The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Riders of the Purple Sage by Zane Grey: looking backward. Tull's white horse mounted the ridge of round
stone, and several bays or blacks followed. "I wonder what he'll
think when he sees them empty guns. Jane, bring your saddle-bag
and climb after me."
A glistening, wonderful bare slope, with little holes, swelled up
and up to lose itself in a frowning yellow cliff. Jane closely
watched her steps and climbed behind Lassiter. He moved slowly.
Perhaps he was only husbanding his strength. But she saw drops of
blood on the stone, and then she knew. They climbed and climbed
without looking back. Her breast labored; she began to feel as if
little points of fiery steel were penetrating her side into her
 Riders of the Purple Sage |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Black Beauty by Anna Sewell: that she had been ruined by hard riding, and was now turned off
to see what rest would do.
Lord George was young and would take no warning; he was a hard rider,
and would hunt whenever he could get the chance, quite careless of his horse.
Soon after I left the stable there was a steeplechase, and he determined
to ride. Though the groom told him she was a little strained,
and was not fit for the race, he did not believe it,
and on the day of the race urged Ginger to keep up with the foremost riders.
With her high spirit, she strained herself to the utmost;
she came in with the first three horses, but her wind was touched,
besides which he was too heavy for her, and her back was strained.
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