| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Road to Oz by L. Frank Baum: Polly was so pleased that her violet eyes sparkled like amethysts, and
she danced away from her companions across the bridge and into a group
of feathery trees lining both the roadsides. These trees she stopped
to look at with pleasure and surprise, for their leaves were shaped
like ostrich plumes, their feather edges beautifully curled; and all
the plumes were tinted in the same dainty rainbow hues that appeared
in Polychrome's own pretty gauze gown.
"Father ought to see these trees," she murmured; "they are almost as
lovely as his own rainbows."
Then she gave a start of terror, for beneath the trees came stalking
two great beasts, either one big enough to crush the little Daughter
The Road to Oz |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Redheaded Outfield by Zane Grey: for first place. If we won both games we
would go ahead of our rivals. So I was all on
edge, and kept going to the dressing-room to see
if the Rube had arrived. He came, finally, when
all the boys were dressed, and about to go out for
practice. He had on a new suit, a tailor-made suit
at that, and he looked fine. There was about him
a kind of strange radiance. He stated simply
that he had arrived late because he had just been
married. Before congratulations were out of our
mouths, he turned to me.
The Redheaded Outfield |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Lock and Key Library by Julian Hawthorne, Ed.: the abhorred wretch the jailer, my little broken-hearted Mariamne.
And when sometimes you fancied that you had seen me under other
circumstances, in her it was, my dear friend, and in her features
that you saw mine.
"Now was the world a desert to me. I cared little, in the way of
love, which way I turned. But in the way of hatred I cared
everything. I transferred myself to the Russian service, with the
view of gaining some appointment on the Polish frontier, which
might put it in my power to execute my vow of destroying all the
magistrates of your city. War, however, raged, and carried me into
far other regions. It ceased, and there was little prospect that
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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 Lin McLean by Owen Wister: For Drybone soil, you see, was still government soil, not yet handed over
to Wyoming; and only government could arrest there, and only for
government crimes. But government had gone, and seldom worried Drybone!
The spot was a postage-stamp of sanctuary pasted in the middle of
Wyoming's big map, a paradise for the Four-ace Johnstons. Only, you must
not steal a horse. That was really wicked, and brought you instantly to
the notice of Drybone's one official--the coroner! For they did keep a
coroner--Judge Slaghammer. He was perfectly illegal, and lived next door
in Albany County. But that county paid fees and mileage to keep tally of
Drybone's casualties. His wife owned the dance-hall, and between their
industries they made out a living. And all the citizens made out a
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