| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from A Kidnapped Santa Claus by L. Frank Baum: find their stockings empty! Ho, ho! How they will quarrel, and wail,
and stamp their feet in anger! Our caves will be full today, old
Santa! Our caves are sure to be full!"
But to this, as to other like taunts, Santa Claus answered nothing.
He was much grieved by his capture, it is true; but his courage did
not forsake him. And, finding that the prisoner would not reply to
his jeers, the Daemon of Malice presently went away, and sent the
Daemon of Repentance to take his place.
This last personage was not so disagreeable as the others. He had
gentle and refined features, and his voice was soft and pleasant in tone.
"My brother Daemons do not trust me overmuch," said he, as he entered
A Kidnapped Santa Claus |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Aeroplanes and Dirigibles of War by Frederick A. Talbot: opportunity to effect his escape, or to turn the tables. For
these reasons the fight is fought to a conclusive finish.
To aspire to success in these combats waged in the trackless
blue, speed, initiative, and daring are essential. Success falls
to the swift in every instance. An aeroplane travelling at a
high speed, and pursuing an undulating or irregular trajectory is
almostimpossible to hit from the ground, as sighting is so
extremely difficult. Sighting from another machine, which
likewise is travelling rapidly, and pursuing an irregular path,
is far more so. Unless the attacker can approach relatively
closely to his enemy the possibility of hitting him is extremely
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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 The Poems of Goethe, Bowring, Tr. by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe: With an inquiring eye which easily faces decyphers;
Then he smiled, and with cordial words address'd him as follows
"How you are changed in appearance, my friend! I never have seen you
Half so lively before; your looks are thoroughly cheerful.
You have return'd quite joyous and merry. You've doubtless divided
All of the presents amongst the poor, their blessings receiving."
Then in calm accents replied the son, with gravity speaking
"Whether I've laudably acted, I know not; I follow'd the impulse
Of my own heart, as now I'll proceed to describe with exactness.
Mother, you rummaged so long, in looking over old pieces,
And in making your choice, that 'twas late when the bundle was ready,
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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 My Antonia by Willa Cather: on my pony, under Otto's direction. After that Dude and I went
twice a week to the post-office, six miles east of us, and I saved
the men a good deal of time by riding on errands to our neighbours.
When we had to borrow anything, or to send about word that there would
be preaching at the sod schoolhouse, I was always the messenger.
Formerly Fuchs attended to such things after working hours.
All the years that have passed have not dimmed my memory of that
first glorious autumn. The new country lay open before me:
there were no fences in those days, and I could choose my own way
over the grass uplands, trusting the pony to get me home again.
Sometimes I followed the sunflower-bordered roads. Fuchs told me
My Antonia |
