The Lady Or The Tiger?
In the very olden time there lived a semi-barbaric king, whose ideas, though somewhat polished and sharpened by the progressiveness of distant Latin neighbors, were still large, florid, and untrammeled, as became the half of him which was barbaric. He was a man of exuberant fancy, and, withal, of an authority so irresistible that, at his will, he turned his varied fancies into facts. He was greatly given to self-communing, and, when he and himself agreed upon anything, the thing was done. When every member of his domestic and political systems moved smoothly in its appointed course, his nature was bland and genial; but, whenever there was a little hitch, and some of his orbs got out of their orbits, he was blander and more genial still, for nothing pleased him so much as to make the crooked straight and crush down uneven places.
Among the borrowed notions by which his barbarism had become semified was that of the public arena, in which, by exhibitions of manly and beastly valor, the minds of his subjects were refined and cultured.
But even here the exuberant and barbaric fancy asserted itself. The arena of the king was built, not to give the people an opportunity of hearing the rhapsodies of dying gladiators, nor to enable them to view the inevitable conclusion of a conflict between religious opinions and hungry jaws, but for purposes far better adapted to widen and develop the mental energies of the people. This vast amphitheater, with its encircling galleries, its mysterious vaults, and its unseen passages, was an agent of poetic justice, in which crime was punished, or virtue rewarded, by the decrees of an impartial and incorruptible chance. girlplays
When a subject was accused of a crime of sufficient importance to interest the king, public notice was given that on an appointed day the fate of the accused person would be decided in the king's arena, a structure which well deserved its name, for, although its form and plan were borrowed from afar, its purpose emanated solely from the brain of this man, who, every barleycorn a king, knew no tradition to which he owed more allegiance than pleased his fancy, and who ingrafted on every adopted form of human thought and action the rich growth of his barbaric idealism.
When all the people had assembled in the galleries, and the king, surrounded by his court, sat high up on his throne of royal state on one side of the arena, he gave a signal, a door beneath him opened, and the accused subject stepped out into the amphitheater. Directly opposite him, on the other side of the enclosed space, were two doors, exactly alike and side by side. It was the duty and the privilege of the person on trial to walk directly to these doors and open one of them. He could open either door he pleased; he was subject to no guidance or influence but that of the aforementioned impartial and incorruptible chance. If he opened the one, there came out of it a hungry tiger, the fiercest and most cruel that could be procured, which immediately sprang upon him and tore him to pieces as a punishment for his guilt. The moment that the case of the criminal was thus decided, doleful iron bells were clanged, great wails went up from the hired mourners posted on the outer rim of the arena, and the vast audience, with bowed heads and downcast hearts, wended slowly their homeward way, mourning greatly that one so young and fair, or so old and respected, should have merited so dire a fate.
But, if the accused person opened the other door, there came forth from it a lady, the most suitable to his years and station that his majesty could select among his fair subjects, and to this lady he was immediately married, as a reward of his innocence. It mattered not that he might already possess a wife and family, or that his affections might be engaged upon an object of his own selection; the king allowed no such subordinate arrangements to interfere with his great scheme of retribution and reward. The exercises, as in the other instance, took place immediately, and in the arena. Another door opened beneath the king, and a priest, followed by a band of choristers, and dancing maidens blowing joyous airs on golden horns and treading an epithalamic measure, advanced to where the pair stood, side by side, and the wedding was promptly and cheerily solemnized. Then the gay brass bells rang forth their merry peals, the people shouted glad hurrahs, and the innocent man, preceded by children strewing flowers on his path, led his bride to his home.
This was the king's semi-barbaric method of administering justice. Its perfect fairness is obvious. The criminal could not know out of which door would come the lady; he opened either he pleased, without having the slightest idea whether, in the next instant, he was to be devoured or married. On some occasions the tiger came out of one door, and on some out of the other. The decisions of this tribunal were not only fair, they were positively determinate: the accused person was instantly punished if he found himself guilty, and, if innocent, he was rewarded on the spot, whether he liked it or not. There was no escape from the judgments of the king's arena.
The institution was a very popular one. When the people gathered together on one of the great trial days, they never knew whether they were to witness a bloody slaughter or a hilarious wedding. This element of uncertainty lent an interest to the occasion which it could not otherwise have attained. Thus, the masses were entertained and pleased, and the thinking part of the community could bring no charge of unfairness against this plan, for did not the accused person have the whole matter in his own hands?
