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.