| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Three Taverns by Edwin Arlington Robinson: Mary," he said, after a long time.
"When I came back, I knew the Master's eyes
Were looking into mine. I looked at His,
And there was more in them than I could see.
At first I could see nothing but His eyes;
Nothing else anywhere was to be seen --
Only His eyes. And they looked into mine --
Long into mine, Mary, as if He knew."
Mary began to be afraid of words
As she had never been afraid before
Of loneliness or darkness, or of death,
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving: mixture of ancient and modern fashions, as most suited to set of
her charms. She wore the ornaments of pure yellow gold, which her
great-great-grandmother had brought over from Saar dam; the
tempting stomacher of the olden time, and withal a provokingly
short petticoat, to display the prettiest foot and ankle in the
country round.
Ichahod Crane had a soft and foolish heart towards the sex;
and it is not to be wondered at, that so tempting a morsel soon
found favor in his eyes, more especially after he had visited her
in her paternal mansion. Old Baltus Van Tassel was a perfect
picture of a thriving, contented, liberal-hearted farmer. He
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Black Dwarf by Walter Scott: requisition of a symbol, or reckoning, from the pleasure he was
wont to take in my conversation, which, though solid and edifying
in the main, was, like a well-built palace, decorated with
facetious narratives and devices, tending much to the enhancement
and ornament thereof. And so pleased was my Landlord of the
Wallace in his replies during such colloquies, that there was no
district in Scotland, yea, and no peculiar, and, as it were,
distinctive custom therein practised, but was discussed betwixt
us; insomuch, that those who stood by were wont to say, it was
worth a bottle of ale to hear us communicate with each other.
And not a few travellers, from distant parts, as well as from the
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The fourth excerpt represents the element of Earth. It speaks of physical influences and the impact of the unseen on the visible world, and is drawn from The People That Time Forgot by Edgar Rice Burroughs: Here Chal-az motioned me to a seat upon a furry hide spread
upon the earthen floor.
"I am your friend," he said. "You saved my life; and I am no
ingrate as is the batu Al-tan. I will serve you, and there
are others here who will serve you against Al-tan and this
renegade Galu, Du-seen."
"But where is Ajor?" I asked, for I cared little for my own
safety while she was in danger.
"Ajor is safe, too," he answered. "We learned the designs of
Al-tan and Du-seen. The latter, learning that Ajor was here,
demanded her; and Al-tan promised that he should have her;
The People That Time Forgot |
