This Romanian folktale was published in 1885 but likely was based on an older story that had been passed down through generations. It is the story of a poor man who had nothing but three peas. He decided to plant, harvest, and plant them again and again until he was a rich man. He had pretty good instincts as a seed-saving gardener, but he lacked business acumen. He boasted of his wealth to the emperor of the land and asked for barrels in which to store his peas. The emperor assumed he was a man of great wealth and offered a daughter in marriage. The poor young man then had to produce some proof of his wealth.

A rosy-cheeked man then offered to give him the wealth of a kingdom if the poor man could answer the riddles posed by he and his eight brothers. If he could not solve every one of the riddles, he would have to give the man his first child. The poor man was so stressed that he agreed and with his newfound wealth became the known as the Pea Emperor. As he was traveling to his new palace, he saw an aged and feeble man in the fields and offered the old man alms. The old man declined but, in gratitude, offered to join the Pea Emperor’s service. That night, the nine brothers, who actually were dragons, came to ask their riddles. The old man dispatched each of them, saving the Pea Emperor and his family.

The Pea Emperor’s kindness to the old man allowed him to grow peas the rest of his life.

Growing Peas

Peas (Pisum sativum) are a cold weather vegetable and are typically sown directly into the ground. Snow Peas and Snap Peas are two common varieties. They mature in about 55-65 days. Peas may be eaten in the pod or may need to be shelled (have the outer pod removed before eating). Some peas can be dried for storage, but fresh peas (such as Snap or Snow) do not have a long shelf life and should be eaten soon after harvest.

Peas can be eaten raw, freshly picked or cooked. They also can be dried for storage and used later for soups and other dishes. Peas also can be made into a porridge, like in the child’s rhyme, “Pease porridge hot, pease porridge cold, pease porridge in the pot nine days old.”