| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Magic of Oz by L. Frank Baum: pulling their tails again. Annoyed by the uproar, the Hungry Tiger
cried: "Stop that racket!" and getting sight of the Glass Cat, he
raised his big paw and struck at the creature. The cat was quick
enough to dodge the blow, but the claws of the Hungry Tiger scraped
the monkey's cage and bent two of the bars.
Then the Tiger lay down again to sleep, but the monkeys soon
discovered that the bending of the bars would allow them to squeeze
through. They did not leave the cage, however, but after whispering
together they let their tails stick out and all remained quiet.
Presently the Glass Cat stole near the cage again and gave a yank to
one of the tails. Instantly the monkeys leaped through the bars, one
 The Magic of Oz |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Shadow out of Time by H. P. Lovecraft: the metal door was slowly swinging open with only the faintest
grating sound.
Dazedly I looked over the row of greyish case
ends thus exposed, and felt a tremendous surge of some wholly
inexplicable emotion. Just within reach of my right hand was a
case whose curving hieroglyphs made me shake with a pang infinitely
more complex than one of mere fright. Still shaking, I managed
to dislodge it amidst a shower of gritty flakes, and ease it over
toward myself without any violent noise.
Like the other case
I had handled, it was slightly more than twenty by fifteen inches
 Shadow out of Time |