We read a short story called “The Lady or the Tiger?” In class. There was once a brutal king who came up with a trial system where he had two doors, one with a lady and one with a tiger, and the criminal chose which one that they were to go through. If they chose the door with the Lady, they would be married to her at once and live a great life. But if they chose the tiger, they would be ripped to shreds by the beast. The horrible king found out that her daughter was in love with a poor man from the village, so he sent him on trial. The princess had found out which door was which, and she waved her hand to the right to tell him to go to the door on the right. But what did she want for him? The story didn’t have an ending, it ended on a cliff hanger that didn’t explain what happened her. Here is my Lady or the Tiger ending.
And through that door was what I thought of as the better of the two terrible fates. My lover stepped cautiously toward the door to the right. Hand sweating, heart pounding, he slowly turned the handle. I turned away in disgust as the bells started ringing and the beautiful maiden stepped out of the door. I felt sick as I watched the wedding ceremony and them holding hands. I thought to myself,”Does he look happier than he had with me? Will I ever be able to live with myself knowing that I had set him up with his true love?” I realized I had made a mistake, that it really was better for him to die then to be with that despicable girl! But it was too late. I could do nothing about it. And that fact alone tormented me.
As my new wife and I surveyed the arena and saw all the happy, smiling faces, I couldn’t help to feel happy for myself. The princess had saved me from the tiger! I knew she would! But in all the commotion of the majestic sounds of the ringing bells and the cheering crowds, everything else was blocked from my mind. So after the preacher made us man and wife, my beautiful wife and I gazed into each others eyes and ignored the rest of the world. I opened the door for her so that we could leave the arena, still completely oblivious to everything going on around me, and it was the loud roar that snapped me back into my senses. I had opened the wrong door! I had opened he door to the tiger’s cage and he was upon us now. I tried to find her, but she had already been slain by the beast and I had less then a minute left to live. I looked over at the princess and saw a smile on her face. Though I still loved her, she disgusted me now. So I ran toward the tiger, willing to die, for I had nothing left in this world.