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.