| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Odyssey by Homer: extremity of the hall; he alone hated their infatuate deeds
and was indignant with all the wooers. He now first took
the bow and the swift shaft, and he went and stood by the
threshold, and began to prove the bow; but he could not
bend it; or ever that might be, his hands grew weary with
the straining, his unworn, delicate hands; so he spake
among the wooers, saying:
'Friends, of a truth I cannot bend it, let some other take
it. Ah, many of our bravest shall this bow rob of spirit
and of life, since truly it is far better for us to die,
than to live on and to fail of that for which we assemble
The Odyssey |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from A Heap O' Livin' by Edgar A. Guest: But he who treads them leaves behind
The tender things and true.
Oh, north and south and east and west
The crowded roadways go,
And sweating brow and weary breast
Are all they seem to know.
And mad for pleasure some are bent,
And some are seeking fame,
And some are sick with discontent,
And some are bruised and lame.
Across the world the gleaming steel
A Heap O' Livin' |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Finished by H. Rider Haggard: killed at once, except yourself, Macumazahn."
"Is it so, Goza? Well, as you will have understood, I am quite
alone here and have no friends. Only I did not wish to travel so
early."
"Of course we understand that you are quite alone and have no
friends, is it not so, my brothers?"
"Yes, yes, we understand," they exclaimed in chorus, one of them
adding, "and shall so report to the King."
"What kind of blankets do you like; the plain grey ones or the
white ones with the blue stripes?" I asked, desiring to confirm
them in this determination.
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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 Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz by L. Frank Baum: beside them. The light was then so bright that it dazzled their eyes,
and they covered their faces with their hands to escape being blinded.
There was no heat in the colored suns, however, and after they had
passed below them the top of the buggy shut out many of the piercing
rays so that the boy and girl could open their eyes again.
"We've got to come to the bottom some time," remarked Zeb, with a deep
sigh. "We can't keep falling forever, you know."
"Of course not," said Dorothy. "We are somewhere in the middle of the
earth, and the chances are we'll reach the other side of it before
long. But it's a big hollow, isn't it?"
"Awful big!" answered the boy.
Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz |
