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.