\=^.......                                          .......^=\
†\=^......                                          ......^=\†
$†\=^.....                                          .....^=\†$
&$†\=^....                                          ....^=\†$&
£&$†\=^...                                          ...^=\†$&£
@£&$†\=^..                     #                    ..^=\†$&£@
#@£&$†\=^.  .              .====.               .   .^=\†$&£@#
##@£&$†\=^ . †==   =†&  THE BASEMENT  &†=   ==†† .  ^=\†$&£@##
#@£&$†\=^.   .   =#=     .==========.     =#=    .  .^=\†$&£@#
@£&$†\=^..                     #                    ..^=\†$&£@
£&$†\=^...                                          ...^=\†$&£
&$†\=^....  THE BASEMENT IS A MAN-MADE SUBTERRANEAN ....^=\†$&
$†\=^.....   ENVIRONMENT WHERE YOU COULD FIND SUCH  .....^=\†$
†\=^......   THINGS AS THE FURNACE, THE LABYRINTH,  ......^=\†
\=^.......           REPTILES OR GRAVES.            .......^=\
=^........                                          ........^=
^.........  A SMALL OR RURAL BASEMENT IS A CELLAR.  .........^
..........                                          ..........
..........              =#=    .    =#=             ..........
..........                                          ..........
.......... OFTEN CREATED IN GOOD FAITH, A BASEMENT  ..........
..........   IS NEVERTHELESS A WAY TO BRING A CAVE  ..........
..........   INTO YOUR BUILDING, AND CAVE THINGS    ..........
..........  WITH IT. I'VE FOUND THAT IT'S EASIER TO ..........
^.........   THINK OF ALL CAVES AS THE SAME LARGE   .........^
=^........    STRUCTURE, IT'S JUST THAT ALL PARTS   ........^=
\=^.......    MIGHT NOT BE PHYSICALLY CONNECTED.    .......^=\
†\=^......      THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE INVITING IN.     ......^=\†
$†\=^.....                                          .....^=\†$
&$†\=^....                 .      .                 ....^=\†$&
£&$†\=^...            =#= . USAGES . =#=            ...^=\†$&£
@£&$†\=^..                 .      .                 ..^=\†$&£@
#@£&$†\=^.                                          .^=\†$&£@#
##@£&$†\=^  THE PURPOSE OF A BASEMENT IS OFTEN TO   ^=\†$&£@##
#@£&$†\=^.    HIDE UNSIGHTLY APPLIANCES, ENGINES,   .^=\†$&£@#
@£&$†\=^..  INFRASTRUCTURE (PIPES AND WELLS)... OR  ..^=\†$&£@
£&$†\=^...  TO HIDE THE TRUE WEIGHT (PURPOSE?) OF A ...^=\†$&£
&$†\=^....                BUILDING.                 ....^=\†$&
$†\=^.....                                          .....^=\†$
†\=^......  TO DRAW FROM THE EARTH AROUND IT, PUSH  ......^=\†
\=^.......         ABOVE GROUND, LAUNDERED.         .......^=\
=^........                                          ........^=
^.........   A CELLAR IS A MORE SENSEFUL AFFAIR,    .........^
..........   LESS INTENSE... MADE TO STORE THINGS   ..........
..........    (FOOD OR BREWS, TOOLS) IN A COLDER    ..........
.......... ENVIRONMENT. PERHAPS TO GROW MUSHROOMS.  ..........
..........  PERHAPS TO BURY CORRUPT CREATURES (NOT  ..........
..........                 ADVISED)                 ..........
..........                                          ..........
..........                                          ..........
^.........                                          .........^
=^........                                          ........^=
\=^.......                                          .......^=\