This semi-barbaric king had a daughter as blooming as his most florid fancies, and with a soul as fervent and imperious as his own. As is usual in such cases, she was the apple of his eye, and was loved by him above all humanity. Among his courtiers was a young man of that fineness of blood and lowness of station common to the conventional heroes of romance who love royal maidens. This royal maiden was well satisfied with her lover, for he was handsome and brave to a degree unsurpassed in all this kingdom, and she loved him with an ardor that had enough of barbarism in it to make it exceedingly warm and strong. This love affair moved on happily for many months, until one day the king happened to discover its existence. He did not hesitate nor waver in regard to his duty in the premises. The youth was immediately cast into prison, and a day was appointed for his trial in the king's arena. This, of course, was an especially important occasion, and his majesty, as well as all the people, was greatly interested in the workings and development of this trial. Never before had such a case occurred; never before had a subject dared to love the daughter of the king. In after years such things became commonplace enough, but then they were in no slight degree novel and startling.
The tiger-cages of the kingdom were searched for the most savage and relentless beasts, from which the fiercest monster might be selected for the arena; and the ranks of maiden youth and beauty throughout the land were carefully surveyed by competent judges in order that the young man might have a fitting bride in case fate did not determine for him a different destiny. Of course, everybody knew that the deed with which the accused was charged had been done. He had loved the princess, and neither he, she, nor any one else, thought of denying the fact; but the king would not think of allowing any fact of this kind to interfere with the workings of the tribunal, in which he took such great delight and satisfaction. No matter how the affair turned out, the youth would be disposed of, and the king would take an aesthetic pleasure in watching the course of events, which would determine whether or not the young man had done wrong in allowing himself to love the princess.
The appointed day arrived. From far and near the people gathered, and thronged the great galleries of the arena, and crowds, unable to gain admittance, massed themselves against its outside walls. The king and his court were in their places, opposite the twin doors, those fateful portals, so terrible in their similarity.
All was ready. The signal was given. A door beneath the royal party opened, and the lover of the princess walked into the arena. Tall, beautiful, fair, his appearance was greeted with a low hum of admiration and anxiety. Half the audience had not known so grand a youth had lived among them. No wonder the princess loved him! What a terrible thing for him to be there!
As the youth advanced into the arena he turned, as the custom was, to bow to the king, but he did not think at all of that royal personage. His eyes were fixed upon the princess, who sat to the right of her father. Had it not been for the moiety of barbarism in her nature it is probable that lady would not have been there, but her intense and fervid soul would not allow her to be absent on an occasion in which she was so terribly interested. From the moment that the decree had gone forth that her lover should decide his fate in the king's arena, she had thought of nothing, night or day, but this great event and the various subjects connected with it. Possessed of more power, influence, and force of character than any one who had ever before been interested in such a case, she had done what no other person had done - she had possessed herself of the secret of the doors. She knew in which of the two rooms, that lay behind those doors, stood the cage of the tiger, with its open front, and in which waited the lady. Through these thick doors, heavily curtained with skins on the inside, it was impossible that any noise or suggestion should come from within to the person who should approach to raise the latch of one of them. But gold, and the power of a woman's will, had brought the secret to the princess.
And not only did she know in which room stood the lady ready to emerge, all blushing and radiant, should her door be opened, but she knew who the lady was. It was one of the fairest and loveliest of the damsels of the court who had been selected as the reward of the accused youth, should he be proved innocent of the crime of aspiring to one so far above him; and the princess hated her. Often had she seen, or imagined that she had seen, this fair creature throwing glances of admiration upon the person of her lover, and sometimes she thought these glances were perceived, and even returned. Now and then she had seen them talking together; it was but for a moment or two, but much can be said in a brief space; it may have been on most unimportant topics, but how could she know that? The girl was lovely, but she had dared to raise her eyes to the loved one of the princess; and, with all the intensity of the savage blood transmitted to her through long lines of wholly barbaric ancestors, she hated the woman who blushed and trembled behind that silent door.
