The story of Pyramus and Thisbe can be found in the Book IV of Metamorphoses by Ovid. Both of them lived next doors in ancient Babylon. They loved each other deeply, but were separated by a large brick wall. Both the families were against their relationship and it was forbidden for them to meet each other. They communicated with each other through a small crack that had developed in the wall that separated their houses. They talked in whispers, and envied the wall who stood between the two lovers. One night, they planned to flee together and decided to meet each other at the Ninus's Tomb, where a tall mulberry tree grew. As soon as the sun had set in and the night grew, the lovers got out of their houses. Thisbe was the first one to reach the spot, and she waited for Pyramus all alone amidst the bewildered night. Just as she was waiting for her lover, she saw a lioness coming to the nearby stream to drink water, whose claws were covered with the blood of her recent prey. Frightened, Thisbe ran away from the spot to save herself from the lioness. However, she dropped her veil while fleeing, which was torn apart by the lioness's bloody claws.
When Pyramus reached the spot, he looked for Thisbe, but instead found the bloody veil lying on the ground and assumed that Thisbe was killed by some hungry lion. Unable to cope up with the grief, Pyramus took out his sword and stuck it through his body. When Thisbe returned from her hiding spot, after assuring that the lioness was gone, she found her lover Pyramus lying on the ground, covered with a pool of blood. She started wailing in sorrow and embraced her lover for one last time. When she understood what had happened, Thisbe picked up the sword and inserted it through her chest, killing herself. The bodies of both the lovers laid side by side, while they achieved death together. The berries of the mulberry tree had turned into burgundy from white, from the blood of the two lovers.
The story of Pyramus and Thisbe is an epitome of sacrifices made for love. Pyramus had not spent another moment doubting his decision to take his own life, once he assumed that his lover was no more. Similarly, Thisbe decided to take her own life, rather than to live a life without Pyramus.
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