The Power of a woman’s will!

 Sham S. Misri

Long ago, there lived a king. He wanted  to set up a public arena, in which, he wanted old methods  of punishment.

    The arena of the king was built. It had many  galleries, and mysterious chambers.  When a person was accused of a crime, a public notice was given. On an appointed day the accused person would be brought in the king's arena. On that day, the people  would  assemble, and the king would sit high in his court, on one side of the arena. He would then give a signal, and  a door would open.  The accused person would then enter into the arena, from the opposite side. There would be two doors, exactly alike, and side by side. It was the mere luck of the person on trial to walk directly to these doors and open one of them. He could open either door he pleased. He was subject to no guidance but left to only chance. If he opened the one, there came out of it a hungry tiger, which immediately sprang upon him and tore him to pieces as a punishment for his guilt. That moment the case of the criminal was thus decided. The audience would then  move slowly  to their homes. This way the people would  mourn  greatly , for  the young and fair, or so old and respected, saying , should  they have merited so dire a fate.

     But, if the accused person opened the other door, a beautiful  lady would come out, and to this lady he was immediately married. This was given to him as a reward of his innocence. The king allowed no interfere with his this scheme of justice and reward. These exercises, took place immediately, and in the arena. A priest, would come and the wedding was promptly solemnized. The people would make merry and the innocent man, led his bride to his home. This was the king's method of doing justice.

The criminal could not know out of which door the lady would come; he could open either, without having the slightest idea whether, in the next instant, he was to be devoured or married. On some occasions the tiger came out of one door, and on some, out of the other.

The king thought that this type of  decisions of  his court trial  was not only fair, but  the accused person was instantly punished if  found  guilty, and, if innocent, he was rewarded on the spot.

    The king had a daughter. She was loved by him very much. Among his courtiers was a young man. The king’s daughter fell in love with him. This love affair moved on happily for many months.  One day the king came to know about it. The king did not fail in his duty to bring him to the arena. The youth was cast into prison, and a day was appointed for his trial in the king's arena. This was an important occasion, and the king, as well as all the people, got interested in the development of this trial. Such a case had never occurred before. No person ever dared to love the daughter of the king.

     Now, the  fiercest tiger was selected for the arena. A beautiful young girl was selected in order that the young man might have a bride. Everybody knew  the deed with which the accused was charged. He had loved the princess. Nobody  could deny  the fact and the king would take pleasure in watching the course of events.

     The fixed day arrived. The people gathered in the great galleries of the arena. The king and his court were in their places, opposite the twin doors, those fateful portals, so terrible in their similarity.

     All was ready. The signal was given. A door opened, and the lover of the princess walked into the arena. He was tall, beautiful, and  fair. No wonder the princess loved him! What a terrible thing for him to be there!

As per the custom, the youth advanced into the arena and he  bowed to the king. His eyes were fixed upon the princess, who sat close to her father. From the moment the order had been that her lover should decide his fate in the king's arena, she had thought of nothing, night or day, but this great event. The princess, who had all the power, knew about the secret doors. She knew in which of the two rooms that lay behind those doors, stood the cage of the tiger; and in which waited the lady. The power of a woman's will, had brought the secret to the princess.

She also knew who the lady was. It was one of the fairest girls who had been selected as the reward of the accused youth, should he be proved innocent of the crime. But the princess hated her. The girl was lovely, but she had dared to raise her eyes to the loved one of the princess. She hated the woman who blushed and trembled behind that silent door.

     When her lover turned and looked at her, and his eye met hers, he saw, that princess knew behind which door was  the tiger, and behind which stood the lady. He had expected her to know it as he had understood her nature. The only hope for the youth was based upon the success of the princess in discovering this mystery; and the moment he looked upon her, he saw she had succeeded.

     Then, his quick and anxious glance asked the question: "Which?" It was as plain to her as if he shouted it from where he stood. The question was asked in a flash; it must be answered in another.

     She raised her hand, and made a slight, quick movement toward the right. No one but her lover saw her. He turned, and walked across the empty space. Every heart stopped beating, every breath was held, and every eye was fixed upon that man. Without the slightest hesitation, he went to the door on the right, and opened it.

    It leads us to a puzzle, the decision of the question depended upon that hot-blooded, princess. Her soul was full of hate  and jealousy for the girl.  She had lost him, but who should have him?  How often, had she covered her face with her hands as she thought of her lover opening the door on the other side of which waited the cruel  tiger!

    When she saw his joyful delight as he opened the door of the lady! Her soul burned in agony when she saw him rush to meet that woman, with her sparkling eye of triumph.

The lady saw the boy coming to her, followed by a priest, she was happy. When the princess saw them walk  together, she was in tears, her  shriek was lost and drowned!

     The princess’ decision had been indicated in an instant, but it had been made after days and nights of suffering. She had known she would be asked, she had decided what she would answer, and, without the slightest hesitation, she had moved her hand to the right.

     Her first decision was to save her lover. Next she would plan how to snatch her lover her lover from the lady.
(Next story tomorrow)