Summary
Once upon a time, deep in the forest, there was a very rare deer. It had golden antlers, and its fur was adorned with five colors. The deer was always worried that it might be caught because of its beautiful fur and antlers. Therefore, it lived alone deep in the forest, away from its companions, so that no one would find it. Its only friend was a crow.
One day, the deer descended the mountain for a meal. It was a refreshing day after heavy rain. The river was swollen and flowing violently. The deer approached the river and thought, "Now, let's drink some water." At that moment, a cry was heard.
"Help! Help me…!"
"Who is it?" The deer looked around.
A man was being swept away by the rapid current. He had grabbed onto a branch, but it broke, and he was being carried further down.
"I'm going to drown."
Without hesitation, the deer jumped into the river, took the man on its back, and desperately swam to the shore. The deer bent its legs and lowered its body to place the man on the grass. Soon, the man regained consciousness and realized that the deer before him had saved him.
"Deer, you saved me from drowning, didn’t you? You are my lifesaver. I will never forget you. How can I repay you?" said the man in a weak voice.
"I need nothing. It is only natural to help someone in trouble. But I have one request. Please do not tell anyone about me. I have heard that humans are greedy and want everything they desire. If they find out about me, they will come here and try to capture me to sell my fur and antlers."
The man nodded and said, "I promise. You are my lifesaver, and I will definitely keep my promise."
One month later, the lady of the lord of the territory had a mysterious dream. She shared this dream with her lord.
"In my dream, I was in the forest. Then, a beautiful deer with five-colored fur appeared before me and bowed."
"My dear, your dreams are always prophetic. There must be a beautiful deer with five-colored fur somewhere in this territory. Let us have the retainers find that deer."
The lord placed several notices around the territory.
"Anyone who knows anything about the five-colored deer, come forward. That person will be rewarded."
