Penny the Dwarf

Penny the Dwarf is a young woman from the Free Cities of Essos. She and her brother Oppo meet a man in Pentos who hires them to be entertainers for King Joffrey Baratheon’s wedding to Margaery Tyrell. However, after Joffrey’s murder, she and her brother become targets of an order issued by Queen Cersei Lannister.

Penny the Dwarf Details

• Name: Penny.
• Alias: Lady Imp.
• Year of Birth: 281 – 283 AC.
• Culture: Free Cities.
• Allegiance: Second Sons.
• Father: Hop-Bean.
• Brother: Oppo.
• Eye Color: Brown.
• Hair Color: Brown.

Appearance

Penny the Dwarf got described by Tyrion as an ugly and almost-pretty girl. She has deep brown eyes that are big and look innocent. Her hair is brown, and she has a heavy brow with a squashed nose.

Biography

Though there is little information on her childhood, Penny and her brother Oppo got taught to mock-joust on a pig by their father, Hop-Bean. The act became their source of livelihood.

Relevance in A Song of Ice and Fire

A Storm of Swords

Penny and her brother Oppo meet a man named Oswell in Pentos. He hires them as entertainers for King Joffrey Baratheon’s wedding. During the wedding feast, she and her brother ride their pig Pretty Pig and their dog, Crunch, in painted wooden armor. Unknown to the dwarfs, Lord Petyr Baelish hired them to create a rift between Joffrey and his uncle Tyrion. After getting into an argument with his uncle, Joffrey slumps to the ground as he gets poisoned. 

Joffrey dies, and his mother, Cersei, accuses her brother of killing her son. Tyrion gets arrested, and at his trial, Cersei makes Shae accuse him of colluding with Sansa Stark to kill Joffrey. Tyrion demands a trial by combat, and after his champion Prince Oberyn Martell gets killed by Ser Gregor Clegane, he gets locked up to get sentenced. However, Ser Jaime Lannister and Lord Varys free him. He kills his father, Lord Tywin Lannister, and escapes King’s Landing.

A Feast for Crows

After Joffrey’s death, Penny and Oppo travel to Volantis, where they perform. Prince Quentyn Martell of Dorne sees them as he travels to Slaver’s Bay. Later, a group of sailors waylay the dwarfs and kill Oppo as Cersei places a bounty on her brother’s head. They spare Penny when they realize she is a girl.

A Dance with Dragons

When Ser Jorah Mormont and Tyrion Lannister visit the Widow of the Waterfront, Penny sees them and attacks Tyrion with a knife, blaming him for her brother’s death. Jorah stops her, and she gets a room by the Widow. Two days later, she boards the Selaesori Qhoran with Tyrion and Jorah. When the ship gets stuck for twelve days in the Gulf of Grief, she begs Tyrion to help her entertain the crew. Later, the Selaesori Qhoran gets caught in a storm, and fearing she will die, she kisses Tyrion. However, he tells her he is married. The ship later gets caught by a slaver.

Yezzan zo Qaggaz buys Penny, Tyrion, her dog, and her pig at a slaver’s auction. They get taken to perform at Daznak’s Pit. However, unknown to them, they were supposed to get eaten by lions. When Daenerys Targaryen learns of the act, she orders the lions to remain chained.

When Yezzan slowly dies from the Pale Mare, Jorah and Tyrion escape and join the Second Sons. Penny does not enter the Second Sons and remains at the Second Sons’ camp. She and Tyrion get into an argument, and she tells him they were better off in Yezzan’s hands; this makes Tyrion realize she had always wanted a master after her brother’s death.

Penny: A Sad Tale

In the endless struggle for power and dominance, some innocent people get caught in the crossfire. Penny was one such person, as her brother got killed just because he was a dwarf. Cersei Lannister created a president for bloodshed by placing a bounty on her brother’s head after he fled King’s Landing. She did not realize how many innocent dwarves would lose their lives because of her myopic thinking.

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