A surprisingly capturing short story of Frank Stockton, called 'The Lady, or the Tiger' is proposing a little thoughts experiment.
For the original text, click here.
The text treats mostly about human nature. It is the story of a semi-barbaric king of an ancient land located far away, who used a thrilling method to judge the accused ones. He placed them in an arena, with 2 look-a-like doors, which hid on one hand a tiger and on the other a charming lady. The accused one had to choose one of those doors, involving the chance. If he picked the one with the tiger inside, his fate would of been sealed by the claws of this mammal. If, on the other hand, he picked the door that hid the lady, the trialed one had to marry her instantly in the arena. All other bonds, such as marriage, engagement would of been tared apart. The 'lucky one' had to marry the charming lady.
The interesting part appears once with the hidden relationship of the king's daughter with a man far below her station, and yet brave at heart. They were discovered, and the trial began.
The princess managed with a tremendous effort to find out which door hid which danger - either death, or marriage to another woman. If he survives he would never be again with her. After sleepless nights and a lot of grumbling she still didn't know which door to indicate.
In the last moment though, she made to her lover a sign for the right door to pick.
At this point, the reader is requested to decide :
'And so I leave it with all of you: Which came out of the opened door - the lady, or the tiger? '
Your reactions, thoughts? What would you do? What wouldn't you?
Remember- it's a thoughts experiment. Every hypothesis stands.
Bookmarks