elves live in the land       
      beyond the great dam.       
   it  was built in the late  sixties.  
    the elves came  to  us then.    
                      
                      
 they  were  very  manipulative,  and  we 
 came to trust  them.          us 
 kids would play  down at the water  even 
 though we were not allowed.        
     sometimes the  sluice  would close 
 entirely,  and  the  river  at the  dams 
 foot would dry up,  revealing  the rocky 
 water   garden  that   had  been  hidden 
 beneath,  and we would go there.     
       before the  dam opened  again, 
 there would be a signal, but  the  elves 
 would make  us not hear it, and suddenly 
 we would find the  water rising, already 
 at our knees.                
                      
   by  then the  elves would be gone.