The Elven Lady's Greeting of Five Thousand Years Ago
The proper greeting of an elven lady, five thousand years past.
Preparation.
Raise the right hand and rest it gently upon the left shoulder. At the same moment, the opposite hand takes the left hem of the skirt in a light pinch, as though catching the fabric between two fingers. The feet must be drawn neatly together, toes pointed straight ahead. The expression is a smile—this is essential.
The Greeting.
Incline the body lightly forward while lowering the hand that had rested upon the shoulder. The path of that descending hand must describe an elegant curve, as graceful as the graph of an exponential function. Simultaneously, lift the hand that holds the skirt hem just a fraction higher and draw one foot back. The elbow must never flare outward from the body. It is vital that the toes of the extended foot rise as if performing ballet.