| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Tales of the Klondyke by Jack London: "Heh?" Pierre Fontaine later on gurgled thickly. "Vot for Madame
Sayther mak visitation to thees country? More better you spik wit
her. I know no t'ing 'tall, only all de tam her ask one man's
name. 'Pierre,' her spik wit me; 'Pierre, you moos' find thees
mans, and I gif you mooch--one thousand dollar you find thees
mans.' Thees mans? Ah, oui. Thees man's name--vot you call--
Daveed Payne. Oui, m'sieu, Daveed Payne. All de tam her spik das
name. And all de tam I look rount vaire mooch, work lak hell, but
no can find das dam mans, and no get one thousand dollar 'tall.
By dam!
"Heh? Ah, oui. One tam dose mens vot come from Circle City, dose
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Marie by H. Rider Haggard: should give me a fine dinner, for you see I have brought the baas back
safe to you. Did I not tell you, baas, that everything would come
right?"
Then he grew silent from exhaustion. Nor were we sorry, who at that
moment did not wish to listen to the poor fellow's talk.
Something over two hours had gone by since the moon broke out from the
clouds. I had greeted the Vrouw Prinsloo and all my other friends, and
been received by them with rapture as one risen from the dead. If they
had loved me before, now a new gratitude was added to their love, since
had it not been for my warning they also must have made acquaintance
with the Zulu spears and perished. It was on their part of the camp
Marie |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Sesame and Lilies by John Ruskin: until it has been read, and re-read, and loved, and loved again; and
marked, so that you can refer to the passages you want in it, as a
soldier can seize the weapon he needs in an armoury, or a housewife
bring the spice she needs from her store. Bread of flour is good;
but there is bread, sweet as honey, if we would eat it, in a good
book; and the family must be poor indeed, which, once in their
lives, cannot, for, such multipliable barley-loaves, pay their
baker's bill. We call ourselves a rich nation, and we are filthy
and foolish enough to thumb each other's books out of circulating
libraries!
(II.) I say we have despised science. "What!" you exclaim, "are we
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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 Fantastic Fables by Ambrose Bierce: Two Kings
THE King of Madagao, being engaged in a dispute with the King of
Bornegascar, wrote him as follows:
"Before proceeding further in this matter I demand the recall of
your Minister from my capital."
Greatly enraged by this impossible demand, the King of Bornegascar
replied:
"I shall not recall my Minister. Moreover, if you do not
immediately retract your demand I shall withdraw him!"
This threat so terrified the King of Madagao that in hastening to
comply he fell over his own feet, breaking the Third Commandment.
Fantastic Fables |
