In the late twentieth century, the folktale was introduced in elementary school Korean language textbooks, which made it familiar to many in modern-day Korea.
The fisherman was well received by the Dragon King and gifted with a precious marble that would make him rich once he returned home.
The cat and the dog living with the fisherman saw the burglary as an opportunity to express their gratitude to their master and set out for the old woman's house in the neighboring village.
The cat and the dog threatened the mouse living at the old woman's house to find out where she hid the precious marble.
When the fisherman finds himself in a crisis, the cat and the dog set out to retrieve the treasure to show their appreciation to their master.
[9][10] According to folklorist Wolfram Eberhard, variants of the tale type in China and other countries serve to explain the rivalry between cats and dogs.
[11][12] Similarly, according to Korean scholarship, the tale shows the beginning of the rivalry between the cat and the dog, after both animals retrieve a magical object for their owner.