| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Myths and Myth-Makers by John Fiske: mallet, when the moon arose, looking so much like a
bread-fruit that the woman asked it to come down and let her
child eat off a piece of it; but the moon, enraged at the
insult, gobbled up woman, mallet, and child, and there, in the
moon's belly, you may still behold them. According to the
Hottentots, the Moon once sent the Hare to inform men that as
she died away and rose again, so should men die and again come
to life. But the stupid Hare forgot the purport of the
message, and, coming down to the earth, proclaimed it far and
wide that though the Moon was invariably resuscitated whenever
she died, mankind, on the other hand, should die and go to the
Myths and Myth-Makers |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Red Seal by Natalie Sumner Lincoln: Turnbull moving about the house; if they were roaming about and
scented him, they might not have barked because they would recognize
him as a friend."
"Were the dogs familiar with his step and voice?"
"Yes. Only last Sunday he played with them for an hour, and later
in the afternoon took them for a walk in the country."
"I see." Penfield stroked his chin reflectively. "When your sister
told you of finding the burglar and his arrest, did you not, in the
light of your wager, suspect that he might be Mr. Turnbull?"
"No." Barbara's eyes did not falter before his direct gaze. "I
supposed that Mr. Turnbull meant to try and enter the house in his
The Red Seal |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe: passage, if possible, to England or France.
The first part of the proposal was so generous and kind they could
not but be very thankful for it; but they were in very great
consternation, especially the passengers, at the notion of being
carried away to the East Indies; they then entreated me that as I
was driven so far to the westward before I met with them, I would
at least keep on the same course to the banks of Newfoundland,
where it was probable I might meet with some ship or sloop that
they might hire to carry them back to Canada.
I thought this was but a reasonable request on their part, and
therefore I inclined to agree to it; for indeed I considered that
Robinson Crusoe |
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 Helen of Troy And Other Poems by Sara Teasdale: Men and Women.
The veil, the lady's veil!
(The knight takes the lady in his arms.)
L.
My lord, I pray you loose me from your arms
Lest that my people see how much we love.
K.
May they not see us? All of them have loved.
L.
But you have been an enemy, my lord,
With walls between us and with moss-grown moats,
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