| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Koran: him, verily, he is despairing, ungrateful; and if we make him taste of
comfort after distress has touched him, he will surely say, 'The evils
have gone away from me;' verily, then he is joyful and boasting.
Save those who are patient and do right; these- for them is pardon and
a mighty hire!
Haply thou art leaving part of what is revealed to thee and thy
breast is straitened thereby, lest they should say, 'Why is not a
treasure sent down to him? or why did not an angel come with him?-
thou art only a warner, and God is guardian over all.'
Or they will say, 'He hath devised it;' say, 'Bring ten surahs
like it devised; and call upon whom ye can beside God, if ye do tell
The Koran |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Kwaidan by Lafcadio Hearn: Realm of Horai. The term "Kokuo" means the ruler of a country,-- therefore
a king. The original phrase, Tokoyo no Kokuo, might be rendered here as
"the Ruler of Horai," or "the King of Fairyland."
[2] The last phrase, according to old custom, had to be uttered by both
attendants at the same time. All these ceremonial observances can still be
studied on the Japanese stage.
[3] This was the name given to the estrade, or dais, upon which a feudal
prince or ruler sat in state. The term literally signifies "great seat."
RIKI-BAKA
(1) Kana: the Japanese phonetic alphabet.
(2) "So-and-so": appellation used by Hearn in place of the real name.
Kwaidan |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Octopus by Frank Norris: guess I'll have to see S. Behrman."
"I'll be cursed if I would!" exclaimed Harran.
"Well, S. Behrman is a screw," admitted the engineer, "and he is
'railroad' to his boots; but business is business, and he would
have to stand by a contract in black and white, and this chance
in hops is too good to let slide. I guess we'll try it on,
Harran. I can get a good foreman that knows all about hops just
now, and if the deal pays--well, I want to send Sid to a seminary
up in San Francisco."
"Well, mortgage the crops, but don't mortgage the homestead,
Dyke," said Harran. "And, by the way, have you looked up the
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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 Astoria by Washington Irving: continue round the skirt of the mountain, they would be in danger
of falling in with the scattered parties of Blackfeet, who were
probably hunting in the plain. It was thought most advisable,
therefore, to strike directly across the mountain, since the
route, though rugged and difficult, would be most secure. This
counsel was indignantly derided by M'Lellan as pusillanimous.
Hot-headed and impatient at all times, he had been rendered
irascible by the fatigues of the journey, and the condition of
his feet, which were chafed and sore. He could not endure the
idea of encountering the difficulties of the mountain, and swore
he would rather face all the Blackfeet in the country. He was
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