Riddle – What Do Women Really Want?

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

The monarch could have killed him, but was moved by Arthur's integrity and respectfulness. So the Monarch offered him freedom, as long as he could answer a very difficult question.

Arthur would have a year to figure out the answer – but if after a year, he still had no answer, King Arthur would be put to death.

The question was this: “What do women really want?”

Such a question would perplex even the most knowledgeable man, and to young Arthur, it seemed an impossible query. But since it was better than death, he accepted the monarch's proposition to have an answer within a year.

He returned to his kingdom and began to poll everybody: The princess, the priests, the wise men, and even the court jester. He spoke with everyone but no one could give him a satisfactory answer. Some of the answers that were offered were: chocolates, jewelry, new clothes, true love, flowers, even a rose garden.

What most people did tell him, however, was that he should consult with the old witch, as she would surely 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 choice but to talk to the witch. She agreed to answer his question, but he would have to agree to her price first.

Her price? The old witch wanted to marry Sir Lancelot, the most noble of the Knights of the Round Table and Arthur’s closest friend!

Young Arthur was horrified: The Witch was hunchbacked and 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.

However, Sir Lancelot 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 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 in charge of her own life'.

Everyone instantly knew that the witch had uttered a great truth and that it was the right answer and Arthur's life would be spared.

And so it was. The neighboring monarch spared Arthur's life and granted him total freedom.

What a wedding Lancelot and the old witch had! Arthur was torn between relief because his life had been spared, and anguish over Lancelot’s marriage to the witch.

At the wedding Lancelot was a true gentleman. He was proper as always, respectful, gentle and courteous. The old witch put her worst manners on display. She ate with her hands, belched and passed gas, and made everyone uncomfortable.

The honeymoon approached: Lancelot, steeling himself for a horrific night, conceded his fate and went to his new bride. But what a sight awaited him! The most beautiful woman he'd ever seen stood before him! Lancelot 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), that only half the time she would be her horrible, deformed self – and the other half of the time, she would be this beautiful and attractive maiden he was not seeing.

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

What a cruel question! Lancelot began to think of his predicament:

What should he choose –

1) 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

2) would he prefer having by day a hideous witch, but by night a beautiful woman to to come home to?

What would YOU do?

What Lancelot chose follows here, but DON'T read it until you've made your OWN choice.

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Noble Lancelot, knowing the answer the witch gave Arthur to his question, said 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 enough to let her be in charge of her own life, she would choose beauty.