The story
The young king Arthur was captured by ambush of the adjacent country. And the king of the adjacent country was moved by Arthur’s young and optimistic character, and didn’t kill him. The king promised to set him free if Arthur could answer a hard question. And he allowed Arthur a limit of one year to think over the question. If Arthur failed to give him a satisfied answer, he would be put to death. Now the question was, What is lady really want?
This question puzzled to those knowledgeable people, especially to young Arthur. It’s too difficult to answer this question for him. But at least better than death, Arthur accepted and promised to give him the answer on the last day of one year limit. Arthur went back to his country, and began to search for the answer from every one in his country, including the princess, prostitute, priest, wise people, and even the buffoon in royal court. But no one could give Arthur a satisfied answer. Then some one suggested him to consult an old witch. Only the witch knew the correct answer. But the witch was also well-known for her expensive charge.
Then the last day came, Arthur had no other choices but turn for the witch. The witch gave her words to answer the question if only Arthur accept her exchange condition, which is, she must marry Arthur’s closest friend, Kevin, one of the most royalty round-table cavalier in Arthur kingdom. Arthur king was astonished at it. He saw the witch: humpbacked, extremely ugly, and there was only one tooth left in her mouth, and with feculent smell and indecent behaviors. Oh, Arthur never saw such a disharmonious monster. He rebuff her at once. How could he force his best friend to marry such an ugly monster? When Kevin received the news, he said to Arthur, ‘ I accept her condition to marry her. Nothing is more important than save you, king. ‘ Then the wedding was declared, and the witch gave Arthur the answer. What lady really want is to dominate her own destiny.
Every one knew that the witch declared a great truth, and Arthur was released by his opponent. Then let’s come to see the unusual wedding. Arthur king was weeping for sorrow in heart. Kevin kept his modest and cultivated character, and the witch, showed her worst behaviors in the wedding and made every one get sick of her. Then the night came, Kevin faced the horrible time bravely and entered into the bridal chamber. What was waiting for him. A pretty girl he never saw lying on bed. Kevin was totally amazed and asked her what happened. The beauty said, to return Kevin’s good behavior and kindness to her even though she was so ugly, she would show her beauty side in half a day, and in the other half, still the horrible and ugly side. She asked Kevin, ‘What do you want me to be in the day time, and what to be in the evening?’ What a cruel question. Kevin began to ponder on his trouble situation. To choose a pretty girl in the day and show others, then face an ugly and old witch in the evening in his own room, or to choose to have an ugly wife in the day time in front of friends and spend sweet time with a beauty in the evening?
If you were Kevin, what is your choice.
Remarks: this story was translated into english from Chinese version myself. so welcome corrections, if there are some mistakes. Just raise it for discussion.
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