Answer:
The author leaves the solution to the reader.
Explanation:
"The Lady, or the Tiger?" is a short story by American author and humorist Frank Richard Stockton. He tells readers of a semi-barbaric king who came up with what he considered to be the fairest of trials. The criminal had to choose one of two doors to open. If he opened the door behind which a tiger was hiding, he would immediately be judged guilty, and he'd be punished by the tiger. If he opened the door behind which a damsel was waiting, he would have to marry her on the spot, not matter if he was already married or loved someone else.
When the king finds out a young man of inferior birth is having an affair with the princess, he arrests him and schedules his trial. The princess, who is as fierce as her father, bribes someone and finds out behind which door the tiger is hiding. When her lover steps onto the arena and looks at her, she points to her right. The question is, did she point to the lady, or to the tiger? The author makes it clear that the princess dreads watching the man she loves be torn and eaten by a beast. She does love him enough to not wish him to die... or does she?
Not only does she know which door has the girl, she also knows who the girl is. And the princess is utterly jealous of her. She loves the young man enough to not want him to die, but she is also jealous enough to not want him to marry someone else, especially that girl. The author leaves the answer to us, readers. When the young man opened the door pointed out by his lover, did he get the lady, or the tiger?
