..&....&.. ..&&......
...&....&. ..&&&.....
....&....& &.&.&&....
.....&.... ....&&&...
......&... ....&.&&..
.......&.. . . . ......&&&.
........&. . . . . . . ......&.&&
&........& , , , , , , , , ........&&
&&........ = = = = = = = = = = = ........&.
&&&....... //////////////////////////////////////// ..........
&.&&...... ..........
..&&&..... 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. .&....&..&
&......... ..&....&..
.&........ //////////////////////////////////////// ...&....&.
..&....... = = = = = = = = = = = ....&....&
&..&...... , , , , , , , , .....&....
.&..&..... . . . . . . ......&...
..&..&.... . . . .......&..
...&..&... ........&.
....&..&.. &........&
&....&..&. &&........
.&....&..& &&&.......
..&....&.. &.&&......