the happiest hour of the day both for the old man and his dog was when the man returned from his work in the field, and having finished his frugal supper of rice and vegetables, would take what he had saved from the meal out to the little veranda that ran round the cottage. sure enough, shiro was waiting for his master and the evening tit-bit. then the old man said "chin, chin!" and shiro sat up and begged, and his master gave him the food. next door to this good old couple there lived another old man and his wife who were both wicked and cruel, and who hated their good neighbors and the dog shiro with all their might.