The Lady, or the Tiger? and Other Stories

A long, long time ago, there lived a king. He was half wild and half civilized. He had big, strange ideas, and he was very powerful. When he wanted something, it happened. He often talked to himself. And when he and himself agreed about something, it was done.

When everything in his kingdom went well, the king was calm and friendly. But when there was a problem, he was even calmer and friendlier. Nothing made him happier than to fix a problem in his own way.

The king had heard about the great arenas of other countries. In those arenas, men fought each other, or they fought wild animals, and the people watched. The king liked this idea, but he changed it. His arena was not for fighting. It was a place of justice. In his arena, bad people were punished and good people were rewarded. And the king did not decide who was good or bad. Chance decided.