Bambi's life in the woods begins happily. There are forest animals to play withamp;mdash;friend Hare, the chattery squirrel, the noisy screech owl, and Bambi's twin cousins, frail Gobo and beautiful Faline. But winter comes, and Bambi learns that the woods hold dangeramp;mdash;and things he doesn't understand.

The first snowfall makes food hard to find. Bambi's father, a handsome stag, roams the forest, but leaves Bambi and his mother alone. Then there is Man. He comes to the forest with weapons that can wound an animal. He does terrible things to Gobo, to Bambi's mother, and even to Bambi. But he can't keep Bambi from growing into a handsome stag himself and becoming the Prince of the Forest.