The Lady or the Tiger? - Narrative (copy)

The Lady or the Tiger? (Simplified Full-Length Version)

A long time ago, in a land far away, there was a king who ruled his kingdom in a very unusual way. He was not cruel, but he was not exactly kind either. He believed that justice should be fair, but he also wanted it to be exciting. So, he created a unique system to decide if someone was guilty or innocent.

Whenever a person was accused of a crime, they were taken to a grand arena. There, in front of the whole kingdom, they had to make a choice. Two identical doors stood before them. Behind one door was a fierce, hungry tiger, ready to attack. Behind the other was a beautiful lady chosen by the king. If the person picked the door with the tiger, they were declared guilty and would be eaten. If they picked the door with the lady, they were declared innocent and had to marry her immediately, whether they liked it or not. The king believed this was a perfect system. The person’s fate was left to chance, and justice was always served.

The people of the kingdom loved this strange system. Every time someone was sent to the arena, huge crowds gathered to watch. They would hold their breath as the accused stepped forward, wondering if they would see a joyful wedding or a terrible attack.

Now, this king had a daughter, a princess who was as beautiful as she was strong-willed. She was deeply in love with a young man from the kingdom. He was handsome, brave, and kind—but he was not a prince. He was not of royal blood, and when the king discovered their secret love, he was furious. The young man had broken the rules by daring to love the princess, so the king ordered him to be taken to the arena. There, he would have to face his fate, just like anyone else.

The princess was heartbroken. She knew how the system worked. She also knew something that no one else did—she had discovered which door held the tiger and which held the lady. The lady chosen for this trial was beautiful and had often caught the young man’s eye in the past. The princess had seen how they looked at each other, and she burned with jealousy. The thought of her love marrying another woman made her furious. But the thought of him being torn apart by a tiger was unbearable.

On the day of the trial, the young man was brought into the arena. The crowd was excited, whispering about what might happen. The young man stood before the two doors, calm but uncertain. He knew the princess loved him, and he hoped she would find a way to help him. He looked up at her, sitting beside the king, and his eyes pleaded for guidance.

The princess did not hesitate. She raised her hand and gave him a quick signal. The young man, trusting her completely, walked to the door she had indicated and opened it.

But what was behind that door?

Was it the beautiful lady, waiting to become his wife? Or was it the fierce tiger, ready to end his life?

Only the princess knew.

And that is where the story ends.

Did the princess let her love live, even if it meant losing him forever? Or did her jealousy take over, leading her to choose the tiger? It is up to you, the reader, to decide.