NK - FW: True Chivalry

[Jerry Herring]

I thought you all would enjoy this too much.  Its a great story so read
on...

Kelandra




True chivalry

Young King Arthur was ambushed and imprisoned by the monarch of a
neighbouring kingdom.

The monarch could have killed him, but was moved by Arthur's youthful
happiness. So he offered him freedom, as long as he could answer a
very difficult question. Arthur would have a year to figure out the
answer; if, after a year, he still had no answer, he would be killed.
The question was: What do women really want?

Such a question would perplex even the most knowledgable man, and, to
young Arthur, it seemed an impossible query. Well, since it was better
than death, he accepted the monarch's proposition to have an answer
by year's end. He returned to his kingdom and began to poll everybody:
the princess, the prostitutes, the priests, the wise men, the court
jester. In all, he spoke with everyone but no one could give him a
satisfactory answer.

What most people did tell him was to consult the old witch, as only
she would know the answer. The price would be high, since the witch
was famous throughout the kingdom for the exorbitant prices she
charged. The last day of the year arrived and Arthur had no
alternative but to talk to the witch. She agreed to answer his
question, but he'd have to accept her price first:
The old witch wanted to marry Gawain, the most noble of the Knights
of the Round Table and Arthur's closest friend!

Young Arthur was horrified: she was hunchbacked and awfully hideous,
had only one tooth, smelled like sewage water, often made obscene
noises...

He had never run across such a repugnant creature. He refused to
force his friend to marry her and have to endure such a burden.
Gawain, upon learning of the proposal, spoke with Arthur. He told
him that nothing was too big of a sacrifice compared to Arthur's
life and the preservation of the Round Table.

Hence, their wedding was proclaimed, and the witch answered Arthur's
question:
What a woman really wants is to be able to be in charge of her own life.

Everyone instantly knew that the witch had uttered a great truth and
that Arthur's life would be spared. And so it went. The neighbouring
monarch spared Arthur's life and granted him total freedom.

What a wedding Gawain and the witch had! Arthur was torn between
relief and anguish. Gawain was proper as always, gentle and courteous.
The old witch put her worst manners on display. She ate with her
hands, belched and farted, and made everyone uncomfortable.

The wedding night approached: Gawain, steeling himself for a horrific
night, entered the bedroom. What a sight awaited! The most beautiful
woman he'd ever seen lay before him! Gawain was astounded and asked
what had happened.

The beauty replied that since he had been so kind to her (when she'd
been a witch), half the time she would be her horrible, deformed self,
and the other half, she would be her beautiful maiden self.

Which would he want her to be during the day and which during the
night?

What a cruel question! Gawain began to think of his predicament:
During the day a beautiful woman to show off to his friends, but at
night, in the privacy of his home, an old spooky witch? Or would he
prefer having by day a hideous witch, but by night a beautiful woman
to enjoy many intimate moments?

What would you do?

What Gawain chose follows below, but don't read until you've made
your own choice.





Noble Gawain replied that he would let her choose for herself.

Upon hearing this, she announced that she would be beautiful all
the time, because he had respected her and had let her be in charge
of her own life.

What is the moral of this story?



THE MORAL IS THAT IT DOESN'T MATTER IF YOUR WOMAN IS
PRETTY OR UGLY, UNDERNEATH IT ALL, SHE'S STILL A WITCH