Listen to the first story of the New Year in 2019 from Myths, Legends and Fairytales of India Podcast (now renamed as Parikatha Podcast).
About Princess Pepperina
She is raised by a magician, marries a King who ends up losing her, and then… But before that you may wonder, why was she called by that peculiar name? Listen to this story to find out.
The tale of Princess Pepperina begins with a Bulbul bird in a forest, whose mate longs for a green pepper to eat. The devoted Bulbul searches far and wide, eventually finding a solitary green pepper in a mysterious, high-walled garden owned by a Jinn. The Jinn, asleep for twelve years, awakens to find his prized pepper pecked by the Bulbul’s mate, who leaves behind a glittering emerald-green egg. The egg hatches into a beautiful maiden, Princess Pepperina, whom the Jinn raises with care.
Years later, as the Jinn prepares for another twelve-year slumber, a King and his minister discover Princess Pepperina in the garden. The King falls in love with her, and despite the Jinn’s habit of eating men, the Princess cleverly persuades the Jinn to allow her marriage to the King. The Jinn, moved by her happiness, consents, and the couple marries before he falls asleep.
However, jealousy arises in the palace. The other women, envious of Princess Pepperina’s beauty and her son, plot against her. They kill her child and frame her as an ogress. The King, deceived, orders her execution. After her death, Princess Pepperina’s body transforms into a marble wall, pools of water, grass, and flowers, while her soul becomes a pair of mourning birds.
The grieving King later discovers the truth from the birds. To resurrect Princess Pepperina, he must kill the birds simultaneously. He does so, and she returns to life. The Jinn, awakening from his slumber, joins them, and they live happily ever after in a magnificent palace, free from jealousy.
Visit gaathastory.com/podcasts to learn how you can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Saavn, TuneIn, Castbox, Hubhopper, and many other fine websites and apps where you listen to podcast. This story was translated from a traditional South Indian tale by Flora Annie Steel and Pandit Natesa Sastry.Episode was narrated by Sheerali Biju and edited by Albert Lakra for gaatha story.
