There is no Territory without History and there is no History without Territory

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THE PEACE RACE

In Europe there is a tension and hostility between different people because everyone claims the right to use the waters of the rivers and seas not taking in account the needs of others. Screams reach Olympus disturbing the sleep of the gods.

Zeus, tired of the continuous arguments, decides to punish people by draining the water from the rivers,

except those of Aliacmone and Tiberinus. Considering that they are gods, they would not have tolerated such initiatives. The seas, deprived of water, desperate, see their level going down every day and the miserable men witness the death of hundreds of fish. As a consequence of this, Poseidon, the king of the seas, furious, goes up to Mount Olympus, and lashes out against Zeus asking him to end his punishment. Zeus rejects Poseidon's proposal, but Poseidon threatens him.

Zeus, who doesn't want to wage a war between the Gods, decides to find an agreement: the punishment will not end until a plan is devised that leads men to reflect and live in peace. To this end, Aliacmone and Tiberinus are summoned to intervene to put an end to disputes and to resurrect the rivers. The two divinities, to implement their plan, need the complicity of their colleagues and therefore ask Zeus for the possibility of returning the waters to the river they need: Aliacmone goes to Portugal where he meets Tagus, a very tall, long river, who has black hair and mustard yellow eyes, in the meantime Tiberinus

goes to Lithuania where finds Nemunas, a plum and nice river with short hair. All together they go to the Danube, a very refined river, extremely fascinating, with turquoise eyes and a moon-white complexion. Once all the rivers are gathered, the two gods explain to them the situation and the reasons for which they are involved in the enterprise: crossing different regions of Europe and flowing into different seas involving many peoples making the enterprise more effective.

The three rivers seem perplexed at the beginning, but when they are promised, in exchange for their help, the possibility to choose the most beautiful mermaid in the word and to live with them for the rest of their life, they immediately accept. The rivers consult to decide a plan: Danube proposes to organize a national regatta in the countries crossed by the rivers involved, which would have diverted their course by bringing together the participants of the various States, wich would have been entrusted with a joint venture with the goal to make them collaborate and restore peace.

Finally the awaited day arrives, the participants prepare to complete, you can perceive an air of challenge everywhere. Suddenly in the middle of the journey, a strong earthquakes is unleashed by the gods that brings the five rivers together: the waters are agitated creating huge waves, many people lose their balance by falling into the water, everyone works to save the castaways regardless their nationality they help each other, to the great satisfaction of the rivers that are beginning to hope that the plan will work.

When the waters calm down, they all land safely on the ground; sudden Zeus appears, ordering them to find a spring hidden in the woods, with everyone's help otherwise no one would come home to their family. The men amazed and frightened by the presence of the powerful god bow, worship him and, eager to return home, accept the assignment. The men are preparing for the enterprise, but, having different opinions on how to organize the expedition, they begin to quarrel insulting each other.

The worried rivers think that the plan is about to fail, until a family, intent on digging in search of the spring, remains trapped in quicksand, attracting the attention of those present who in turn stop bickering and work hard to try and save the family.At first in a panic they do not know to do until it occurs to them to run to the boats to retrieve a rope with which they bind each other, giving the other hand of the rope to the trapped one. They start running on the opposite side compared to the quicksand and with great difficulty they bring everyone to safety.

As soon as the family is safe, small spurt of water come out of the ground and gradually became more and more abundant until they take the shape of a splendid golden spring with crystalline water. Everyone turns to the source amazed and excited at the same time, they do not understand at first what happened, but they are happy, they hug each other and they discover that it is very nice to be in harmony with those around us. Satisfied the rivers compliment each other for the success of the plan, meanwhile in Europe the sea level begin to rise again.

ERENA AND TEVERINO

As Long time ago Erena, the young daughter of a very rich family, lived in Rome. One day, escaping from her nanny’s watch, she went to a wide lawn, not very far from her house, and she picked up some beautiful flowers.There, she saw a boy, Teverino. The couple met different times secretly and fell in love.

But Erena’s parents unmasked them and they forbade her to leave home.

The girl secretly sent a letter to Teverino and told him she couldn’t meet him any longer. The boy was desperate and very sad. The little bird up to Mount Fumaiolo, where she met Teverino.

The couple decided not to separate any longer and they asked gods to help them. So, Teverino’s mum transformed them into water : this was the birth of a wonderful river that men called – and still call nowadays – Tiber.

Tiberina isle

Long time ago, when Italian rivers were created, Poseydon, the god of the sea, sent his children to rule the rivers. The only woman-guard was Tiberina and she was entrusted with the Tiber river, the smallest of every river.All the other rivers made fun of her because of the reduced flow of her river ; the Po, for example, told her it was a small, meaningless river. However Tiberina loved him and so she thought up a plan: she stole the water from the other rivers, so as to increase the flow of the Tiber.

A One day the Aniene’s guard saw Tiberina who was taking water from his river and he complained by Poseydon, his father, who, furious, gathered all his children to decide for a punishment. But, as soon as Tiberina found out the fact, she hid herself but, uncertain where to go, she dived into the water of her beloved river.However, the other guards saw her and they changed her into an isle: the Tiberina Isle, that is still today keeping watch of the Tiber.