Recommended for ages 13+. In the beliefs of the Merina people of Madagascar, a child born during a solar eclipse possesses destructive powers and must be put to death. Rescued from such a fate and adopted by a young childless woman, Kapila grows up to be a kind but timid young man who then embarks on a journey to discover his true identity and purpose in life. Taunted along the way by an old blind woman-a ghost? a dead spirit?-who continually reminds him of his destructive destiny, Kapila returns to his birthplace to confront his father and the villagers, forcing a final showdown of mythical proportions.