An old man lived with his wife. They had no children and were very unhappy.
One day, the old woman went to the garden to pick beans. She looked at the beans and sighed, “I wish you were my children.” And lo! Her wish came true. “I don’t know what to do with so many children. I wish all but one would turn into beans.” Again, her wish came true. She took the little child home and named him Pepper Corn. Everybody loved him.
One day, Pepper Corn fell into boiling soup and died. The old man and woman were heartbroken and started weeping, “Pepper Corn has died.” When the dove heard this she pulled out her feathers, the apple tree shook off its apples, and the well emptied out all its water to mourn his death. Pepper Corn would never be forgotten.