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.