| 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: brushed it carefully, tying a pink bow to each of his pointed ears.
The maids wanted to dress the children in fine costumes of woven feathers,
such as all the foxes wore; but neither of them consented to that.
"A sailor suit and a fox head do not go well together," said one of
the maids, "for no fox was ever a sailor that I can remember."
"I'm not a fox!" cried Button-Bright.
"Alas, no," agreed the maid. "But you've got a lovely fox head on
your skinny shoulders, and that's ALMOST as good as being a fox."
The boy, reminded of his misfortune, began to cry again. Dorothy
petted and comforted him and promised to find some way to restore
him his own head.
The Road to Oz |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne: was not great.
"As long as it sails horizontally," muttered Ned Land,
"I do not mind; but, if it takes a fancy to dive, I would
not give two straws for my life."
The Canadian might have said still less. It became really necessary to
communicate with the beings, whatever they were, shut up inside the machine.
I searched all over the outside for an aperture, a panel, or a manhole,
to use a technical expression; but the lines of the iron rivets,
solidly driven into the joints of the iron plates, were clear and uniform.
Besides, the moon disappeared then, and left us in total darkness.
At last this long night passed. My indistinct remembrance
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Outlaw of Torn by Edgar Rice Burroughs: she called upon the old woman to aid her, and as the hag
bent her head close to the girl's body to see what was
wrong with the girdle clasp, Bertrade reached quick-
ly to her side and snatched the weapon from its sheath.
Quickly she sprang back from the old woman who, with
a cry of anger and alarm, rushed upon her.
"Back!" cried the girl. "Stand back, old hag, or thou
shalt feel the length of thine own blade."
The woman hesitated and then fell to cursing and
blaspheming in a most horrible manner, at the same
time calling for help.
The Outlaw of Torn |
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 O Pioneers! by Willa Cather: resolved that she would have a talk with Ivar
about this and stir him up. The boys persuaded
Carl to stay for supper and go swimming in the
pasture pond after dark.
That evening, after she had washed the sup-
per dishes, Alexandra sat down on the kitchen
doorstep, while her mother was mixing the
bread. It was a still, deep-breathing summer
night, full of the smell of the hay fields. Sounds
of laughter and splashing came up from the
O Pioneers! |
