Further, while competition and betrayal are the main thorns to female friendship; men are plagued in almost equal amounts by two additional issues, lack of frankness and a fear of appearing unmanly.
" My flower is ephemeral, " the little prince said to himself, " and she has only four thorns to defend herself against the world. And I have left her on my planet, all alone! "
And then we discussed the word thorny. A tree or bush with thorns is difficult to touch and handle and similarly a thorny issue is a subject that is difficult to deal with and discuss.