Pod, Homily and Arriety Clock live under the floorboards of a house, borrowing from the humans to clothe, furnish and feed themselves. They are seen by a boy who befriends them, but discovered by the less friendly housekeeper, and are forced to flee the house.
In the second book of the series, they move into another home with their relatives but eventually must leave as the humans who live there are going. In book three, they take to the river in Spiller's kettle, making for the legendary model village of Upper Fordham. Grounded at one point, they are almost caught by Mild Eye the gipsy, but manage to escape.  Books four and five continue their adventures.
A lighthearted classic children's series, portraying matter-of-factly the Borrowers: Pod, the protective father, Homily the houseproud mother, and Arriety the teenager yearning to go outside.