| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Fantastic Fables by Ambrose Bierce: his sudden fall from affluence to indigence.
"Do not weep," said the Reverse of Fortune. "You need not suffer
alone. Name any one of the men who have opposed your schemes, and
I will overtake HIM."
"It is hardly worth while," said the victim, earnestly. "Not a
soul of them has a cent!"
The Power of the Scalawag
A FORESTRY Commissioner had just felled a giant tree when, seeing
an honest man approaching, he dropped his axe and fled. The next
day when he cautiously returned to get his axe, he found the
following lines pencilled on the stump:
Fantastic Fables |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from A Tramp Abroad by Mark Twain: too, as well as large. The big squares have big bronze
monuments in them. At the hotel they gave us rooms
that were alarming, for size, and parlor to match.
It was well the weather required no fire in the parlor,
for I think one might as well have tried to warm a park.
The place would have a warm look, though, in any weather,
for the window-curtains were of red silk damask,
and the walls were covered with the same fire-hued
goods--so, also, were the four sofas and the brigade
of chairs. The furniture, the ornaments, the chandeliers,
the carpets, were all new and bright and costly.
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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 My Aunt Margaret's Mirror by Walter Scott: him to call upon me to-morrow morning.'
"'I said so, my lady,' answered the man, 'but he desired me to
give you this paper.'
"She undid the billet, which was curiously folded and sealed. It
only bore the words, 'ON BUSINESS OF LIFE AND DEATH,' written in
a hand which she had never seen before. Suddenly it occurred to
her that it might concern the safety of some of her political
friends. She therefore followed the messenger to a small
apartment where the refreshments were prepared, and from which
the general company was excluded. She found an old man, who, at
her approach, rose up and bowed profoundly. His appearance
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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 Tarzan and the Jewels of Opar by Edgar Rice Burroughs: enough with Tarzan to render him either cowardly or
effeminate. He saw an old man suffering and dying, and
he stooped and felt of his wounds and stanched the flow
of blood.
"Who are you?" asked the old man in a trembling voice.
"I am Tarzan--Tarzan of the Apes," replied the ape-man
and not without a greater touch of pride than he would
have said, "I am John Clayton, Lord Greystoke."
The witch-doctor shook convulsively and closed his
eyes. When he opened them again there was in them a
resignation to whatever horrible fate awaited him at
Tarzan and the Jewels of Opar |
