Kino, like his father and grandfather before him, is a poor diver who collects pearls from the gulf beds, which formerly provided vast wealth to the Kings of Spain but now supply Kino, Juana, and their young boy with a pitiful living. Kino then emerges from the sea with a pearl the size of a sea gull's egg, as "perfect as the moon, " on a seemingly ordinary day. The promise of comfort and stability comes with the pearl....

The Pearl, based on a Mexican folk tale, is a classic narrative that delves into the secrets of man's nature, the darkest depths of evil, and the bright possibilities of love.