| 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: Johnny Dooit next came on the platform with his tool-chest, and in a
few minutes built a great flying machine; then put his chest in the
machine and the whole thing flew away together--Johnny and all--after
he had bid good-bye to those present and thanked the Princess
for her hospitality.
The Wizard then announced the last act of all, which was considered
really wonderful. He had invented a machine to blow huge soap-bubbles,
as big as balloons, and this machine was hidden under the platform so
that only the rim of the big clay pipe to produce the bubbles showed
above the flooring. The tank of soapsuds, and the air-pumps to inflate
the bubbles, were out of sight beneath, so that when the bubbles began
The Road to Oz |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Eryxias by Platonic Imitator: the fewest mistakes?
Erasistratus agreed to this.
SOCRATES: Then the wisest and those who do best and the most fortunate and
the richest would appear to be all one and the same, if wisdom is really
the most valuable of our possessions?
Yes, said Eryxias, interposing, but what use would it be if a man had the
wisdom of Nestor and wanted the necessaries of life, food and drink and
clothes and the like? Where would be the advantage of wisdom then? Or how
could he be the richest of men who might even have to go begging, because
he had not wherewithal to live?
I thought that what Eryxias was saying had some weight, and I replied,
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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 The Cruise of the Jasper B. by Don Marquis: engaged in putting up a big tent and making ready for a show. To
a casual observer it might have seemed a scene of confusion. But
in reality the work jumped forward with order and precision, for
the position of every bolt, chain, nail, cord, piece of iron and
bit of wood had been calculated beforehand to a nicety; there was
not a wasted movement of saw, adze, or hammer. The Jasper B., in
short, had been measured accurately for a suit of clothes, the
clothes had been made; they were now merely being put on.
Refreshed by the first sound sleep she had been able to obtain
for several nights, Lady Agatha joined Cleggett at an
eight-o'clock breakfast. It was the first of May, and warm and
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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 Marvelous Land of Oz by L. Frank Baum: "Do Winged Monkeys ever eat pumpkins?" asked Jack, with a shiver of fear.
"I do not know; but you have little cause to, worry, for the Winged Monkeys
are now the slaves of Glinda the Good, who owns the Golden Cap that commands
their services," said the Scarecrow, reflectively.
Then the stuffed monarch became lost in thought recalling the days of past
adventures. And the Saw-Horse rocked and rolled over the flower-strewn
fields and carried its riders swiftly upon their way.
* * * * * * * * *
Twilight fell, bye and bye, and then the dark shadows of night. So Tip
stopped the horse and they all proceeded to dismount.
"I'm tired out," said the boy, yawning wearily; "and the grass is soft and
The Marvelous Land of Oz |
