..^=/%£@##                                          ##@£%/=^..
.^=/%£@###                                          ###@£%/=^.
..^=/%£@##                                          ##@£%/=^..
...^=/%£@#                                          #@£%/=^...
....^=/%£@                                          @£%/=^....
.....^=/%£                    #                     £%/=^.....
......^=/%  .              .====.               .   %/=^......
.......^=/ . %==   =%@  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)                 /=^.......
......^=/%                                          %/=^......
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..^=/%£@##                                          ##@£%/=^..