The Lady or the Tiger
When I was in school I remember reading the short story “The Lady or the Tiger” by Frank R. Stockton. The story took place in an ancient kingdom where the King had an interesting way of delivering justice to men who broke his laws. He would present the transgressor with two doors. Behind one would be a beautiful maiden of the King’s choosing who would become the wife of the transgressor if he chose that door. Behind the other door, would be a hungry tiger, who would eat the man.
Eventually, a man who the King considered ill bred and not good enough fell in love with the King’s daughter The King punished him by offering him the two doors. Behind one was a woman who was not the Princess that the King had chosen for him. Behind the other was the Tiger. The man hoped that the Princess knew which door had the Tiger behind it So he looked to her to get a clue as to which door he should pick.
The Princess had her own conundrum. She knew which door held the tiger. If she told him the right door, he would then marry someone else and she would never see him again , if she told him the wrong door he would be eaten. She was very jealous by nature. Her lover knows this as well. She eventually nods towards one of the doors. He goes to open the door and the story ends with the question: did the lady or the Tiger emerge?
If you were the man, would you choose the door your love had selected for you?
You forgot one important bit of the story- that the kingdom was semi-barbaric Now going back to the dillema. Let me put it this way the dude is finished no way a woman who is a jealous type lets go. She would be playing mind games with you believe me I’ve been tehre not necessary in an arena with a tiger waiting but silly things where she likes to keep you second guessing. Anyway the dude dies. Guys are not spiteful – okay most of the time.