&&..&..... &.&..&&.&.
&&&..&.... &..&.&&...
&.&&..&... &&...&&&..
..&&&..&.. .&&..&.&&.
..&.&&..&. .&&&...&&&
&...&&&..& . . . .&.&&..&.&
&&..&.&&.. . . . . . . ...&&&...&
.&&...&&&. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ...&.&&..&
.&&&..&.&& = = = = = = = = = = = .....&&&..
.&.&&...&& \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ .....&.&&.
...&&&..&. .......&&&
&..&.&&... just off the coast to the baltic sea &......&.&
&&...&&&.. there's a freshwater pond, secluded .&.......&
.&&..&.&&. among ashen and juniper. a cleft in the ..&......&
.&&&...&&& limestone bedrock, sharp-cut from the &..&......
.&.&&..&.& surrounding plains, a ninety degree .&..&.....
...&&&...& drop down, down, to the midnight-black ..&..&....
...&.&&..& water. &..&..&...
.....&&&.. &&..&..&..
.....&.&&. ====§§§§§§§§==== .&&..&..&.
.......&&& ==§§ §§== .&&&..&..&
&......&.& =====§§ fairies live here. §§===== .&.&&..&..
.&.......& ==§§ §§== ...&&&..&.
..&......& ====§§§§§§§§==== &..&.&&..&
&..&...... &&...&&&..
.&..&..... they speak to the sloane, caress it, &&&..&.&&.
..&..&.... urge it to grow thicker, tangled, with &.&&...&&&
&..&..&... longer and sharper thorns. they tell it ..&&&..&.&
&&..&..&.. to stay just below the grass, so that ..&.&&...&
.&&..&..&. the animals what come to drink the &...&&&..&
.&&&..&..& water cannot see it before it draws .&..&.&&..
.&.&&..&.. their blood. closer to the pond, the ..&...&&&.
...&&&..&. sloane can grow taller, being able to ...&..&.&&
&..&.&&..& hide also in the juniper. ....&...&&
&&...&&&.. .....&..&.
&&&..&.&&. the fairies will beckon the animals to &.....&...
&.&&...&&& push forward, tell them that they're .&.....&..
..&&&..&.& almost at the water, that they may ..&.....&.
..&.&&...& drink soon. and they will tug on the &..&.....&
&...&&&..& sloane to make sure that the thorns cut &&..&.....
.&..&.&&.. deep. when they finally find the path .&&..&....
..&...&&&. down between the rocks, away from the .&&&..&...
...&..&.&& bushwork and into the cleft, they are .&.&&..&..
....&...&& bleeding from a thousand wounds. as ...&&&..&.
.....&..&. they drink from the dark water, it is ...&.&&..&
&.....&... in turn drinking the animals blood. .....&&&..
.&.....&.. .....&.&&.
..&.....&. the circle is complete, the contract .......&&&
&..&.....& carried out; the animal is abandoned to &......&.&
&&..&..... find its own way back. the bushes roots .&.......&
.&&..&.... drink the nutrutious water. the fairies ..&......&
.&&&..&... dance in the sunbeams. &..&......
.&.&&..&.. &&..&.....
...&&&..&. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ &&&..&....
...&.&&..& = = = = = = = = = = = &.&&..&...
.....&&&.. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ..&&&..&..
.....&.&&. . . . . . . ..&.&&..&.
.......&&& . . . &...&&&..&
&......&.& &&..&.&&..
.&.......& .&&...&&&.
..&......& .&&&..&.&&
&..&...... .&.&&...&&
&&..&..... ...&&&..&.