Pyramus

Pyramus and Thisbe fell in love while living in neighbouring houses. Their fathers refused to let them marry, but the prohibition did not end their affection. At first they communicated by signs. Then they discovered a small crack in the wall between the houses and used it to speak quietly to one another. The opening carried their words, but it was too narrow for them to meet or kiss.

They decided to leave their houses secretly at night and meet outside the city. Their chosen place was the tomb of Ninus, beside a cold spring and a mulberry tree whose fruit was white. Thisbe escaped her attendants and arrived first with her face covered. While she waited beneath the tree, a lioness approached the spring. Its mouth was stained with blood from cattle it had killed. Thisbe saw it in the moonlight and ran into a cave, dropping her veil as she fled. After drinking, the lioness found the fallen cloth and tore it with its bloodied mouth.

Pyramus arrived later. He saw the animal's tracks and found Thisbe's veil stained with blood. He believed that the lioness had killed her. Blaming himself for arranging the meeting and failing to arrive first, he carried the veil beneath the mulberry tree. There he killed himself with his sword. His blood soaked the roots and stained the fruit a dark purple.

Thisbe returned to the meeting place after the lioness had gone. The changed colour of the mulberries briefly made her doubt whether she had found the right tree. Then she recognised Pyramus lying beneath it and called his name. He opened his eyes at her voice, saw her, and closed them again. When she noticed her veil and his empty sword sheath, she understood what had happened.

Thisbe asked their parents to let their remains rest together. She also asked the tree to keep its dark fruit as a memorial to them. She then died by the same sword. Her prayers moved the gods and the parents. The ripe mulberries remained dark, and the ashes of Pyramus and Thisbe were placed in the same urn.