| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus by L. Frank Baum: therefrom to the prosperity of the Forest. So you see she was a nymph
of some importance, and, moreover, it is said she was highly regarded
because of her beauty and grace.
When she was created she could not have told; Queen Zurline could not
have told; the great Ak himself could not have told. It was long ago
when the world was new and nymphs were needed to guard the forests
and to minister to the wants of the young trees. Then, on some day
not remembered, Necile sprang into being; radiant, lovely, straight
and slim as the sapling she was created to guard.
Her hair was the color that lines a chestnut-bur; her eyes were blue
in the sunlight and purple in the shade; her cheeks bloomed with the
The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Spirit of the Border by Zane Grey: Zeisberger, who was skilled in surgery, attended to the wounded men, Jim
barred the heavy door, shut the rude, swinging windows, and made the cabin
temporarily a refuge from prowling savages.
Outside the clamor increased. Shrill yells rent the air, long, rolling
war-cries sounded above all the din. The measured stamp of moccasined feet,
the rush of Indians past the cabin, the dull thud of hatchets struck hard into
the trees--all attested to the excitement of the savages, and the imminence of
terrible danger.
In the front room of Mr. Wells' cabin Edwards lay on a bed, his face turned to
the wall, and his side exposed. There was a bloody hole in his white skin.
Zeisberger was probing for the bullet. He had no instruments, save those of
The Spirit of the Border |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Street of Seven Stars by Mary Roberts Rinehart: "Look!" she said. "Under my bed! Ten kronen!"
Without a word the Big Soprano put down her curling-iron, and
ponderously getting down on her knees, candle in hand, inspected
the dusty floor beneath her bed. It revealed nothing but a
cigarette, on which she pounced. Still squatting, she lighted the
cigarette in the candle flame and sat solemnly puffing it.
"The first for a week," she said. "Pull out the wardrobe, Scatch;
there may be another relic of my prosperous days."
But little Scatchett was not interested in Austrian cigarettes
with a government monopoly and gilt tips. She was looking at the
ten-kronen piece.
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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 Scaramouche by Rafael Sabatini: him, putting out her hand. He kissed it dutifully, submissively,
instinctively. "And this is what you have grown into?" She
appraised him, and he flushed with pride at the satisfaction in
her tone. He seemed to have gone back sixteen years, and to be
again the little Breton lad at Gavrillac. She turned to Aline.
"How mistaken Quintin was in his assumptions. He was pleased to
see him again, was he not?"
"So pleased, madame, that he has shown me the door," said
Andre-Louis.
"Ah!" She frowned, conning him still with those dark, wistful eyes
of hers. "We must change that, Aline. He is of course very angry
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