| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Kwaidan by Lafcadio Hearn: [6] Literally, "a windless day;" but two negatives in Japanese poetry do
not necessarily imply an affirmative, as in English. The meaning is, that
although there is no wind, the fluttering motion of the butterflies
suggests, to the eyes at least, that a strong breeze is playing.
[7] Alluding to the Buddhist proverb: Rakkwa eda ni kaerazu; ha-kyo
futatabi terasazu ("The fallen flower returns not to the branch; the broken
mirror never again reflects.") So says the proverb -- yet it seemed to me
that I saw a fallen flower return to the branch... No: it was only a
butterfly.
[8] Alluding probably to the light fluttering motion of falling cherry-petals.
[9] That is to say, the grace of their motion makes one think of the grace
Kwaidan |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Marvelous Land of Oz by L. Frank Baum: "What! Have you a heart?" asked the Scarecrow, surprised.
"No; that was only imaginative -- I might say, a figure of speech," said the
other.
"Well, your most prominent figure seems to be a figure of wood; so I must
beg you to restrain an imagination which, having no brains, you have no
right to exercise," suggested the Scarecrow, warningly.
"To be sure!" said Jack, without in the least comprehending.
His Majesty then dismissed Jellia Jamb and the Soldier with the Green
Whiskers, and when they were gone he took his new friend by the arm and led
him into the courtyard to play a game of quoits.
81 Full page line-art drawing.
The Marvelous Land of Oz |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Adieu by Honore de Balzac: school. "You are rich, titled, and of ancient lineage; you have
talents, and a great future before you; all things smile upon you."
"Yes," he said, "but a smile kills me."
The next day the lady heard with great astonishment that Monsieur de
Sucy had blown his brains out during the night. The upper ranks of
society talked in various ways over this extraordinary event, and each
person looked for the cause of it. According to the proclivities of
each reasoner, play, love, ambition, hidden disorders, and vices,
explained the catastrophe, the last scene of a drama begun in 1812.
Two men alone, a marquis and former deputy, and an aged physician,
knew that Philippe de Sucy was one of those strong men to whom God has
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