The appointed day has arrived. People from far and wide gathered in the great galleries of the arena. The princess sat beside her father, and as the crowd hushed, the signal was given. A door beneath the royal party opened, and the princess’s lover walked into the arena.
Her lover was tall, beautiful and fair, and the princess could hear the murmuring of the crowd, especially of the ladies. Half the audience had not known that such a grand youth had lived among them! Jealousy slowly started to fill her head.
As her lover advanced into the arena, he turned to bow to the king, but his gaze was fixed upon the princess. She understood what she had to do.
The princess knew who was in each room, the tiger and the lady. Not only did she know which room the lady stood in, ready to emerge, but she knew who the lady was. It was one of the fairest and loveliest of those who have been selected as the reward of the accused youth, and the princess hated her.
She have had nightmares of her lover opening one of the doors, and being pounced on by the ferocious tiger. But the princess had seen him at the other door much more, rushing to meet that woman, with her flushing cheeks and her sparkling eyes of triumph. Jealousy clouded the princess’s mind, and she made her choice.
As her lover’s eyes met hers, the princess raised her hand and made a slight, quick movement to the right. She had lost him, but who should have him? No one, the princess thought resentfully.
“We shall meet each other in the afterlife,” the princess muttered softly.
Her lover turned, and without the slightest hesitation, walked and opened the door on the right. The cruel tiger, waiting for its meal, pounced on the youth. Shrieks echoed through the arena, ringing in the princess’s ears. Tears ran down her face, and she cried miserably, looking away from her lover’s betrayed face.