| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood by Howard Pyle: to beseech Saint Dunstan for money, which he did in a great loud voice.
After he had so besought the Saint for a time, he bade the friars
feel in their pouches and see if the Saint had sent them anything;
so each put his hand slowly in the pouch that hung beside him,
but brought nothing thence.
"Ha!" quoth Little John, "have your prayers so little virtue?
Then let us at it again." Then straightway he began calling
on Saint Dunstan again, somewhat in this wise: "O gracious
Saint Dunstan! Send some money straightway to these poor folk,
lest the fat one waste away and grow as lean as the lean one,
and the lean one waste away to nothing at all, ere they get to
The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood |
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 Egmont by Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe: believe it's for the sake of religion. We know better. Three bishops were
enough for us; things went on decently and reputably. Now each must
busy himself as if he were needed; and this gives rise every moment to
dissensions and ill-will. And the more you agitate the matter, so much the
worse it grows. (They drink.)
Soest. But it was the will of the king; she cannot alter it, one way or
another.
Jetter. Then we may not even sing the new psalms; but ribald songs, as
many as we please. And why? There is heresy in them, they say, and
heaven knows what. I have sung some of them, however; they are new, to
be sure, but I see no harm in them.
Egmont |
