#$$:=~.... ....~=:$$#
$$:=~..... .....~=:$$
$:=~...... ......~=:$
:=~....... .......~=:
=~........ ........~=
:=~....... . . . .......~=:
$:=~...... . . . . . . ......~=:$
$$:=~..... ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ .....~=:$$
#$$:=~.... = = = = = = = = = = = ....~=:$$#
@#$$:=~... :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ...~=:$$#@
#@#$$:=~.. ..~=:$$#@#
##@#$$:=~. JUST OFF THE COAST TO THE BALTIC SEA .~=:$$#@##
#@#$$:=~.. THERE'S A FRESHWATER POND, SECLUDED ..~=:$$#@#
@#$$:=~... AMONG ASHEN AND JUNIPER. A CLEFT IN THE ...~=:$$#@
#$$:=~.... LIMESTONE BEDROCK, SHARP-CUT FROM THE ....~=:$$#
$$:=~..... SURROUNDING PLAINS, A NINETY DEGREE .....~=:$$
$:=~...... DROP DOWN, DOWN, TO THE MIDNIGHT-BLACK ......~=:$
:=~....... 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 .......~=:
$:=~...... CARRIED OUT; THE ANIMAL IS ABANDONED TO ......~=:$
$$:=~..... FIND ITS OWN WAY BACK. THE BUSHES ROOTS .....~=:$$
#$$:=~.... DRINK THE NUTRUTIOUS WATER. THE FAIRIES ....~=:$$#
@#$$:=~... DANCE IN THE SUNBEAMS. ...~=:$$#@
#@#$$:=~.. ..~=:$$#@#
##@#$$:=~. :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: .~=:$$#@##
#@#$$:=~.. = = = = = = = = = = = ..~=:$$#@#
@#$$:=~... ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ...~=:$$#@
#$$:=~.... . . . . . . ....~=:$$#
$$:=~..... . . . .....~=:$$
$:=~...... ......~=:$
:=~....... .......~=:
=~........ ........~=
:=~....... .......~=:
$:=~...... ......~=:$