When her lover turned and looked at her, and his eye met hers as she sat there, paler and whiter than any one in the vast ocean of anxious faces about her, he saw, by that power of quick perception which is given to those whose souls are one, that she knew behind which door crouched the tiger, and behind which stood the lady. He had expected her to know it. He understood her nature, and his soul was assured that she would never rest until she had made plain to herself this thing, hidden to all other lookers-on, even to the king. The only hope for the youth in which there was any element of certainty was based upon the success of the princess in discovering this mystery; and the moment he looked upon her, he saw she had succeeded, as in his soul he knew she would succeed.
Then it was that his quick and anxious glance asked the question: "Which?" It was as plain to her as if he shouted it from where he stood. There was not an instant to be lost. The question was asked in a flash; it must be answered in another.
Her right arm lay on the cushioned parapet before her. She raised her hand, and made a slight, quick movement toward the right. No one but her lover saw her. Every eye but his was fixed on the man in the arena.
He turned, and with a firm and rapid step he walked across the empty space. Every heart stopped beating, every breath was held, every eye was fixed immovably upon that man. Without the slightest hesitation, he went to the door on the right, and opened it.
Now, the point of the story is this: Did the tiger come out of that door, or did the lady ?
The more we reflect upon this question, the harder it is to answer. It involves a study of the human heart which leads us through devious mazes of passion, out of which it is difficult to find our way. Think of it, fair reader, not as if the decision of the question depended upon yourself, but upon that hot-blooded, semi-barbaric princess, her soul at a white heat beneath the combined fires of despair and jealousy. She had lost him, but who should have him?
How often, in her waking hours and in her dreams, had she started in wild horror, and covered her face with her hands as she thought of her lover opening the door on the other side of which waited the cruel fangs of the tiger!
But how much oftener had she seen him at the other door! How in her grievous reveries had she gnashed her teeth, and torn her hair, when she saw his start of rapturous delight as he opened the door of the lady! How her soul had burned in agony when she had seen him rush to meet that woman, with her flushing cheek and sparkling eye of triumph; when she had seen him lead her forth, his whole frame kindled with the joy of recovered life; when she had heard the glad shouts from the multitude, and the wild ringing of the happy bells; when she had seen the priest, with his joyous followers, advance to the couple, and make them man and wife before her very eyes; and when she had seen them walk away together upon their path of flowers, followed by the tremendous shouts of the hilarious multitude, in which her one despairing shriek was lost and drowned!
Would it not be better for him to die at once, and go to wait for her in the blessed regions of semi-barbaric futurity?
And yet, that awful tiger, those shrieks, that blood!
Her decision had been indicated in an instant, but it had been made after days and nights of anguished deliberation. She had known she would be asked, she had decided what she would answer, and, without the slightest hesitation, she had moved her hand to the right.
The question of her decision is one not to be lightly considered, and it is not for me to presume to set myself up as the one person able to answer it. And so I leave it with all of you: Which came out of the opened door - the lady, or the tiger?
Comments
Hi, Im a danish girl on 14 and I had an english school..
Hi, Im a danish girl on 14 and I had an english school project where we had to write down our ending on the story; her is mine...! Since the princess knew that she couldnt have that only person loved, for her father she decided that she didnt wanted to live anymore A life without each other wasnt liveable she thought. Therefore she had pointed out the door with the tiger for her beloved and thought that she could just jump down there to him, when the tiger came out. But just before he reached the door and was about to open it, she decided to do something else, she jumped up and yelled out in the arena: STOP! Then she looked upon her father, and said: Father, I know you think youre doing what is best for me, but the only thing I want is to be with him. And if I cant, I dont want to live at all! Thats why I have pointed out the door where the tiger is, so that if we cant live together, then at least we will die together. But then I thought if you really love me as much as you say you do, youll provide this from happening by letting me marry him. The semi-barbaric king looked at his daughter for at while and then at the love of her life standing in the arena. He decided that if their love was so strong, that she would die for it, it must be true love. And he couldnt deny her that in her life. So the whole door-choosing-chapter was skipped and they went straight to the wedding! And the joyful couple lived happily ever after! I know its a little ontraditionally. But I thought that they should have each other! SmOoChEs, Jen.
Her lover made his way to the door at the right and out..
