowman, finds shelter in a cooling chamber. Although the journey turns out to be turbulent, Karli and Kasimir manage to arrive in Africa in good health.

Driven by need and a thirst for knowledge, Krabat wanders through the impoverished country and falls under the control of the "black miller". Krabat defends himself against him, but his opponent still has the stronger means of power.

1979 film by Konrad Petzold