..&..&.... ......&&&&
.......&&& &&&&&..&&.
&&&&&&..&& &&&&......
.&&&&....& &&&..&&&&.
..&&..&&.. &&....&&..
&......... . . . &..&&....&
..&&&&&&&& . . . . . . ......&&..
&..&&&&&&& ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ .&&&&....&
....&&&&&& - - - - - - - - - - - ..&&..&&..
&&&..&&&&. **************************************** .........&
&&....&&.. &&&&&&&&..
...&&....& 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. &&&&&&&..&
..&&...... &&&&&&....
&....&&&&& **************************************** &&&&&..&&&
..&&..&&&& - - - - - - - - - - - &&&&....&&
.......&&. ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ .&&..&&...
&&&&&&.... . . . . . . ........&&
&&&&&..&&& . . . .&&&&&&..&
&&&&....&& ..&&&&....
.&&..&&..& &..&&..&&.
.......... ..........
&&&&&&&&&. &&&&&&&&&&
&&&&&&&&.. &&&&&&&&&&