Gregory and the Billy Goat -- A Peppermaster Fairy Tale

Once upon a time, a little boy named Gregory was whisked away from his native Montreal to live in the deep dark tropical jungles of the Bahamas.

On his arrival to this wild and wondrous place, he discovered the burning of men in effigy. It was Guy Fawkes Day.

One day, after recovering from the shock of Guy Fawkes Day, Gregory noticed a billy goat sniffing about the pepper bush in his garden. In the heat of the afternoon, Gregory couldn't imagine anything or anyone wanting to sniff at the chili peppers, he'd been told to stay away from them, eating them would hurt him.

The goat ate a few large ripe chillies and then clip clopped over to the large jasmine bush in the corner of the yard, curled up in the shade and promptly went to sleep.

So, Gregory thought that the billy goat had curled up there to die.

Gregory was mistaken. Later as the days shadows grew longer and the burning sun sank towards the sea, the billy goat sprang to it's feet, none the worse for wear. And in fact, the old goat looked quite rested and indeed seemed a little younger than when he'd lain down for his nap.

Gregory was amazed.

There seemed to be some magical effect to the chili peppers that caused the billy goat to get younger.

Gregory felt like Ponce de Leon! He'd discovered the fountain of youth! Only it wasn't a fountain, it was a magical pepper!

Gregory knew that all he'd have to do, was the eat the pepper and he, like the old billy goat, would live forever!