A mother bird, called The Bird of A hundred and Eight names gathers her rambunctious children and first tells them a tale of a prince who was too easily fooled into killing his mechanical father. His advisor convinced him that his father would live forever, as he was mechanical, and if he was ever to rule he would have to kill him and take his throne. The prince does so, but does not really kill his father- instead he winds his wind-up dial all the way down so he is unable to move or speak. Everyone believes the king to be dead. A servant ends up figuring out that the king can be wound back up, and does so. The king devises a plan to return.

Meanwhile, a lady of the court opens the prince's eyes to his advisor's nefarious ways. The prince is angered that he was so easily manipulated. He repairs the damage done to his father, and they are able to continue peacefully.

The mother bird continues and tells her children a second story, that of a human merchant named Aathan and a mechanical creature called Ramaa, who is neither male nor female, but presents as a woman. Initially, their relationship is sweet, and the two are very close. Their first years of marriage are successful. Soon, however, Aathan becomes corrupt in his work as a merchant, and Ramaa disapproved. Ramaa involved the law, hoping Aathan would change his ways. But Aathan simply left her, only leaving behind a note that implied he'd taken a boat into the sea. Ramaa searched and searched for him, but only came to find that he desperately wanted to be away from them, which broke their mechanical heart causing them to die.