Conflicts Involving Territorial Issues

Abstract

There were once two men living next door to one another in a comfortable suburb who quarrelled over the ownership of a flower that was growing between their properties. The quarrel began amicably enough, but little by little the men began to argue, raise their voices and insult one another. One of them built a fence to enclose the flower in his garden. The other tore the fence out and built another to make the flower part of his garden. The men then donned terrifying war paint and began to use the fence posts to attack one another. Unable to prevail, one of them struck at his neighbour’s wife. The other picked up his neighbour’s child and hurled it to the ground. Eventually in their fury the men killed each other’s wives and children, each other, and even the flower.