Young King Arthur was ambushed¹ and imprisoned² by the monarch³ of a neighboring 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 have perplexed⁴ even the most knowledgeable⁵ man, and, to young Arthur, it seemed an impossible query⁶. Since it was better than death, however, 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, priests, the wise men, and the court jester. In all, he spoke⁷ 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 as the witch was famous for the exorbitant⁸ 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; the old witch wanted to marry Gawain, the most noble of the Knights⁹ of the Round table and Arthur's closest friend! Young Arthur was horrified¹⁰, she was hunchbacked and awfully¹¹ hideous¹², had only one tooth, smelled like a sewer¹³ and often made obscene noises. He had never run across such a repugnant creature. He refused to force his friend to marry her and to have to endure such a burden.

Gawain upon learning of the proposal, spoke with Arthur. He told him that nothing was too big a sacrifice compared to Arthur's life and the preservation¹⁴ 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 neighboring monarch spared Arthur's life and granted him total freedom.

What a wedding Gawain and the witch had! Arthur was torn between relief and anguish¹⁵. Gawain was proper as always, gentle and courteous¹⁶. The old witch put her worst manners on display. She ate with her hands, belched¹⁷ 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 astounded¹⁸ 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, deformed¹⁹ self. And the other half, she would be her beautiful maiden²⁰ 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'vemade

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 the story?

The moral is that it doesn't matter if a woman is pretty or ugly, smart or dumb. Underneath²¹ it all, she's still a . . . . . witch!!!

年轻的亚瑟王遭到邻国国王伏击，受到监禁。邻国国王原本要杀他，但被他青春的快乐所感动。他提出，只要亚瑟能回答一个难题，就还他自由。亚瑟将有一年的时间找出答案。如果一年后他还没有答案，就将被处死。

那个问题是：女人真正想要的是什么？这个问题有可能难倒最有智慧的男人，在年轻的亚瑟看来，这似乎是个不可能有答案的难题。不管怎么样，这总比死要好，于是，他接受了国王年底交出答案的提议。

他回到自己的王国，开始向所有人征求答案，从公主，娼妓，牧师，哲人到宫廷弄臣。总之，他找所有人谈话，但没人能给他满意的答案。人们说的最多的是让他去请教老巫婆，因为只有她知道答案。但是，代价会很高，老巫婆正是因为要价过高而出名。

一转眼年末最后一天到了，亚瑟还是没有找到答案，只好去找巫婆谈。她同意回答这个问题，但是，他必须接受她的要价：老巫婆想嫁给加文，圆桌骑士团最高尚的骑士，亚瑟最亲密的朋友！年轻的亚瑟王很难过，她是个丑得可怕的驼子，只有一颗牙齿，气味像阴沟的味道一样，还经常发出令人厌恶的声音。他从没见过这么让人恶心的生物。他不愿强迫朋友娶她，不愿让朋友承受如此的负担。

加文知道了这个提议后，找到亚瑟，对他说，与亚瑟的生命和保全圆桌骑士团相比，多大的牺牲都不为过。因此，公布了他们的结婚典礼，老巫婆也回答了亚瑟的问题。

女人真正想要的是能够主宰自己的命运。

所有人瞬间明白了，巫婆说出了一个伟大的真理，亚瑟有救了。果然不出所料，邻国国王赦免了亚瑟，并同意给他完全的自由。

加文和巫婆举办了什么样的婚礼啊！亚瑟的心撕裂了，既为获得自由感到轻松，也为朋友感到极度的痛苦。加文一如既往，举止得体，温文尔雅。老巫婆却露出了她最丑陋的仪态。她用手抓东西吃，又放屁，又打嗝，让所有人都感到不舒服。洞房之夜到了：加文咬牙准备度过一个可怕的夜晚，他进了卧室。等待他的是什么景象啊！他见过的最漂亮的女子躺在他的面前！加文惊呆了，问发生了什么事。

漂亮女子回答道，由于她是女巫时他对她很好，所以将有一半时间，她显现出可怕丑陋的形象，另一半时间，她会呈现出美丽淑女的形象。他希望她白天什么样，晚上什么样？多么残忍的问题！加文开始考虑自己的尴尬处境。

白天，在朋友面前炫耀一位美丽的女人，而晚上，在自己私秘的家里，出现一个幽灵般的巫婆？或者，他宁愿白天拥有一个可怕的巫婆，而晚上，由一位美丽的女子相伴，时刻享受亲密温馨。

你会怎么做？

加文的选择就在下面，不过，先不要看，直到你做出自己的选择高尚的加文回答道，他希望让她自己做出选择。

听到回答，她宣布说她愿意一直美丽，因为他尊重了她的意愿，让她主宰了自己的命运。

这个故事寓意何在呢？

其寓意在于，无论一个女人美丽还是丑陋，机灵还是愚蠢。在一切伪装之下，她始终是个……迷人的女巫！！！