The "Trumpeter of Krakow" is about a family who was given a legendary crystal.
that had been handed down from one generation to the next. They were running away from evil forces who wanted possession of the crystal. Then one day the father of the family decided to move to a town in Poland called Krakow. They left their dwelling just days before a group of Tartars looking for the Great Tarnov crystal came and raided the town that they used to live in. On the Charnetski's way to Krakow, they met a man who is not who he seems to be. He offers to buy the pumpkin from the family. Charnetski's refuse because inside the pumpkin is the hidden crystal. The man gets angry because of their rejection.
That man it turns out, is called Peter of the Button face and is a man that is feared in many countries.
When they reach Krakow the son, Joseph, asks his father, Andrew, if he could explore the city for a while. On his tour of the city he rescues a beautiful from a vicious dog. When Joseph tells her that they are looking for a place to hide the, Elizebitieka tells Joseph that there is an apartment just above theirs that is for rent. Joseph and Elizebitieka start to talk and it turns out that Elizebitieka lives with her Uncle Kruetz who teaches in the university. He is also an alchemist. Joseph starts going to school and life goes on as usual, except that they continue to have encounters with Peter of the Button face who never gives up. He keeps on trying to steal the crystal. Eventually the king's royal guards capture Peter and take him to the King of Poland. Then when Andrew hears about the good news he goes for a meeting with the King and tells him all .
about his family history with the crystal. Andrew gives the crystal to the King but Kruetz immediately grabs the crystal and throws it in the river that runs through Krakow. When asked why he did that, he tells them that he wanted to get rid of it so that greed will not harm any more people.