Pyramos was a handsome young man and Thisbe was one of the most beautiful girls of her time. They lived next door to one another, but unfortunately their parents hated one another. This meant that the two lovers would never be able to marry as they had always wanted to do. They would secretly stand in their gardens and speak to each other through a crack in the wall. This was the best they could do under the circumstances. One day the two lovers decided that if they were to marry then they would have to run away from home and marry in secret. They both knew that their parents would never approve of the marriage, so this was the only solution.

They chose a well known local fountain and mulberry bush as the place where they would meet in the middle of the night. Thisbe arrived at the spot first. She waited impatiently for Pyramos to arrive. While she was waiting, she saw a lion approaching the fountain. It’s mouth was covered in blood from a recent kill and it want to drink at the fountain to quench it’s thirst. At the sight Thisbe ran away as fast as she could. In her confusion she dropped the veil that she had been wearing on her head. The lion, after it had satisfied it’s thirst saw the veil lying on the ground. It smelt of people. This enraged the lion. It tore the veil to pieces leaving the blood of it’s recent meal smeared over the tatters that remained of the veil. After the lion had vented it’s anger it slunk off into the undergrowth.

Pyramos now arrived. He could not see Thisbe anywhere. Soon he found the remains of Thisbe’s veil. Distraught, Pyramos decided that he could live no longer, as he now believed that Thisbe was dead. He drew his sword from his belt and stabbed himself with it.

Meanwhile, Thisbe had recovered from her fright and returned to the meeting place. When she arrived she found her lover dying from his wounds. She could not bear to live without Pyramos and so took the sword from his and threw herself upon it. The lovers separated in life were now united in death.