after waiting several days, as the dog shiro did not return, his master began to grow anxious. day after day went by and the good old man waited in vain. then he went to his neighbor and asked him to give him back his dog. without any shame or hesitation, the wicked neighbor answered that he had killed shiro because of his bad behavior. at this dreadful news shiro's master wept many sad and bitter tears. great indeed, was his woful surprise, but he was too good and gentle to reproach his bad neighbor. learning that shiro was buried under the yenoki tree in the field, he asked the old man to give him the tree, in remembrance of his poor dog shiro.