Her lover made his way to the door at the right and out came the beautiful woman. The princess looked at his expression and saw that he was looking up at her. He mouthed the words I love you with a smile. The princess then knew that she had made the right decision. She would rather see her lover live in happiness because she believed he deserved better than death. After the wedding of the s lover and the lady, the door containing the ferocious tiger had been opened by a man who was in the love with the beautiful lady. He wanted the tiger to kill the s lover so that he could marry the lady, but instead the tiger had found the beautiful woman first and the lover had gotten away safely. The king looked at his s face as she was looking at her lover and then realized that they were both meant to be together. The king ordered that the lion and the remains of the lady were to be put away. Then, the priest had come out of the same door that the beautiful lady had earlier, along with a lovely choir. The king had decided that his s lover should then marry his own daughter and the celebration should continue. The air was filled with happiness and the princess and her lover lived happily ever after!
The Lady--without a doubt. Love for the young man would..
The Lady--without a doubt. Love for the young man would necessitate what is best for him regardless of her own feelings.
This story no end, it let me feel a lot imaginable space,..
This story no end, it let me feel a lot imaginable space, maybe I feel after the door is a tiger, because the princess has envious heart, she t let any woman to own her lover; maybe after it is a lady, because she t let her lover to die. So this story is pretty good.
A person should not have jealousy and thoughtful..
A person should not have jealousy and thoughtful consideration,so that he/she will express himself/herself bravely-------Jill
I think ~~maybe he will not feel happyiness when the..
I think ~~maybe he will not feel happyiness when the gardeners son chooses the lady . On the other hand,if he chooses the tiger maybe he wont be die and can still loves the princess royal.So,if he chooses the tiger maybe he will kill this tiger and win the lady or still loves the princess.Because , if you still survive everything will be come true.So greet!isnt it.But I still feel this story is good to read. O ANSON
I think The Lady want The Boy die cause she dont ..
I think The Lady want The Boy die cause she dont wnat to see her lover marry other woman.. woman always jealous.
I think the story was creative because it can add our..
I think the story was creative because it can add our ability of think.We can find many different ending from other people.So,this story is great.
This story is really deep if you think about it. So I guess..
This story is really deep if you think about it. So I guess the princess told him to pick the door with tiger. Because if I were the princess. I could not let him to choose a pretty girl. I could let him to choose the tiger. At least I think the lady and the tiger also depend on the man making a choice-so we dont know the result the princess would choose for him.
This story is really deep if you think about it. So I guess..
This story is really deep if you think about it. So I guess the princess told him to pick the door with tiger. Because if I were the princess. I could not let him to choose a pretty girl. I could let him to choose the tiger. At least I think the lady and the tiger also depend on the man making a choice-so we dont know the fate the princess would choose for him.
Sheila It is a horrible story, that awful tiger, those..
Sheila It is a horrible story, that awful tiger, those shrieks, that blood! It was a barbaric king with the similar barbaric daughter. They are too selfish. Their behavior and personality will be similar. I wonder how come the young man was so foolish enough. I dont like the barbaric daughter. The father wasnt kind, and the daughter wasnt good. If I were him, I wouldnt do anything against the law. I dare not to imagine the result. As usual it is a trick by the princess. The ending will come out with the tiger. How can I imagine that?
I think this story is very reality. And it also let us know..
I think this story is very reality. And it also let us know peoples decent and ugly side. I love this story. by Vivian
This story Leave many imaginable spaces, but in fact I..
This story Leave many imaginable spaces, but in fact I really want to know the ending of this story. However I think that the author hopes that this story is has no perfect ending or the ending of the sorrows, because didnt what is called perfect or not perfect in love .Usually the ordinary people hope that the ending of the story is perfect, because everyone embraces the romantic viewpoint to the love, only can say that it writes very well, but it let me feel that did not write completely.
I feel the king is too cruel to manage the citizens. This..
I feel the king is too cruel to manage the citizens. This story has no ending. Maybe the ending is good or isnt good. So I think this story can test peoples disposition. So it let you to think.
This story is excellent.Sometimes I think much of our..
This story is excellent.Sometimes I think much of our happiness depends on our making of a wise choice ,so we have to cherish whatwe own at present.I believe next to hunger and thirsty, love is the strongest human emotion.
Stockton gives hints in his writing to which of the two..
Stockton gives hints in his writing to which of the two came out. Even though Stockton leaves it in your hands to figure out his short story riddle the answer lies in an analyzation of the story and his writing. I will leave it to you find out =) to which stockton hints to.
