The story begins with an old bird named the Patriarch of the Birds (from ''Trapito (film)''), who tells many other animals something that happened many years ago: The story of Manuela turtle. Manuela's story is told since she was in the egg had not hatched, her parents and grandfather were preparing the house and preparing for the arrival of Manuela, the new family member. When she hatched, Manuela was full of adventure and curiosity. A few years passed and Manuela grows and starts first grade with her two best friends, Dopi and Bartolito, the son of the headmistress. When they walk to school, a group of crooks, who are three dogs, bother them every time they go to school and back. Bartolito is the only one of the three who does not seem to be afraid of them, but rather irritated by their behavior. In fact, he was so fed up with their antics, he turned around and tried to attack them, but Manuela stopped him from doing so. At school, we meet Larguirucho the mouse (from ''The Adventures of Hijitus''), who makes another appearance in Manuel Garcia Ferre's movie. The trio goes home as school is finished, and they meet up with the crooks again. The crooks start bullying Dopi, making fun of his stutter. Then they take Manuela's backpack and toss it around. Bartolito has had enough, and bravely stands up to them, pouncing one of the crooks, resulting in the two of them fighting on the ground. Then the other two crooks join in, but are stopped by Larguirucho on his bicycle by being chased away. That night, Manuelita has an imagination of Bartolito as a knight, and the crooks as a three headed dragons. The Patriarch tells that the years passed and Manuela turned into a beautiful teenager, and Bartolito is now a handsome find young man. Bartolito is in love with Manuela and confesses his feelings for her in a letter but when he tries to deliver, they discover that there is a fair circus Pehuajó, where Manuela, her parents, her grandfather, Bartolito and Dopi live. Since the
Manuelita relata las andanzas de una pequeña tortuga, nacida y educada en el idílico pueblo de Pehuajó a mediados de los años 20. Un día, viaja al sofisticado París de la Belle Époque, y allí triunfa como top-model. Pronto descubre los peligros de la fama, el dinero y el mal uso de la libertad. Esto le lleva a añorar el cariño familiar, las amistades y el incipiente amor que disfrutaba en Pehuajó, y a plantearse un cambio radical de vida.
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