A young man races to save his son's life, but death – incarnated in the child's imagination as the titular Erl King – calls unceasingly.

Abdullah, absolute monarch of a wealthy Middle Eastern country, has everything a man could want. Everything, that is, until he falls for a beautiful model. She rejects his advances, however, along with his offers of riches and luxury, chosing instead an officer in the king's army as her lover. As all of this is going on, the ruler is oblivious to the growing discontent among his subjects, and the threat of revolt that is increasing with each passing day.

An idealistic youth finds sincere love after having been toyed with by several frivolous women who were not serious.

Alternate-language version of Le roi des aulnes (1931)