that they were once friends before the civil war tore them apart and the cranes are symbolized as there everlasting freindship. During the walk, the men encounter items that are symbolic of the men's childhood together. The first item in the story that triggers a memory for Songsam is chestnuts. They remind him of when Tokchae willingly gave up his own stash of chestnuts for his friend. The second item that triggers a memory is a field filled with cranes.
