,,,,,«*%&& &&%*«,,,,,
,,«=*%&¶## ##¶&%*=«,,
,,«=*%&¶## ##¶&%*=«,,
,,,,,=%%¶¶ ¶¶%%=,,,,,
,,,««==%¶¶ ¶¶%==««,,,
,,«=*%&¶¶¶ , , , ¶¶¶&%*=«,,
,,,,,,=*&# , , , , , , #&*=,,,,,,
,,«=*%&¶## , , , , , , , , ##¶&%*=«,,
,,,,,,«*&¶ « « « « « « « « « « « ¶&*«,,,,,,
,,«=*%&¶## ======================================== ##¶&%*=«,,
,,«=*%&¶## ##¶&%*=«,,
,,,««=**&# 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. ¶&%=«,,,,,
,,«=*%&¶## ##¶&%*=«,,
,,«=*%&¶## ======================================== ##¶&%*=«,,
,,«=*%&¶## « « « « « « « « « « « ##¶&%*=«,,
,,«=*%&### , , , , , , , , ###&%*=«,,
,,«=***%&& , , , , , , &&%***=«,,
,,«=*%&¶## , , , ##¶&%*=«,,
,,«=*%&¶¶¶ ¶¶¶&%*=«,,
,,«=*%&¶¶# #¶¶&%*=«,,
,,,,,,,=*& &*=,,,,,,,
,,«=*%&¶## ##¶&%*=«,,
,,«=*%&¶## ##¶&%*=«,,