An ancient Persian folktale
Retold by Jackie Baldwin
“Cook me some soup, my dear, and have someone bring it to the shop!” The husband left for work, the wife finished the soup and then wished for a son to take it to her husband.
Suddenly, a pea hopped out of the soup: “Here I am — Master Pea — I am your son! I’ll carry the bowl to Father!” The astonished woman filled the bowl, and Master Pea ran out, carrying the bowl on his head.
“Huh?” said the father. “Who are you?”
“I am your son, Master Pea!” smiled the pea child.
“Oh, is that so?” The father laughed. “Well, then, go fetch me a gold coin from the King!”
“I will!” and off dashed Master Pea toward the palace.
He ran to the edge of a stream where a woman kneeled, washing her clothes. She refused to wash his cap, so he put a foot on each side of the stream and swallowed every drop of water.
Then he ran until he met Leopard, who decided to come along. But Leopard got tired, so Master Pea said: “Take out your teeth; then hop inside.” He opened his big mouth and in jumped the toothless Leopard.
The same thing happened with Wolf and Jackal. They both removed their teeth and hopped inside Master Pea’s giant mouth. He continued on toward the palace.
“I am Master Pea! Give me a gold coin for my Father!” demanded the pea child when he met the King.
The King roared: “Who do you think you are? I am your King. You can’t talk to me like that!” He ordered his prime minister: “Throw him in with my fighting cocks overnight. Let’s see what a big master he is after he’s been picked to pieces!”
Well, Master Pea just opened his mouth in the fighting ring and let Jackal out, giving him back his teeth. Just imagine how Jackal scared those fighting cocks! The next morning, the cocks didn’t make a peep. Master Pea was just fine.
The King got madder. “Now try a night with my wild horses.” And into the stable flew Master Pea. Well, open came that mouth again and out jumped Wolf, who put his teeth back in, and scared all the wild horses into their stalls. Master Pea grinned.
The King stomped around. “Take him out into the garden with all my wild beasts!” And whoosh! out tumbled Master Pea into the garden. That night, he let Leopard out, gave him back his teeth and said, “Go for it!” In the morning, all the wild beasts had run away, but Master Pea was healthy and happy.
The furious King screamed. “Throw him in a room full of straw and set fire to it!” But Master Pea just opened his mouth and squirted out all the river water, putting out the fire. In the morning, the King found him sound asleep on the wet straw.
The prime minister whispered: “Your Excellency, give him what he wants; get rid of him!” So the King let Master Pea into the Treasury to get his gold coin. But Master Pea opened his big mouth, stuffed in all the King’s treasures, and ran out the door holding up one gold coin to show the King as he ran by.
When he got home, he gave the gold coin to his father, then had his mother hang him upside down, feed him some soup, pat him on the back — and out poured all the King’s gold, silver, and precious jewels.
And that’s how the family got rich and lived a very happy life together: Father, Mother and Master Pea.
This is what is called a cumulative folktale. In the beginning, the hero gathers together people, animals or things… and then as the tale goes on, releases them one by one to save the day!
FILLED TOMATO WITH TUNA AND PEAS
A fun family recipe to make together!
Tomatoes
Onion
1/2 tsp
Salt
Pepper
Little bit of lemon juice
Cottage cheese
Cooked peas
1 can of tuna
Wash tomatoes and dry. With knife cut a “lid” of the top of the tomato (save it!). Scoop out the tomato with a spoon. For the filling, cut onions and mix with salt, pepper, lemon juice and cottage cheese.
Wash and dry the peas and add to the mixture. Open the can of tuna, remove water and use fork to tear into small pieces. Mix everything together and fill tomatoes with the mixture. Put lid back on top of the tomato.
Yum-Yum!!
Jackie Baldwin is the host of Story Lovers World on Sun FM 91.3, Sundays from 5 to 6 p.m. Her column supports sustainable agriculture and encourages families to plant their own gardens. To achieve this goal, the Sonoma Valley Sun is offering one free packet of seeds each week to anyone who drops by our offices at 158 W. Napa Street, Sonoma. The seeds for this week are green peas!
