| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Young Forester by Zane Grey: could he have stopped a pig in a lane. A stubby beard covered the lower
half of his brick-red face. The most striking thing about Herky-Jerky,
however, was his perpetual grin. He looked very jolly, yet every time he
opened his mouth it was to utter bad language. He cursed the fire, the
pans, the coffee, the biscuits, all of which he handled most skillfully. It
was disgusting, and yet aside from this I rather liked him.
It grew dark very quickly while we were eating, and the wind that dipped
down into the gorge was cold. I kept edging closer and closer to the
blazing campfire. I had never tasted venison before, and rather disliked it
at first. But I soon cultivated a liking for it.
That night Stockton tied me securely, but in a way which made it easy for
 The Young Forester |
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 Ballads by Robert Louis Stevenson: Taiarapu, the windward peninsula of Tahiti, where he lived.
I have heard from end to end two versions; and as many as
five different persons have helped me with details. There
seems no reason why the tale should not be true.
Note 1, "THE AITO," QUASI champion, or brave. One skilled in
the use of some weapon, who wandered the country challenging
distinguished rivals and taking part in local quarrels. It
was in the natural course of his advancement to be at last
employed by a chief, or king; and it would then be a part of
his duties to purvey the victim for sacrifice. One of the
doomed families was indicated; the aito took his weapon and
 Ballads |