| 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: said, "Sir, all that you have said is well; now, however, order
the tongues of the victims to be cut, and mix wine that we may
make drink-offerings to Neptune, and the other immortals, and
then go to bed, for it is bed time. People should go away early
and not keep late hours at a religious festival."
Thus spoke the daughter of Jove, and they obeyed her saying. Men
servants poured water over the hands of the guests, while pages
filled the mixing-bowls with wine and water, and handed it round
after giving every man his drink offering; then they threw the
tongues of the victims into the fire, and stood up to make their
drink offerings. When they had made their offerings and had
The Odyssey |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Road to Oz by L. Frank Baum: nearing some low mountains, too, and the road, which before had been
smooth and pleasant to walk upon, grew rough and uneven.
Button-Bright's little feet stumbled more than once, and Polychrome
ceased her dancing because the walking was now so difficult that she
had no trouble to keep warm.
It had become afternoon, yet there wasn't a thing for their luncheon
except two apples which the shaggy man had taken from the breakfast
table. He divided these into four pieces and gave a portion to each
of his companions. Dorothy and Button-Bright were glad to get theirs;
but Polly was satisfied with a small bite, and Toto did not like apples.
"Do you know," asked the Rainbow's Daughter, "if this is the right
The Road to Oz |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Rinkitink In Oz by L. Frank Baum: "Well, Cor, what are you going to do with him?"
inquired King Gos.
"I shall make him my slave, that he may amuse my idle
hours. For he is a pretty boy, and gentle, although he
did frighten all of you big warriors so terribly."
The King scowled at this speech, not liking to be
ridiculed, but he said nothing more. He and his men
returned that same day to Regos, after restoring the
bridge of boats. And they held a wild carnival of
rejoicing, both in the King's palace and in the city,
although the poor people of Regos who were not warriors
Rinkitink In Oz |
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 Astoria by Washington Irving: conjectural, and wore an aspect calculated to inspire
despondency.
In abandoning the river, they would have to launch forth upon
vast trackless plains destitute of all means of subsistence,
where they might perish of hunger and thirst. A dreary desert of
sand and gravel extends from Snake River almost to the Columbia.
Here and there is a thin and scanty herbage, insufficient for the
pasturage of horse or buffalo. Indeed, these treeless wastes
between the Rocky Mountains and the Pacific are even more
desolate and barren than the naked, upper prairies on the
Atlantic side; they present vast desert tracts that must ever
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