Love between a monkey girl and a crocodile man (10 photos)

As they say, love is evil. And it forces you to make choices regardless of the circumstances. However, these two didn't have much choice.





At different stages of her life, she managed to be a little shaggy baby, a monkey girl, and as a result she went down in history as Persilla Bejano.



Percilla Roman - "Monkey Girl" was born in Bayamon, Puerto Rico on April 26, 1911. At birth, the baby had not only luxurious hair, but also a layer of coarse dark hair covering her entire face and body. She also had two rows of teeth. Of the seven children in the family, she was the only one with such serious disabilities.

Parents brought Persilla to New York several times in the hope of finding the cause and cure for the disease. Experts agreed that it was the result of a genetic abnormality and could not be cured. Desperate and in need of funds to support his wife and other children, the father sent his daughter to the exhibition when she was three years old. When the baby was six years old, her father died, and the owner of the exhibition, Karl Lauter, and his wife adopted Persilla.



The Lauters were not only caring parents, but also effective managers. They hired tutors to ensure Persilla received the best education. When Persilla complained of loneliness, they bought her a pet - a trained chimpanzee, Joanna, who became Persilla's constant companion on and off stage for many years.

Persilla, who was called the "monkey girl", was a great success with the public.

In 1936, the girl met the love of her life, Emmitt Bejano, known as “Lobello the Alligator Boy.”



He was born Emmitt Driggers in Punta Gorda, Florida on August 23, 1914. His parents divorced when he was six years old, and his father sent his son to an exhibition with showman Johnny Bejano of Morris & Castle Shows. When Emmit's father died, Bejano adopted him. Emmitt had lamellar ichthyosis, an inherited disease that causes thickening and cracking of the epidermis, reminiscent of reptile scales. By constantly oiling his face and hands, Emmitt was able to keep these areas free of scales and remain undetected in public by wearing long sleeves and high collars.



Emmitt and Persilla became mutually attracted to each other and, after several months of a secret relationship, eloped in January 1938 to avoid Lauter's tutelage.

They returned to the stage and became known as "The World's Strangest Married Couple."

On February 2, 1939, Persilla gave birth to a girl, Francine. Like Persilla, the daughter was covered from head to toe with black hair. The world's strangest married couple was happy, as any parents are happy. But sadly, Francine died of pneumonia at just fourteen weeks of age.



Sometime in the 1950s, Emmitt and Percilla purchased property in Gibsonton, Florida. Wanting to have children, but fearing another tragedy, the Bejanos decided to adopt the boy Tony in 1960. Persilla nicknamed their homestead "P.E.T. Ranch." – Persilla, Emmitt, Tony. Tony traveled with his parents and worked as an amusement ride operator.

In the 50s and 60s they had their own show called The Bejano Family and in the 1970s they performed The James E. Straits Show. After spending several decades in this business, the couple retired to live away from prying eyes. As Percilla said, “the show is over.”



During the 1980s and 90s, Percilla and Emmitt stopped traveling but made numerous television and film appearances as the last two surviving veterans of the intriguing but increasingly taboo freak show culture. Percilla and Emmitt enjoyed a quiet retired life at their home in Tampa for many years. Their long romance ended with Emmit's death in 1995.



Emmitt died on April 17, 1995. Mourning her husband of almost sixty years, Persilla began shaving her beard. Although she continued to appear in public, she remained beardless until hershe died on February 5, 2001.



This is how this quite happy, albeit strange, couple lived their lives through specific but honest work, expressed in flaunting themselves. As Persilla said:

I agree that my appearance is strange and unusual, but that does not stop me from enjoying life to the fullest and participating in all the good things that life has to offer, just like you.