| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from A Voyage to Abyssinia by Father Lobo: it returns within a short day's journey of its spring; though to
pursue it through all its mazes, and accompany it round the kingdom
of Goiama, is a journey of twenty-nine days. So far, and a few
days' journey farther, this river confines itself to Abyssinia, and
then passes into the bordering countries of Fazulo and Ombarca.
These vast regions we have little knowledge of: they are inhabited
by nations entirely different from the Abyssins; their hair is like
that of the other blacks, short and curled. In the year 1615,
Rassela Christos, lieutenant-general to Sultan Segued, entered those
kingdoms with his army in a hostile manner; but being able to get no
intelligence of the condition of the people, and astonished at their
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Koran: Say, 'O ye folk! I am naught but a plain warner to you, but those
who believe and do right, for them is forgiveness and a generous
provision; but those who strive to discredit our signs, they are the
fellows of hell!'
We have not sent before thee any apostle or prophet, but that when
he wished, Satan threw not something into his wish; but God annuls
what Satan throws; then does God confirm his signs, and God is
knowing, wise-to make what Satan throws a trial unto those in whose
hearts is sickness, and those whose hearts are hard; and, verily,
the wrongdoers are in a wide schism-and that those who have been given
'the knowledge' may know that it is the truth from thy Lord, and may
 The Koran |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Miracle Mongers and Their Methods by Harry Houdini: rattle-snake oil, which is highly esteemed in
some quarters as a specific for rheumatism;
and the venom, which has a pharmaceutical
value.
She employs a number of men as snake
trappers. Their usual technique is to pin the
rattler to the ground by means of a forked
stick thrust dexterously over his neck, after
which he is conveyed into a bag made for the
purpose. Probably the cleverest of her trappers
is a Mexican who has a faculty of catching
 Miracle Mongers and Their Methods |