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.