Plums for Trash

Clever Peter is good at everything—smart, agile, and handsome. The only thing he lacks is a wife. So, Clever Peter decided to get married. But where could he find a wife who would match him—both beautiful and hardworking?

He thought and thought, and then came up with an idea. In his garden grew a plum tree with extraordinary plums—each one as big as an apple or a small fist. The daring fellow filled a cart with plums and rolled it out to the market square on market day.

"Hey, come here, young ladies! Come closer, pretty girls! Plums! Plums! I’m selling plums without money!"

People flocked over: how could someone sell without money? Clever Peter explained:

"Take the plums, good housewives, and I won’t charge you a single coin. But I’m selling the plums for trash—as much trash as you bring, that’s how many plums you’ll get."

The crowd buzzed with excitement, and everyone ran home. The housewives stirred up clouds of dust as they gathered trash into baskets and bags, sending their daughters to the square.

Soon the square was packed: one girl carried trash in buckets, another dragged a basket behind her, a third groaned as she pushed a cart full of trash. Of course, some brought only a small basket—not everyone had much trash at home. But there were enough plums for everyone, and Clever Peter kept weighing and joking:

"What fine, large trash you’ve brought, young lady!"

Soon, the plums were gone. People began to disperse, but Peter stood there looking disappointed—he realized his plan hadn’t worked. Suddenly, he saw a girl crossing the square, carrying something in a handkerchief and crying bitterly.

"Who’s that?" Peter asked.

"That’s poor Daniela, the orphan," the other housewives replied with a smirk. "She never has her own trash—she borrowed a handful from a neighbor. Looks like she won’t get to enjoy many plums…"

"Hey, Daniela," Clever Peter called out, "will you marry me?"

Daniela wiped her tears, and everyone saw how her beautiful face lit up.

They held a wedding and began their life together. Clever Peter, of course, didn’t stop his jokes—after all, stories about him are told all over Bulgaria—but he stopped playing tricks that hurt people. They say it was because of Daniela’s plum jam. It was just too sweet and delicious.

More fairy tales

• The Golden Girl
• The Tale of the Boy, the Puppy, the Kitten, and the Little Frog
• Rezan the Half-Cut
• The Tale of the Barrel
• Hardy, Softy, and Sweetie