##@§$*==:.                                          .:==*$§@##
#@§$*==:..                                          ..:==*$§@#
@§$*==:...                                          ...:==*$§@
§$*==:....                                          ....:==*$§
$*==:.....                                          .....:==*$
*==:...... = = = = = = = = = = =  = = = = = = = = = ......:==*
==:....... =  = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = .......:==
=:........ =  = = = 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 ......:==*
$*==:..... would make us not hear  it, and suddenly .....:==*$
§$*==:.... we would find the  water rising, already ....:==*$§
@§$*==:... at our knees. = =  = = = =  =  = = = = = ...:==*$§@
#@§$*==:.. = = = = = = = = = = = = =  = = = = = = = ..:==*$§@#
##@§$*==:. =  by  then  the elves would be  gone. = .:==*$§@##
#@§$*==:.. = = = = = = = =  = = = = = = = = = = = = ..:==*$§@#
@§$*==:... = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =  = = = = = ...:==*$§@
§$*==:....                                          ....:==*$§
$*==:.....                                          .....:==*$
*==:......                                          ......:==*
==:.......                                          .......:==
=:........                                          ........:=