Once a barbaric kingdom existed many centuries ago. All details were forgotten about the kingdom, which had thankfully long disappeared. However, one detail was forever remembered.
The queen could put any woman on a grand trial. She would be stationed in front of two stone doors. She would choose one door and open it. Whether that door would lead to life or death was chosen randomly before the trial. When the woman opened the door, out would come a ferocious lion who would immediately kill her, or a handsome man who would take the woman by his arms and marry her.
Crowds of people would always come, to watch with horror the lion gobble the lady; or cheer for the handsome, young man sweeping away the woman’s tears of happiness (or relief).
The onlookers included the queen’s son, the prince, who had always watched the trials until the day when he fell in love with a young maid.
They met together in secret for three months, until it came to the queen’s attention that her son was not with the onlookers at several trials. It did not take long from then as the prince’s love affair unraveled.
The queen put the girl on trial immediately, for ‘stealing’ her son and not doing her job. After days of frantic investigation, and many bribes, the prince finally learned which door led to the lion and the handsome man.
The price often thought about what would happen when the door opened to the lion. He heard the shrieks of his lover in his sleep. However, he thought about the door that led to the man even more often. He could hear the wedding bells and laughter as the love of his life soon forgot all about the prince and married the other man. Even worse, the prince knew who the man waiting behind the door was. He was a handsome, young man, who held high positions in the royal court and was the equestrian champion. The prince could not decide what to do. He would certainly not tell his lover to open the door to the other man, but to imagine his lover opening the door of the lion was heart wrenching. The prince did not sleep the night before the trial.
At last, the day of the trial arrived. As the prince stared out his window as dawn broke, he made his decision.
At the trial, the prince saw his lady arrive in a white dress. The woman looked at the prince briefly and mouthed a single word. “Which?”
No one else heard it, as it was only a breath. However, the prince heard it, and he quickly raised his left hand. The woman opened the stone door. Whether the court was filled with screams of terror or shouts of delight is entirely for you to decide.
The queen could put any woman on a grand trial. She would be stationed in front of two stone doors. She would choose one door and open it. Whether that door would lead to life or death was chosen randomly before the trial. When the woman opened the door, out would come a ferocious lion who would immediately kill her, or a handsome man who would take the woman by his arms and marry her.
Crowds of people would always come, to watch with horror the lion gobble the lady; or cheer for the handsome, young man sweeping away the woman’s tears of happiness (or relief).
The onlookers included the queen’s son, the prince, who had always watched the trials until the day when he fell in love with a young maid.
They met together in secret for three months, until it came to the queen’s attention that her son was not with the onlookers at several trials. It did not take long from then as the prince’s love affair unraveled.
The queen put the girl on trial immediately, for ‘stealing’ her son and not doing her job. After days of frantic investigation, and many bribes, the prince finally learned which door led to the lion and the handsome man.
The price often thought about what would happen when the door opened to the lion. He heard the shrieks of his lover in his sleep. However, he thought about the door that led to the man even more often. He could hear the wedding bells and laughter as the love of his life soon forgot all about the prince and married the other man. Even worse, the prince knew who the man waiting behind the door was. He was a handsome, young man, who held high positions in the royal court and was the equestrian champion. The prince could not decide what to do. He would certainly not tell his lover to open the door to the other man, but to imagine his lover opening the door of the lion was heart wrenching. The prince did not sleep the night before the trial.
At last, the day of the trial arrived. As the prince stared out his window as dawn broke, he made his decision.
At the trial, the prince saw his lady arrive in a white dress. The woman looked at the prince briefly and mouthed a single word. “Which?”
No one else heard it, as it was only a breath. However, the prince heard it, and he quickly raised his left hand. The woman opened the stone door. Whether the court was filled with screams of terror or shouts of delight is entirely for you to decide.
