How did Tree-ear come to live with Crane-man?

Tree-ear's parents died, and a monk sent Tree-ear to Ch'ulp'o in hopes of finding his uncle, who supposedly lived there. When the travelers were unable to find the uncle, they took Tree-ear to the local monastery, but due to the presence of illness, they were asked to take Tree-ear to Crane-man, who lived under a bridge, until the monks could safely bring him back to the monastery. When the monks arrived a few months later, Tree-ear refused to leave Crane-man and subsequently stayed with him for more than ten years.