The story describes a sea creature who wants to leave the ocean and live on land. It goes to the queen of the deep sea to ask permission but she refuses. Feeling sad, it finds others who want to leave as well and they build a boat out of a dishpan. A boy finds them and his mother wants to cook them, so they escape. The mother is inspired to make toy sea creatures out of pots and pans so they have a new home on land where children can play with them.