I enjoyed this story immensely because it didnt reveal..
I enjoyed this story immensely because it didnt reveal which door the princess had her lover choose. Its impossible to speculate wether he ended up dying a gruesome death caused by the tiger, or living a life with a beautiful woman, when he truly loved another. That is what makes the story so enjoyable.
Okay, so the youth knew his lover well, and he didnt even..
Okay, so the youth knew his lover well, and he didnt even hesitate to choose the door she indicated. Do we know him well enough to decide whether he WANTED to live without his love, barbaric and jealous as she was? She took a loooooonnnnggg time to decide which door to indicate, so she was weighing up her pain in the face of his death vs her pain in the face of his marriage to someone else. Plus, she knew him well too - so she could maybe predict which door he might choose, given his "knowledge" of her. Ooooohhhh, so intriguing...
Ay can you tell me which one came out please?
Ay can you tell me which one came out please?
I think Frank left the conclusion to us readers to decide..
I think Frank left the conclusion to us readers to decide it is quite resonable...according to all my reading, I personal think that the tiger came out, but its just me!
The man knew the princess was a jealous wench and she was..
The man knew the princess was a jealous wench and she was just using him for her own pleasure so he faked her out and picked the opposite door and now hes living happily ever after with a sweet hot babe.
It is silly to thing to think the author was cruel for not..
It is silly to thing to think the author was cruel for not telling the reader which it was. If he had it would have made the story much less thought provoking and wonderful. I enjoy that it is about the different sides of love and human nature. Also, in my opinion she picked the tiger.
I was just browsing through some of the comments and I..
I was just browsing through some of the comments and I found it interesting that people said they disliked the story because it left you hanging without an answer. I was bothered by it too, because it cannot be answered. But I have critical appreciation for the author. If the Stockton could draw you into the story so much that you actually cared which was behind the door, did he not succeed in creating a brilliant story? To all those who said they did not like the story, think about it again. You really must agree that this is an amazing, well-written piece of literature.
the short story the lady or the tiger was very thought..
the short story the lady or the tiger was very thought provoking. i had to read the story and write and ending to it and i still cant decide.the fact may be that the lady comes out but the boy loved the princess so much that he could not be happy with the other lady so he tries to go back to the princess but he cant so he kills himself-then the princess is still sad about letting the boy go so she kills herself and then they r toghether in heaven or wat ever. but that would be too perfect huh?
I, doing a debate on this story . . In GRADE 8, Believe..
I, doing a debate on this story . . In GRADE 8, Believe that the princesss jealousy over came her and she lead him straight to the door with the tiger.
This was an awesome story that held my attention to the..
This was an awesome story that held my attention to the very end. Its a wicked way to end the story, by letting the person decide which is the lesser of two evils. one of the better stories i have read on here by far.
currently doing an essay on this short the story and by all..
currently doing an essay on this short the story and by all the caracteristic gvven by the author to the young girl iw ould say tht she choose the door with the tiger..
i think it was the tiger,becuase she didnt even fight for..
i think it was the tiger,becuase she didnt even fight for the man!
Im doing this for an English 1 Honors project and i think..
Im doing this for an English 1 Honors project and i think that the princess choose the tiger because if she couldnt have the lover she didnt want the lady who she loathed to have him either. oh and Stockton died in 1902 for those of you who wanted him to "email you" he didnt even know what email was when he died. do your reasearch!
I am in seventh grade. Im going to get extra credit if I..
I am in seventh grade. Im going to get extra credit if I find out what the princesss clue was. I cannot figure it out since it is "up to the reader".
I would have to agree with the person who said "Why is it..
I would have to agree with the person who said "Why is it that so many of the people who post comments in a short story forum cant spell? and if they cant spell, why do they try to use big words? its more of a mystery than the lady or the tiger." This was Posted 2003-06-26 12:11:30 I would have to also agree with the person who said "I think its the tiger, because, and I am not a sexist, I love women, jealous women are quite nasty. :-D j/k (but seriously they can be) I heard that Frank Stockton used to get cornered at parties by people and they asked him in person who came out of the door. Loved the story by the way." Posted 2003-03-13 08:15:42
lady
lady
it was a great story, but its hard to tell who or what came..
it was a great story, but its hard to tell who or what came out of the door...if they were both selfish, she lady would have wanted him to die rather than live and be with another woman, he would understand this, and pick the other door, but if they loved each other enough, it would have been the opposite....the princess knew that if he picked either door, they would not be together, and she did not want him with the woman she hated, so she probably picked the tiger
i really really liked this story! it was definatlly the..
i really really liked this story! it was definatlly the TIGER who came out of the door! but..i do think that the lady eventually was guilty that she killed her love!
