| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Water-Babies by Charles Kingsley: In a word, never was there heard at Hall Place - not even when the
fox was killed in the conservatory, among acres of broken glass,
and tons of smashed flower-pots - such a noise, row, hubbub, babel,
shindy, hullabaloo, stramash, charivari, and total contempt of
dignity, repose, and order, as that day, when Grimes, gardener, the
groom, the dairymaid, Sir John, the steward, the ploughman, the
keeper, and the Irishwoman, all ran up the park, shouting, "Stop
thief," in the belief that Tom had at least a thousand pounds'
worth of jewels in his empty pockets; and the very magpies and jays
followed Tom up, screaking and screaming, as if he were a hunted
fox, beginning to droop his brush.
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Old Indian Legends by Zitkala-Sa: opposite side Iktomi pried about in search of a heavy stone.
He found one half-buried in the shallow water. Pulling it out
upon dry land, he wrapped it in his blanket.
"Now, my friend, you shall run on the left side of the lake,
I on the other. The race is for the boiled fish in yonder kettle!"
said Iktomi.
The muskrat helped to lift the heavy stone upon Iktomi's back.
Then they parted. Each took a narrow path through the tall reeds
fringing the shore. Iktomi found his load a heavy one.
Perspiration hung like beads on his brow. His chest heaved hard
and fast.
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| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson:
Treasure Island |
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 The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood by Howard Pyle: and in the limpid waters of the lowland brook, spanned by a little
stone bridge, the fish hung motionless above the yellow gravel,
and the dragonfly sat quite still, perched upon the sharp tip
of a spike of the rushes, with its wings glistening in the sun.
Along the road a youth came riding upon a fair milk-white barb,
and the folk that he passed stopped and turned and looked after him,
for never had so lovely a lad or one so gaily clad been seen in
Nottingham before. He could not have been more than sixteen years
of age, and was as fair as any maiden. His long yellow hair flowed
behind him as he rode along, all clad in silk and velvet, with jewels
flashing and dagger jingling against the pommel of the saddle.
The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood |
