..&....&&. ..........
&...&&.... &&&&&&&&&&
..&....&&. .&&&&&&&&&
....&&.... ..&&&&&&&.
&&&....&&& &..&&&&&..
.&..&&..&& . . . ....&&&...
.......... . . . . . . .&&..&..&&
.&&&&&&&&& ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ..........
..&&&&&&&. - - - - - - - - - - - .&&&&&&&&&
...&&&&&.. ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; ..&&&&&&&.
&&..&&&..& &..&&&&&..
.....&.... 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. ..&....&&&
&&&&...... &...&&..&&
&&&..&&&&& ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; ..&......&
&&....&&&. - - - - - - - - - - - ....&&&&..
...&&..&.. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ &&&..&&...
&&........ . . . . . . &&......&&
&..&&&&&&& . . . &..&&&&..&
....&&&&&& ....&&....
&&&..&&&&& .&&....&&&
&&....&&&& ....&&..&&
&..&&..&&& .&&......&
........&& ....&&&&..