I think that it is the tiger because if it was me and i was..
I think that it is the tiger because if it was me and i was the princess i wouldnt want any other girl to have him. IT IS SOOO THE TIGER!!!
It was definatly the tiger!! Because thats what i think!!! ..
It was definatly the tiger!! Because thats what i think!!! And i dont think its the lady because there was more evidence that Could have been the tiger then the lady.... Chris
I think that thre lady came out of the door. The princess..
I think that thre lady came out of the door. The princess loved them man to much to let her love die in frnt of her and regret it for the rest of her life...anywho i think the lady DEFINITLY came out of that dorr.... ~ SSPP gurl
I believe that it was the tiger who came out of the door..
I believe that it was the tiger who came out of the door because listen... why would she want to see her lover with another woman? yeah..and anyways because she would rather see him dead..
I think it is the tiger.. no doubt!!! Jealousy is a strong..
I think it is the tiger.. no doubt!!! Jealousy is a strong feeling, and her being the semi barbaric princess that she is, there is no doubt it was the tiger!!!!!!!
the tiger because atlunpuddidot.com says so
the tiger because atlunpuddidot.com says so
i think that it was the tiger and that TAMAKI COLLEGE RULZ!
i think that it was the tiger and that TAMAKI COLLEGE RULZ!
If the princess is semi-barbaric, like her father, and..
If the princess is semi-barbaric, like her father, and prone to getting whatever she wants, I find little in the story to convince me that she would not, if her lover remained alive, simply find some other means to be with him, or, worst case scenario "make sure" something happened to the lady behind the door, after the wedding. I therefore say it was the lady, as I have since 7th grade when I first read it, and I am now 26.
yeah it was allright -Joe
yeah it was allright -Joe
I loved this story!!! I think it was the tiger because..
I loved this story!!! I think it was the tiger because before someone said that love is not always fair, that is very true. Why would the princess want her love to leave her for another woman? She would want him all to herself
The question has stumped me for years. The answer I would..
The question has stumped me for years. The answer I would like (just to be different) is that the princess just could not make up her mind, and so left her lover to his own fate.
Im afraid Stockton loaded his story with too large a hint. ..
Im afraid Stockton loaded his story with too large a hint. The labelling of the princess as barbarian makes it too obvious that it must have been the tiger. If the story had been written today the princess would have a much greater difficulty - whether to be a selfish lover or an enlightened one of the type so many modern girls claim to be.
This is a good story to read; we,my students and I, enjoyed..
This is a good story to read; we,my students and I, enjoyed and liked it a lot. Here we want to add some comments about the possible ending to the story. Thanks, Luisa, Bogotá.
here it is one of my students endings to the story: "When..
here it is one of my students endings to the story: "When the appointed day arrived, the princess, who was sitting on the right sied of her faher,decided the distiny of the story. She knew that she couldnt have the love of her lover. Then, she pointed her looks to the young man and made him take a hard decission. The young man didnt know what his destiny would be like, but hte princess had already planed it. She couldnt think that she had to share her man with another woman. So, the decission was made. Then, a few minutes before, the beautiful but cruel princess looked at her father and said: I love you so much and I know you want the best for me, but the only thing I want is to be with him, I have really fallen in love with him and if I cant stay with him, I dont want to live anymore; I will die with him!!!. Thats why the princess pointed to the right door where the tiger was. The semi-barbaric king let the princess go and he had to see the cruel destiny. " All for Love?"; what a jealous princess!!! by Mariana, Bogotá
ithink that the king knew that his daugther knew, so he..
ithink that the king knew that his daugther knew, so he decided to change the places at the last minute...
the story was good; i like it; even it was a little bit..
the story was good; i like it; even it was a little bit hard to understad, because of the vocabulary, but it was good , I think that destini is the only one who deside what happen, if he young desire to die he will open ,the door with the tiger, if he dose not , he will have ti life , he willdo ; for me is a matter of destiny no of desition.
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