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demos came across a tree, gives it a shake, and down come eight coconuts.
"we found food! let's split our bounty! four for you and four for me!" cried demos.
"hold on," said romulus, "sounds like we're in agreement that i should get four of the coconuts, but we have a disagreement about the remaining four." why don't you give me the four we are in agreement that i should get, and we'll have a discussion about the remaining four.
"you got four and i should get four!" demos cried.
"we're not talking about those four, there's no dispute there, they're mine! we're only discussing the other four. i think i
should get all of them."
"that's ridiculous! i found them, you want your half AND my half?"
"well, yeah, of course! it just human nature to want it all for yourself."
"argg!! so, my proposal is four for you and four for me, and your proposal is all eight for you?"
"that's right," said romulus, as he dug in his heels. "we could compromise on the four coconuts in question. i get two and you get two."
"well, that is half-way between your proposal and my proposal, so it seems fair. but something about it still doesn't seem right," demos muttered to himself as he took his two coconuts.
"i don't see why you're complaining, you didn't get everything you wanted but you still got two coconuts, i didn't get everything i wanted but i still got two coconuts." said romulus indignantly as he added two coconuts to the "undisputed" four he had set aside earlier.
"i don't understand how it is that you have three times as many coconuts as i do", complained demos.
"hey, we're all on the same island here, try not be so antagonistic," advised romulus.
"you know, maybe we should set some of our coconuts aside for emergencies, like in case we can't find anything else to eat tomorrow," demos opined.
"good thinking! let's each put one coconut in this cave over here," romulus said.
"wait, you have three times as many as i do, we should put in proportionally. i put one in, you put three in," insisted demos.
"well, again, we disagree, so let's split the difference. you put one in, and i, reluctantly, will put in two. i think it's very unfair that i'm contributing twice as much as you, but ok, i'll give in to your demands in the spirit of cooperation," romulus allowed.
"ok, so we have three set aside for emergencies. that leaves me with one and you with four. hey, how did you manage to get four times as many coconuts," asked demos.
"i don't do anything but handle my coconuts conservatively. i don't understand how you manage to have only one fourth as many coconuts as i do. i give in time and again to your unfair demands, i'm contributing twice as much to the emergency stash, and somehow you've either squandered your coconuts or you haven't worked hard enough to get more in the first place. sheesh! some people just think they're entitled to all the coconuts in the world!" romulus said, exasperated.
demos prepared to eat his coconut, grumbling and wondering if he'd be able to find another eight coconuts tomorrow.
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