| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Magic of Oz by L. Frank Baum: beheld a little island, not more than fifty feet in extent,
either way. Something glittered in the middle of this tiny
island, and the Glass Cat paused on the bank and said:
"There is the gold flower-pot containing the Magic Flower,
which is very curious and beautiful. If you can get to the island,
your task is ended--except to carry the thing home with you."
Cap'n Bill looked at the broad expanse of water and began to
whistle a low, quavering tune. Trot knew that the whistle meant
that Cap'n Bill was thinking, and the old sailor didn't look at
the island as much as he looked at the trees upon the bank where
they stood. Presently he took from the big pocket of his coat an
The Magic of Oz |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Tattine by Ruth Ogden [Mrs. Charles W. Ide]: sleeves: and with the puppies pulling away for dear life, it the train. When
she reached the screen door, she had a tussle with them, one by one, taking a
sort of reef in the trailing skirt as each puppy was successfully disposed of,
until all of it was clear of the sharp little teeth, and she could bang the
door to between them.
I do not believe Grandma Luty ever laughed harder than when Tattine told her
all about it as they sat together in the porch that morning after breakfast.
She even laughed her cap way over on one side, so that Tattine had to take out
the gold pins and put them in again to straighten it.
"But Grandma," said Tattine, when they had sobered down, "those puppies,
cunning as they are now, will just be cruel setters when they grow up, killing
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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 Miracle Mongers and Their Methods by Harry Houdini: young, and before his sister was born, he
had never seen her. He met with her in
a small town of Flanders, where she
carried on a rope manufactury. The modern
Sampson bought some of her largest ropes
which he broke like pack-thread, telling
her they were very bad.--``I will give
some better,'' replied she, ``but will you
pay a good price for them?''--``Whatever
you choose,'' returned Barsabas, showing
her some crown pieces. His sister took
Miracle Mongers and Their Methods |
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 Time Machine by H. G. Wells: losing my own age, of being left helpless in this strange new
world. The bare thought of it was an actual physical sensation.
I could feel it grip me at the throat and stop my breathing. In
another moment I was in a passion of fear and running with great
leaping strides down the slope. Once I fell headlong and cut my
face; I lost no time in stanching the blood, but jumped up and
ran on, with a warm trickle down my cheek and chin. All the time
I ran I was saying to myself: "They have moved it a little,
pushed it under the bushes out of the way." Nevertheless, I ran
with all my might. All the time, with the certainty that
sometimes comes with excessive dread, I knew that such assurance
The Time Machine |
