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.