Romanian Fairy Tales

Here he stood before the Emperor Full of big plans for all the peas he would harvest (if he got around to planting the three little peas he had found) the penniless boaster began regaling his highness with wild tales of places far away -- until the Emperor was listening with mouth agape

"I see you have traveled widely, know a great deal, and are cunning and experienced," said the Emperor. "I will gladly give you my daughter in marriage."

The braggart now regretted having told so many lies -- for what would happen if the Emperor learned he was not, indeed, the Pea Emperor he made himself out to be?

"The Pea Emperor" and seventeen other folktales capture the charm of a Roumania of long ago, and that perhaps never was -- full of dreams and magic.