It is told that in ancient times, there was a king who had three daughters, and God had not blessed him with sons. He loved them very much, but the youngest was closest to his heart. Once, the king wanted to tell them of his love for them, so he brought his eldest daughter and said to her: My precious daughter, tell me how much is your love for your father?
The girl answered immediately: I love you father as fish love the sea. The father was very pleased with his daughter’s answer, as fish cannot live except inside the sea. He said to himself: How intelligent my daughter is. She seems to love me very much. He brought out many jewels and gave them to her as a reward for her love for him, and ordered a splendid palace for her.
After the king finished his conversation with his eldest daughter, he went to his middle daughter and said to her: Tell me my daughter, how much is your love for your father? She said to him without hesitation: I love you father as birds love the sky. The father was pleased with his daughter’s answer, as birds cannot live and fly except in the sky. He ordered a splendid palace for her like her sister and granted her many jewels as well.
Then came the youngest’s turn. The king went to his daughter and said to her: Tell me my little one, how much is your love for your father? She said to him: I love you father as thyme loves chili pepper. The king was surprised by this answer he didn’t expect. He scolded her without listening to her justification and expelled her from the palace because he thought his daughter didn’t love him.
The girl left crying, not knowing where to go. She faced many and many harassments. While she was walking, a simple farmer saw her, liked her, and tried to get close to her to ask for marriage. The princess found him a good man, so she agreed to marry him and live with him in his simple hut in the middle of the forest.
After several days, the king went out for hunting with his guards. He spent a long time trying to catch prey until he got lost from his men. He searched for them but didn’t find them. The king continued walking through the forest, hoping to find them, but to no avail. After a period of continuous walking, the king spotted a simple hut in the middle of the forest.
He walked to it and knocked on its door, hoping the owners of the hut would feed and give him drink something to satisfy his hunger. The poor farmer owner of the hut opened for him and welcomed him. The king told him his story and what happened to him. Meanwhile, the king’s daughter and the farmer’s wife were inside, and she recognized her father’s voice.
When her husband went in, he asked her to slaughter two chickens and cook them to honor the hungry guest. But she suggested to her husband to present the guest some thyme and oil until she finished preparing the food. The husband agreed, took a tray with some thyme and oil, and presented them to the king, saying: Welcome, honorable guest, satisfy your hunger until my wife finishes cooking the food.
The king was very hungry, so he extended his hand to eat the thyme, but its taste was bad and caused him severe stomach cramps. He said to the farmer: What is this? Do you eat thyme without chili pepper (spice)? At that moment, the king remembered his youngest daughter and understood what she meant by what she said. The king cried bitterly, amazing the farmer with his reaction.
He said to him: My lord, don’t worry, it’s just minutes and my wife will finish preparing the food. The king told him his story with his youngest daughter whom he had expelled because he misunderstood her and didn’t know her value until now. The farmer calmed him, brought the food, and after the king finished eating, he was surprised to find his youngest daughter standing before him, saying: Don’t be sad father, I still love you as thyme loves chili pepper.
The king smiled and embraced his daughter. He began apologizing to her for his bad behavior. He blessed her marriage to the farmer, gave her and her husband two great palaces, and granted her many jewels as a share for her love and loyalty to her father the king. After that, everyone lived in happiness and love.