On the busy streets of a small Ukrainian town, a stray dog ​​named Baron became a local legend due to his unusual habit. Every day, without fail, Baron would run up to Mr. Ivanov’s corner store, carefully holding a crispy leaf in his teeth.

The townspeople would watch in amazement as he presented it to Mr. Ivanov, his tail wagging expectantly.

Mr. Ivanov, always too busy to pay attention, would shoo Baron away, puzzled by the dog’s actions, but not paying much attention to it. It was only after a chance conversation with a customer that Mr. Ivanov realized the touching reason behind Baron’s daily offers.

One day, when Baron walked into Mr. Ivanov’s store, a customer who was standing at the checkout paying for groceries burst out laughing when he saw the dog holding a leaf in his teeth.

He muttered something and turned to Mr. Ivanov to pay, but the shopkeeper stared at him with wide eyes. “What did you just say?” he asked the customer. The customer replied that he had heard that the dog had visited other shops in the area, and people said that it had tried to trade the leaf for some food.

Unfortunately, none of the shopkeepers had ever fed it, as business had been bad lately, and the dog always went away hungry. This made Mr. Ivanov think, and he decided to find out more about this dog. Until now, he hadn’t thought about it at all, but now he was determined to find out its history, and if he did, he would learn a shocking truth.

Why did the Baron bring the leaf to the shops in town? What did it want and where did it come from? And what would Mr. Ivanov do if he found out the truth? Mr. Ivanov had already sent the Baron away when the customer told him all this, and he regretted it a little. He realized that he had been so absorbed in his work that he hadn’t even thought about what the poor dog wanted. He assumed that it was really hungry and looking for food, just like the customer had said.

But he would soon find out what was really going on. After the customer had paid and left the store, Mr. Ivanov found himself in front of the shelves with pet food. He picked out a few cans of dog food and a couple of biscuits and placed them behind the counter.

When the Baron came tomorrow, he would give him some food. He felt guilty for not thinking of this sooner, but better late than never, he told himself. The next day, Mr. Ivanov opened his store and greeted all the customers with his usual happy smiles and loud hellos.

It had been a very busy day, and he had kind of forgotten about the Baron and all the chaos. However, his ears immediately perked up when he heard someone say, “Ah, here he is again. And hello, Baron!” Mr. Ivanov looked at the front door of his shop and was glad to see that the Baron had returned…

The dog walked slowly into the store, his head hanging low, almost to the ground. As usual, he had a leaf in his teeth. The little girl ran up to him and petted him, before her mother pulled her aside and said, “As soon as we get home, you’ll wash those dirty hands.”

There were some of Mr. Ivanov’s regular customers in the store, and they knew that he always chased the dog away. So they quietly whispered, “You better leave before the boss sees you, buddy.” However, this time, Mr. Ivanov’s reaction surprised them.

“No, it’s okay, let him in, please,” he said with a big smile. The customers were not expecting this and parted for the Baron to let him into the store. Mr. Ivanov was standing behind the counter, but still walked towards the Baron.

As soon as the dog saw him, she stopped and turned around. She was used to Mr. Ivanov shooing her away whenever he came near her. This time, however, he had other plans.

As soon as Mr. Ivanov saw the dog turn to leave, he stopped and crouched down, placing the food he had selected the day before on the floor. “Here you go, buddy. You must be hungry,” he said in a soft voice, not at all like the one he usually used with the dog, and stepped back.

The Baron approached the food with caution at first, but then he leaned down and sniffed it, realizing it was safe, and began to eat, wagging his tail slightly as he devoured the food. The shop patrons gathered around, watching the Baron eat with warm smiles. Mr. Ivanov stood to the side, hands on his hips, nodding approvingly as the stray dog ​​finished his portion.

After Baron had licked the floor clean, he sat down on his hind legs and looked around, wondering what would happen next. Mr. Ivanov approached slowly, squatted down, and held out his hand. Baron sniffed it carefully, then allowed Mr. Ivanov to gently stroke his fur.

“Good boy, Baron,” Mr. Ivanov murmured, scratching him behind the ears. The dog wagged his tail again. Pleased, Mr. Ivanov patted Baron on the shoulder as he turned to leave the store.

He looked back once before heading for the door. As he left, he wagged his tail happily and looked back once more before heading down the street. The customers smiled at the sight, and Mr. Ivanov, pleased, waved goodbye.

Mr. Ivanov remained in the doorway, watching the Baron walk away down the street, he could not help but feel a sense of satisfaction. His regular customers were still indignant at the sudden change in his attitude towards the dog. He hoped that everything would be all right with the Baron, and that whatever he had planned, it would be safe and kind…

Even after he said goodbye to the Baron, Mr. Ivanov couldn’t help but wonder where the Baron might have gone. The dog came into the store every day, but no one knew where he went after he left. He hoped to find out where the Baron was going someday.

He returned to the store, wiped his hands on his apron, and greeted the next customer. The next morning, the Baron returned to the store with renewed vigor. Mr. Ivanov was already waiting for him, crouched down, offering him more food.

The Baron ate gratefully, and a couple of customers watched him with gentle smiles. Mr. Ivanov patted the Baron on the head, and the Baron wagged his tail in gratitude before leaving the store again. The Baron’s visits became regular, like clockwork, every morning at opening time.

Mr. Ivanov always had food ready, and customers got used to seeing the Baron in the store. Some of them even brought extra snacks for the dog. Baron seemed to enjoy the attention.

He wagged his tail when friendly customers patted him on the shoulder. As the days went by, Mr. Ivanov found himself looking forward to Baron’s visit. He made it a point to leave fresh food out for the dog every day.

Every time Baron came into the store, Mr. Ivanov would smile and greet him warmly. The customers seemed to enjoy Baron’s company as well, and would often gather around to watch him eat with amused grins. People in the neighborhood began to notice that Baron was looking better.

His coat was starting to shine, and he seemed to have gained weight. Passersby would comment on how well he looked, and would even stop by the store to share the good news. Mr. Ivanov felt a growing sense of pride, happy that his efforts were helping the little dog thrive.

One evening, as Mr. Ivanov was closing up shop, he noticed the Baron sitting quietly by the door, patiently waiting for him. It was unusual to see the Baron at this time of day. He stood up, locked the door, and looked at the Baron, who looked back at him impatiently.

He stood at the entrance to the shop, wagging his tail in anticipation, ready to show off. Mr. Ivanov cocked his head curiously, intrigued by the Baron’s sudden persistence, and nodded, deciding to follow him. Mr. Ivanov quickly closed the shop, double-checking that the door was securely locked.

He glanced back at the Baron, who was watching him patiently. When the shop was closed, Mr. Ivanov turned to the Baron, intrigued by what the dog was up to. He had never seen the dog so focused before, and his curiosity to know what was going on only increased.

As soon as Mr. Ivanov left the store, Baron followed. The dog moved steadily, stopping every now and then to make sure Mr. Ivanov was following him. He turned to look back, and then continued walking forward.