| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling: Stole the little grasshopper and hid it in her breast.
So she tricked him, Shiva the Preserver.
Mahadeo! Mahadeo! Turn and see.
Tall are the camels, heavy are the kine,
But this was Least of Little Things, O little son of mine!
When the dole was ended, laughingly she said,
Master, of a million mouths, is not one unfed?"
Laughing, Shiv made answer, "All have had their part,
Even he, the little one, hidden 'neath thy heart."
From her breast she plucked it, Parbati the thief,
Saw the Least of Little Things gnawed a new-grown leaf!
The Jungle Book |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Island Nights' Entertainments by Robert Louis Stevenson: man looking out for himself, tell them, for that's human nature;
but if they think they're going to come any of their native ideas
over me, they'll find themselves mistaken. And tell them plain
that I demand the reason of this treatment as a white man and a
British subject."
That was my speech. I know how to deal with Kanakas: give them
plain sense and fair dealing, and - I'll do them that much justice
- they knuckle under every time. They haven't any real government
or any real law, that's what you've got to knock into their heads;
and even if they had, it would be a good joke if it was to apply to
a white man. It would be a strange thing if we came all this way
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| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Barnaby Rudge by Charles Dickens: he stretched himself upon the bench again, and closed his eyes once
more.
After looking at him in silence for some moments, Dennis, who was
greatly relieved to find him in this mood, drew the chair towards
his rough couch and sat down near him--taking the precaution,
however, to keep out of the range of his brawny arm.
'Well said, brother; nothing could be better said,' he ventured to
observe. 'We'll eat and drink of the best, and sleep our best, and
make the best of it every way. Anything can be got for money.
Let's spend it merrily.'
'Ay,' said Hugh, coiling himself into a new position.--'Where is it?'
Barnaby Rudge |
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 Concerning Christian Liberty by Martin Luther: is not worthy of you and those like you, but of Satan himself,
who in truth is more the ruler in that Babylon than you are.
Oh, would that, having laid aside that glory which your most
abandoned enemies declare to be yours, you were living rather in
the office of a private priest or on your paternal inheritance!
In that glory none are worthy to glory, except the race of
Iscariot, the children of perdition. For what happens in your
court, Leo, except that, the more wicked and execrable any man
is, the more prosperously he can use your name and authority for
the ruin of the property and souls of men, for the multiplication
of crimes, for the oppression of faith and truth and of the whole
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