| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Aesop's Fables by Aesop: distributing every day corn and grain from the stores they had
collected in the summer. Then the Grasshopper knew:
It is best to prepare for the days of necessity.
The Tree and the Reed
"Well, little one," said a Tree to a Reed that was growing at
its foot, "why do you not plant your feet deeply in the ground,
and raise your head boldly in the air as I do?"
"I am contented with my lot," said the Reed. "I may not be so
grand, but I think I am safer."
"Safe!" sneered the Tree. "Who shall pluck me up by the roots
or bow my head to the ground?" But it soon had to repent of its
Aesop's Fables |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Perfect Wagnerite: A Commentary on the Niblung's Ring by George Bernard Shaw: existence.
My obligation to Herr Trebitsch for making me a living German
author instead of merely a translated English one is so great
that I am bound to point out that he is not responsible for my
views or Wagner's, and that it is as an artist and a man of
letters, and not as a propagandist, that he is conveying to the
German speaking peoples political criticisms which occasionally
reflect on contemporary authorities with a European reputation
for sensitiveness. And as the very sympathy which makes his
translations so excellent may be regarded with suspicion, let me
hasten to declare I am bound to Germany by the ties that hold my
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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 Adventure by Jack London: "By Jove, those are my sandals," he thought to himself. "The girl
hasn't a thing to wear except what she landed on the beach in, and
she certainly landed in sea-boots."
CHAPTER V--SHE WOULD A PLANTER BE
Sheldon mended rapidly. The fever had burned out, and there was
nothing for him to do but gather strength. Joan had taken the cook
in hand, and for the first time, as Sheldon remarked, the chop at
Berande was white man's chop. With her own hands Joan prepared the
sick man's food, and between that and the cheer she brought him, he
was able, after two days, to totter feebly out upon the veranda.
The situation struck him as strange, and stranger still was the
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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 Case of The Lamp That Went Out by Grace Isabel Colbron and Augusta Groner: "And let us blunder on in our official stupidity and blindness?"
interrupted the commissioner, a faint smile breaking the gravity of
his face. "We certainly gave you every opportunity."
"But there's an innocent man accused - suffering fear of death
- justice must be done. But, sir," Muller took the warrant the
commissioner handed across the table to him. "May I not make it
as easy as I can for Mr. Thorne - I mean, bring him here with as
little publicity as possible? His wife is with him in Venice."
"Poor little woman, it's terrible! Do whatever you think best,
Muller. You're a queer mixture. Here you've hounded this man down,
followed hot on his trail when not a soul but yourself connected
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