Let's Play a Game

So yesterday, I wrote a post about my relationship with my epic wife.

Somewhere in the midst of that most, though, I mentioned The Drawbridge Exercise.

I really shouldn't have skimmed over it like I did, because it's... interesting.

So today, I'm dedicating an entire post to it! Prepare yourself....


The Drawbridge Exercise 

As he left for a visit to his outlying districts, the jealous Baron warned his pretty wife:  “Do not
leave the castle while I am gone, or I will punish you severely when I return!”

But as the hours passed, the young Baroness grew lonely, and despite her husband’s warning,
decided to visit her Lover who lived in the countryside nearby.

The castle was located on an island in a wide, fast flowing river, with a drawbridge linking the
island and the land at the narrowest point in the river.

“Surely my husband will not return before dawn,” she thought, and ordered her servants to lower
the drawbridge and leave it down until she returned.

After spending several pleasant hours with her Lover, the Baroness returned to the drawbridge,
only to find it blocked by a Madman wildly waving a long and extremely sharp knife.

“Do not attempt to cross this bridge, Baroness, or I will kill you,” he raved.  Fearing for her life,
the Baroness returned to her lover and asked him to help.

“Our relationship is only a romantic one,” he said, “I will not help.”  The Baroness then sought
out a Boatman on the river, explained her plight to him, and asked him to take her across the
river in his boat.

“I will do it, but only if you can pay my fee of five Marks.”

“But I have no money with me!” the Baroness protested.

“That is too bad.  No money, no ride,” the Boatman said flatly.

Her fear growing, the Baroness ran crying to the home of a Friend, and after again explaining the
situation, begged for enough money to pay the Boatman his fee.

“If you had not disobeyed your husband, this would not have happened,” the Friend said.  “I will
give you no money.”

With dawn approaching and her last resource exhausted, the Baroness returned to the bridge in
desperation, attempted to cross to the castle, and was slain by the Madman.


Using the following (alphabetical) list of characters, rank the characters (from 1 to 6) in the order of their responsibility for the death of the Baroness.

The Baron ____
The Baroness ____
The Boatman ____
The Friend ____
The Lover ____
The Madman ____

My (very tentative) conclusion:


Baron - 1
Baroness - 2
Boatman - 5
Friend - 3
Lover - 4
Madman - 6

... ... ...

Questions: What were your rankings? Why? What do you think this tells you about what you value?

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