The first section of the story takes special care to inform the reader that the family in question is one of the most kindhearted imaginable. In their comfortable house on the steep side of the mountain, they are the very image of tranquility. However, due to their positioning, they have been known to take in guests to rest from the treacherous crossing at a moment's notice. Such an occasion occurs, and the guest's arrival is met with the utmost compassion and hospitality. The guest feels as though he is a member of the family himself and the conversation had between all of them is earnest and personal.

As the conversation goes on, the guest seems to have a strange and profound effect on the family. He talks about his intense preoccupation with leaving behind some legacy for himself. Soon the entire family, though they are evidently very happy with their reclusive and isolated lot in life, begin to entertain notions of grandeur. The guest addresses all of them in turn, encouraging their individual dreams regardless of how strange they may seem. This leads to the irony after the climax, wherein the guest is the only one who doesn't leave a mark on the world.