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.