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CCSS
R.1, R.2, R.3, R.4, R.6, R.7, W.2, SL.1, SL.2, L.4, L.6
The Choice
Only the princess can save her one true love from a hungry tiger. The question is . . . does she want to?
Based on “The Lady, or the Tiger?” by Frank Stockton
Art by Randy Pollak
photo insta_photos/Shutterstock
photo Gorodenkoff/SHutterstock
photo Gorodenkoff/SHutterstock
photo Christine Webb / Alamy
photo Volodymyr Plysiuk/Shutterstock
CHARACTERS
*Starred characters have larger speaking parts.
PROLOGUE
N1: Once upon a time, in a faraway land, there lived a powerful king.
N2: A king who loved his
N3: A king who used a cruel system of
N1: A king who was feared by all of his subjects.
N2: And nothing made him happier than sitting on his velvet throne in his royal arena—
N3: —watching justice be served!
SCENE 1
N1: The royal arena is packed. Every seat is filled.
N2: The king and his court sit high up on velvet chairs.
N3: The princess leans over to the king.
Princess Margaret: Father, who is the accused today?
King John: A poor man who stole from the royal garden.
Princess: What did he steal?
King: Carrots! Can you imagine?
N1: A handsome servant walks up with a silver tray.
Thomas: Cider, Your Majesty?
N2: The king takes a glass.
N3: The servant smiles at the princess and winks.
N1: Behind them, Lady Anne and Lady Helen giggle quietly.
Princess: That will be all, Thomas.
N2: The princess tries to hide a smile. She turns back to her father.
Princess: So this man was caught pulling carrots from the ground?
King: Not exactly. He was found nearby carrying carrots.
Princess: Father, is it fair to think that he—
N3: A trumpet sounds.
King: Quiet now. The criminal is coming.
N1: A man dressed in rags walks into the arena.
N2: He bows to the king, then turns to face two wooden doors.
N3: The Master of Ceremonies addresses the man.
MC: You stand accused of royal theft. You must now choose one of these two doors. Behind one is a hungry tiger. Behind the other is a young lady you may marry.
Accused Man: But I didn’t—
MC: The choice is yours.
N1: The accused looks at the doors.
MC: What will it be, ladies and gentlemen? Will he be torn to pieces because he is guilty?
Crowd: Noooooo!
MC: Or will we have a joyous wedding because he is innocent?
Crowd: Hooray!
N2: The man walks slowly to a door and opens it. A tiger springs upon him.
N3: The king smiles.
King: Chance is an
Princess: Yes, Father.
SCENE 2
N1: In her bedroom, the princess sits in front of a mirror.
N2: Lady Anne is brushing the princess’s hair.
Lady Anne: How bold Thomas was today!
Lady Helen: Winking at you with your father right there!
Princess: He is quite bold, isn’t he? It’s one of the reasons I love him.
N3: The ladies gasp.
Lady Anne: You love him?
Princess: Of course. We are perfect for each other.
Lady Helen: But he is a lowly servant!
Princess: Why should that matter?
Lady Anne: I think we know how the king would answer that question.
Princess (harshly): The king must never find out!
Art by Randy Pollak
Trial By Ordeal
Centuries ago, a person’s guilt or innocence was sometimes decided in a “trial by ordeal.” The person had to do something dangerous, like plunge an arm into a pot of boiling water. If unharmed, they were said to be innocent. How is the king’s arena a trial by ordeal?
SCENE 3
N1: Thomas and the princess stroll through the royal garden.
N2: Thomas stops to smell a rosebush.
N3: The princess removes a shiny pin from her cloak. It is shaped like a bee.
Princess: This was my mother’s pin. She was a lot like a bee. She could sting—or she could be sweet as honey.
Thomas: Like you!
Princess: Here. I want you to have it.
N1: Thomas takes the pin.
N2: Suddenly, Lady Anne and Lady Helen rush over.
Lady Anne: The king is coming!
Princess: Thomas, hide!
N3: She pushes him into the rosebush.
Thomas: Ow! Ow!
N1: The king rounds the corner.
King (shouting): Who is here with you?
Princess: Just my ladies, Father.
N2: The king spots something shiny in the rosebushes.
N3: He reaches in and drags Thomas out.
N1: The king looks to his daughter.
King: Explain yourself.
Princess: Father, I love Thomas. And he loves me.
King: Of course he does. You’re a princess. He has everything to gain. You have everything to lose.
