| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Men of Iron by Howard Pyle: it was not until the lads could absolutely endure no more that
the order was given to rest, and they were allowed to fling
themselves panting upon the ground, while another company took
its place at the triple row of posts.
As Myles struck and hacked at the pel assigned to him, Sir James
Lee stood beside him watching him in grim silence. The lad did
his best to show the knight all that he knew of upper cut, under
cut, thrust, and back-hand stroke, but it did not seem to him
that Sir James was very well satisfied with his skill.
"Thou fightest like a clodpole," said the old man. "Ha, that
stroke was but ill-recovered. Strike me it again, and get thou in
 Men of Iron |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Cratylus by Plato: son of Hermes.
HERMOGENES: How do you make that out?
SOCRATES: You are aware that speech signifies all things (pan), and is
always turning them round and round, and has two forms, true and false?
HERMOGENES: Certainly.
SOCRATES: Is not the truth that is in him the smooth or sacred form which
dwells above among the Gods, whereas falsehood dwells among men below, and
is rough like the goat of tragedy; for tales and falsehoods have generally
to do with the tragic or goatish life, and tragedy is the place of them?
HERMOGENES: Very true.
SOCRATES: Then surely Pan, who is the declarer of all things (pan) and the
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Lost Princess of Oz by L. Frank Baum: deep, croaking voice, "If the dishpan is stolen, somebody must have
taken it."
"But who?"asked Cayke anxiously. "Who is the thief?"
"The one who took the dishpan, of course," replied the Frogman, and
hearing this all the Yips nodded their heads gravely and said to one
another, "It is absolutely true!"
"But I want my dishpan!" cried Cayke.
"No one can blame you for that wish," remarked the Frogman.
"Then tell me where I may find it," she urged.
The look the Frogman gave her was a very wise look, and he rose from
his chair and strutted up and down the room with his hands under his
 The Lost Princess of Oz |