After taking a look, walking and running, we followed a trail behind the temple and towers. Behind the tower village, there were another small temple, and there were a board saying ‘home of the SoemJin River’, and there were a small well near by the board. In the well, a small steam of water was running. We shared and drank the water, and we were chatting. Just then, a squirrel came to the well, and I was close to the squirrel. Though it’s not the first time to see a real squirrel, but it was really the first time to see a real squirrel lying so close to me in the nature. My family and I, standing quietly, were busy to take pictures the squirrel. The squirrel had plump cheeks. He must have had breakfast before coming. He tiptoed over to the well, and he liked up the water with his tongue, and he disappeared quickly climbing a tree.
『I wonder who may drink the Spring Pool
laid in a deep, deep mountain.
At a dawn, a rabbit wakes up and rub his eyes,
Comes to the Spring Pool to wash his face.
But the only one thing he does is to drink the water.
(OngDalSaem, translated by Grace)』
Maybe, the squirrel could have come to the well to wash his face though he just licked some drops of water and disappeared.
As we laughed, chatted, walked and took pictures a lot, we were starving. I don’t know why I felt the way to go down was much farther than before though the trail was same.
We rushed to a restaurant, where smell of delicious foods comes from.
Watching the drinking squirrel, a children’s song comes to mind, titled the Spring Pool!” My younger sister said.