Today's Stichomancy for Jackie Chan

The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The War in the Air by H. G. Wells:

in her repudiation of the Monroe Doctrine and her bold bid for a share in the empire of the New World. But not altogether did she rely on these; she had also a one-man bomb-throwing Drachenflieger of unknown value among the resources.

But the Drachenflieger were away in the second great aeronautic park east of Hamburg, and Bert Smallways saw nothing of them in the bird's-eye view he took of ihe Franconian establishment before they shot him down very neatly. The bullet tore past him and made a sort of pop as it pierced his balloon--a pop that was followed by a rustling sigh and a steady downward movement. And when in the confusion of the moment he dropped a bag of ballast,

The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Tanach:

1_Kings 20: 36 Then said he unto him: 'Because thou hast not heartened to the voice of the LORD, behold, as soon as thou art departed from me, a lion shall slay thee.' And as soon as he was departed from him, a lion found him; and slew him.

1_Kings 20: 37 Then he found another man, and said: 'Smite me, I pray thee.' And the man smote him, smiting and wounding him.

1_Kings 20: 38 So the prophet departed, and waited for the king by the way, and disguised himself with his headband over his eyes.

1_Kings 20: 39 And as the king passed by, he cried unto the king; and he said: 'Thy servant went out into the midst of the battle; and, behold, a man turned aside, and brought a man unto me, and said: Keep this man; if by any means he be missing, then shall thy life be for his life, or else thou shalt pay a talent of silver.

1_Kings 20: 40 And as thy servant was busy here and there, he was gone.' And the king of Israel said unto him: 'So shall thy judgment be; thyself hast decided it.'

1_Kings 20: 41 And he hastened, and took the headband away from his eyes; and the king of Israel discerned him that he was of the prophets.

1_Kings 20: 42 And he said unto him: 'Thus saith the LORD: Because thou hast let go out of thy hand the man whom I had devoted to destruction, therefore thy life shall go for his life, and thy people for his people.'

1_Kings 20: 43 And the king of Israel went to his house sullen and displeased, and came to Samaria.

The Tanach

The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Foolish Virgin by Thomas Dixon:

it was pain.

CHAPTER VII

A VAIN APPEAL

A week passed on the wings of magic.

Every day at four o'clock the car was waiting at her door. The drab interior of the school-room had lost its terror. No annoyance could break the spell that reigned within. Her patience was inexhaustible, her temper serene.

Walking with swift step down the Avenue to her home she wondered vaguely how she could have been lonely in

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 Autocrat of the Breakfast-Table by Oliver Wendell Holmes:

"A will is a will, and the Parson's dead." The Governor hefted the crowns. Said he, - "There is your p'int. And here's my fee. These are the terms you must fulfil, - On such conditions I BREAK THE WILL!" The Governor mentioned what these should be. (Just wait a minute and then you'll see.) The President prayed. Then all was still, And the Governor rose and BROKE THE WILL! - "About those conditions?" Well, now you go And do as I tell you, and then you'll know.

The Autocrat of the Breakfast-Table