| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Stories From the Old Attic by Robert Harris: majesty instructed his generals to go forth and conquer the
territories around him. After a preposterous quantity of noise,
smoke, blood, guts, and dying, the king found himself in possession
of jillions of acres of farms and towns and houses and cottages and
the souls of all those who lived therein. He now ruled over the
land as far as he--or even someone with good eyesight--could see in
every direction from the top of his highest tower. At any time of
day or night the king could call for the relief of a distressed
friend or the beheading of an enemy. He had absolute say over the
life or death, the happiness or suffering, of millions of people of
every rank and degree, from the most exalted noble in a seaside
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Flower Fables by Louisa May Alcott: beside a still lake he stayed to rest. Delicate wood-flowers grew near
him in the deep green moss, with drooping heads, as if they listened
to the soft wind sing-ing among the pines. Bright-eyed birds peeped
at him from their nests, and many-colored insects danced above the
cool, still lake.
"This is a pleasant place," said Thistle; "it shall be my home for a
while. Come hither, blue dragon-fly, I would gladly make a friend of
you, for I am all alone."
The dragon-fly folded his shining wings beside the Elf, listened to
the tale he told, promised to befriend the lonely one, and strove
to make the forest a happy home to him.
Flower Fables |
