Once in Korea, when tigers smoked long pipes, a man named Kim Kae In had a fine little dog. The two were most fond of each other and frequently found together. One day they went to visit a far-off friend. There, Kim began to talk, to eat, and to drink and drink. The little dog sat patiently, waiting for his friend to stop so that they could return home safely
At last, Kim started back toward his village, followed by his faithful dog. But the hot sun, combined with the food and the strong drink, suddenly made him so, so tired. He stopped, dropped down on the ground, and was immediately snoring loudly. His little dog sat nearby, patiently waiting once again..
After some time, the dog’s nose started to sniff in alarm. His head turned toward a roaring sound. In the distance, he saw a huge fire sweeping toward him across the field. Much afraid, the dog barked and barked. But his master was in too deep a sleep. The dog barked again, then bit the man’s leg. When the man only snored on, the dog licked his cheek, and tried desperately to wake him up. Yet the man was far away in a land of dreams and did not even stir.
Like a great wave, the fire kept coming, growing in size. At last the dog had only one hope — to moisten the grass near his master and thus protect him. Nearby was a clear stream. Quickly the dog ran down and jumped in. Dripping with water, he returned and rolled in the grass. Again and again, he ran to the stream and returned to cover both the grass and his master with cool drops of water. After many trips, though, the poor dog was weak, his own flesh was burned. Finally, he sank upon the grass near the stream to rest forever.
Soon after, Kim awoke. He felt the fire’s heat then saw the drops upon the grass and his clothes. He knew that the water had saved his life. Much afraid for his dog, he called frantically for him and searched all round. Suddenly, he saw the small, burned body next to the water. With great sobs, he carried the body to a safe place and gently buried it. He placed his cane to mark the grave of a very faithful friend
The next year, in the spring, he was amazed to see a tree flowering upon that spot. It grew and grew, that strange but beautiful tree. After some time, its leaves spread out and gave welcome shade to all who passed by. The villagers nearby soon called the tree, The Dog Tree, in honor of that small dog with a big heart. People came from miles around to gaze at the tree. And the story of that brave dog was told and retold as they sat under its gracious shade.
