The Lady, or the Tiger? The Lady, or the Tiger? "The Lady, or the Tiger?" is a much-anthologized short story written by Frank R. Stockton for publication in the magazine "The Century" in 1882. "The Lady, or the Tiger?" has entered the English language as an allegorical expression, a shorthand indication or signifier, for a problem that is unsolvable. The short story takes place in a land ruled by a semi-barbaric king. Some of the king's ideas are progressive, but others cause people to suffer. One of the king's innovations is the use of a public trial by ordeal as an agent of poetic justice,
Seeing the elephant route, we slipped through, the Cascade Mountains between two storms." As the miles rolled on and the pioneers continued dealing with hardships, their optimistic attitudes plummeted and the elephant was used as a kind of scapegoat for their troubles. The elephant that had demonstrated their excitement was now portraying their concerns. The mythical animal that had imbedded hopefulness in travelers was starting to present a different side. For many, this side was something they did not wish to view again. Lucius Fairchild, a Wisconsinite on his way to California in 1849 wrote: "that desert is truly the great Elephant of