August 20, 2025 and twenty-five years ago on this day in 2000, the Gray Morrow illustrated and Mark Kneece scripted Sunday comic story arc, The Contest, began. The story ran for fifteen weeks and it can be read in its entirety at: https://www.erbzine.com/mag34/3487.html.
ERBzine doesn’t hide anything behind a paywall.
The story begins as a Romeo and Juliet type of tale, but quickly changes into a planned race to the only peach tree in the jungle. The winner’s family get to use the water hole the two family’s have been fighting over. Tarzan follows the race and makes sure that ‘Juliet’ wins. Love prevails, the families stop fighting, and they share the water hole.
The story arc is beautifully illustrated and the script shows Tarzan at his best, including a wry sense of humor.
The drabble for today, “Water, Water, Everywhere,” was inspired, by “The Contest,” a tale of conflict, love, and reconciliation. Where I live in New Mexico, water rights are very important. Conflicts over water have led to murders, shootouts, lawsuits, and treachery. The saying is “Whiskey is for drinking and water is for fighting.”
Oola and Tashigo, would be lovers from feuding families, were chosen for a race to decide which family would have the rights to a long disputed waterhole.
During the contest, Oola tripped Tashigo, and reached the pear tree first. She won.
Tashigo complained, “Not fair. You tripped me.”
“All’s fair in love and water rights.”
“So, my family goes thirsty?”
“Men are so stupid. We marry and there’s only one family. Duh!”
“That will work. I can’t believe your family fought so long over one waterhole.
“Same waterhole that your family fought about. Nothing makes water more important than not having enough.”
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