| 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: came to the Count's ears, that he began to grow anxious and
suspicious, and at last he determined to know the worst. He
went one Saturday to Melusina's private apartments, and going
through one empty room after another, at last came to a locked
door which opened into a bath; looking through a keyhole,
there he saw the Countess transformed from the waist downwards
into a fish, disporting herself like a mermaid in the water.
Of course he could not keep the secret, but when some time
afterwards they quarrelled, must needs address her as "a vile
serpent, contaminator of his honourable race." So she
disappeared through the window, but ever afterward hovered
Myths and Myth-Makers |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe: that when the ladder was taken down, nothing but what had wings or
witchcraft to assist it could come at them. This was excellently
well contrived: nor was it less than what they afterwards found
occasion for, which served to convince me, that as human prudence
has the authority of Providence to justify it, so it has doubtless
the direction of Providence to set it to work; and if we listened
carefully to the voice of it, I am persuaded we might prevent many
of the disasters which our lives are now, by our own negligence,
subjected to.
They lived two years after this in perfect retirement, and had no
more visits from the savages. They had, indeed, an alarm given
Robinson Crusoe |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The People That Time Forgot by Edgar Rice Burroughs: summit of the cliffs, where there seemed little reason to
expect game. However, there were trees, and among them we soon
descried edible fruits with which we broke our long fast.
Chapter 4
We spent two days upon the cliff-top, resting and recuperating.
There was some small game which gave us meat, and the little
pools of rainwater were sufficient to quench our thirst.
The sun came out a few hours after we emerged from the cave,
and in its warmth we soon cast off the gloom which our recent
experiences had saddled upon us.
Upon the morning of the third day we set out to search for a
The People That Time Forgot |
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 Life and Adventures of Santa Claus by L. Frank Baum: which showed plainly their hatred of all mankind. They possessed no
consciences whatever and delighted only in evil deeds.
Their homes were in rocky, mountainous places, from whence they
sallied forth to accomplish their wicked purposes.
The one of their number that could think of the most horrible deed
for them to do was always elected the King Awgwa, and all the race
obeyed his orders. Sometimes these creatures lived to become a
hundred years old, but usually they fought so fiercely among
themselves that many were destroyed in combat, and when they died that
was the end of them. Mortals were powerless to harm them and the
immortals shuddered when the Awgwas were mentioned, and always avoided
The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus |
