| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Young Forester by Zane Grey: before I could find a foothold, the branch to which I was hanging snapped
like a pistol-shot, and I plunged down with a crash. I struck the bear and
the lower branch, and then the ground. The fall half stunned me. I thought
every bone in my body was broken. I rose unsteadily, and for a moment
everything whirled before my eyes. Then I discovered that the roar in my
ears was the old hunter's yell. I saw him hauling on the rope. There was a
great ripping of bark and many strange sounds, and then the cub was
dangling head downward. Hiram had pulled him from his perch, and hung him
over the lowest branch.
"Thar, youngster, git busy now!" yelled the hunter. "Grab the other rope--
thar it is--an' rope a front paw while I hold him. Lively now, he's mighty
 The Young Forester |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Fanny Herself by Edna Ferber: most office heads did on Saturday, during the warm weather.
When her 'phone rang at eleven she answered it mechanically
as does one whose telephone calls mean a row with a tardy
manufacturer, an argument with a merchandise man, or a
catalogue query from the printer's.
The name that came to her over the telephone conveyed
nothing to her.
"Who?" Again the name. "Heyl?" She repeated the name
uncertainly. "I'm afraid I--O, of course! Clarence Heyl.
Howdy-do."
"I want to see you," said the voice, promptly.
 Fanny Herself |