| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Myths and Myth-Makers by John Fiske: overcame Codomannus with dorn, "the spear." A certain passage
in the Alps is called Scaletta, from its resemblance to a
staircase; but according to a local tradition it owes its name
to the bleaching skeletons of a company of Moors who were
destroyed there in the eighth century, while attempting to
penetrate into Northern Italy. The name of Antwerp denotes the
town built at a "wharf"; but it sounds very much like the
Flemish handt werpen, "hand-throwing": "hence arose the legend
of the giant who cut of the hands of those who passed his
castle without paying him black-mail, and threw them into the
Scheldt."[68] In the myth of Bishop Hatto, related in a
Myths and Myth-Makers |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Wyoming by William MacLeod Raine: disappeared promptly into the nearest dark alley.
The mob scattered by universal impulse; disintegrated so promptly
that within five minutes the soldiers held the ground alone, save
for the officials of the prison and Denver's little band.
A boyish lieutenant lately out of the Point, and just come in to
a lieutenancy in the militia, was in command. "In time?" he asked
anxiously, for this was his first independent expedition.
"Y'u bet," chuckled Denver. "We're right glad to see you, and
I'll bet those boys in the cage ain't regretting your arrival
any. Fifteen minutes later and you would have been in time to
hold the funeral services, I reckon."
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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 Little Women by Louisa May Alcott: the Professor, coming back with a relieved air.
Jo thought what a blaze her pile of papers upstairs would
make, and her hard-earned money lay rather heavily on her conscience
at that minute. Then she thought consolingly to herself,
"Mine are not like that, they are only silly, never bad,
so I won't be worried," and taking up her book, she said,
with a studious face, "Shall we go on, Sir? I'll be very
good and proper now."
"I shall hope so," was all he said, but he meant more than
she imagined, and the grave, kind look he gave her made her
feel as if the words Weekly Volcano were printed in large
Little Women |
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 Tom Grogan by F. Hopkinson Smith: two days befoore."
"You're dead right, Dan," said Lathers, with an expression of
disgust. "This woman business ain't no good, nohow. She ought to
be over her tubs."
"She does her work, though," Babcock said, beginning to see the
drift of things.
"Oh, I don't be sayin' she don't. She's a dacint woman, anough;
but thim b'ys as is a-runnin' her carts is raisin' h--ll all the
toime."
"And then look at the teams," chimed in Lathers, with a jerk of
his thumb toward the dock--"a lot of staggering horse-car wrecks
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