The Lady, or the Tiger?

by Frank R. Stockton

"The Lady, or the Tiger?" by Frank R. Stockton is a short story published in 1882. In a semi-barbaric kingdom, accused criminals face trial by choosing between two doors—one concealing a lady they must marry, the other a deadly tiger. When the king's daughter's lover faces this ordeal, she knows what lies behind each door and signals him which to choose. The story famously ends without revealing his fate, leaving readers to decide.