Princess: We are getting married. There is nothing you can do!
King (chuckling): Heh heh heh.
N2: The king snaps his fingers. A guard steps forward.
King: Take Thomas to the dungeon. Search the kingdom for the most
Princess: Father, no!
SCENE 4
N3: The princess makes her way through a dark passage under the arena.
N1: The light from her torch bounces off the cold stone walls.
N2: At last, she finds the two rooms holding the lady and the tiger.
Guard: Who goes there?
Princess: It is I.
N3: The guard bows deeply.
Princess: Take me to the door the tiger is behind.
Guard: I am under strict orders not to let anyone near the tiger.
Princess: Then tell me about the maiden. Might I speak with her?
Guard: I’m afraid not. If I help you, I’ll be thrown into the arena too.
Princess (sharply): Do you think I care what happens to you? Let me see her!
Guard: No one must know which door Isabella is behind.
N1: The princess’s eyes flash with anger.
Princess: Isabella?
N2: The princess grabs the guard by the shoulders.
Princess: Show me which door Isabella is behind or I will make sure you live in the dungeon for the rest of your life.
Guard (frightened): Very well, Princess. Follow me.
Art by Randy Pollak
An Anti-fairy Tale
This story has many of the elements of a fairy tale. There’s a cruel king, a princess, good, evil. But this story is sometimes called an anti-fairy tale too. Why might that be?
SCENE 5
N3: Back in her room, the princess cries softly.
Princess: I can’t believe it’s Isabella!
Lady Anne: Beautiful Isabella.
Lady Helen: Kind Isabella.
Lady Anne: Wise Isabella.
Princess: Enough! I must figure out what to do. Thomas knows that I would never rest until I found out the secret of those two doors. He will look to me for an answer.
Lady Anne: Surely you will guide him to the lady.
Princess: Don’t you see? Either way, I lose him forever.
N1: The ladies frown.
Princess: I can’t stop imagining Thomas opening a door. I see his face as he sees the tiger.
Lady Helen: How awful!
Princess: But just as often, I imagine his delight when he opens the door and sees Isabella.
N2: The princess’s face grows dark.
Princess: And then Thomas and Isabella walk away together, the crowd cheering.
Lady Anne: Perhaps you should stay home tomorrow.
Princess: Never. Thomas will look to me. I must give an answer.
Lady Helen: Which will it be?
N3: The princess sits on her bed and puts her face in her hands.
SCENE 6
Universal History Archive/Getty Images (Frank Stockton)
So What Happened?
Frank Stockton (above) wrote this story in 1882. Readers were so upset about the ending that they sent him hundreds of letters! They wanted to know what happened to Thomas. Read Stockton’s response below!
N1: On the day of the trial, the arena is overflowing with people.
N2: The princess sits beside the king.
N3: The trumpet sounds. Thomas enters the arena with his head held high.
Crowd: Gasp!
N1: From the center of the arena, Thomas looks up at the princess. Their eyes lock.
N2: Her face is pale. She raises her hand and makes a small, quick motion to the right.
N3: Thomas turns and walks toward the doors.
N1: Every heart stops beating. Every breath is held.
N2: Then Thomas goes to the door on the right and opens it.
ACTIVITY:
Inference
You’ve just read “The Choice.” Now it’s time to try this activity.
What to do: Imagine that you are Princess Margaret a few days after the end of this play. You’re writing in your journal. Make inferences to complete each sentence below. For clues, go back and look at the play.
Tip: An inference is something that is not stated but can be figured out from clues in the text.
Not long ago, my father and I discussed a man who was being punished for stealing carrots. My father was surprised that
Hint: Look in Scene 1 for clues.
Personally, I was more surprised that
Hint: Look in Scene 1 for clues.
My father didn’t want me to marry Thomas because
Hint: Look in Scene 3 for clues.
Thomas trusted me and was sure I would point to the door that
Hint: Look in Scene 5 for clues.
So What Happened?
Frank Stockton (shown here) wrote this story in 1882. Readers were so upset about the ending that they sent him hundreds of letters! They wanted to know what happened to Thomas.
Stockton never did say for sure. But he did give this response much later—in 1902. It was printed in a newspaper called the Chicago Tribune:
“I cannot answer the question, for I have no earthly idea myself. I really never have been able to decide if the Lady or the Tiger came out of that door. Yet I must defend myself. People for years have
