| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from In a German Pension by Katherine Mansfield: "They are to have the room next to yours," said the manager, addressing me.
"I was wondering if you would permit me to take down the portrait of the
Kaiserin Elizabeth from above your bed to hang over their sofa."
"Yes, indeed, something homelike"--the Frau Oberregierungsrat patted my
hand--"and of no possible significance to you."
I felt a little crushed. Not at the prospect of losing that vision of
diamonds and blue velvet bust, but at the tone--placing me outside the
pale--branding me as a foreigner.
We dissipated the day in valid speculations. Decided it was too warm to
walk in the afternoon, so lay down on our beds, mustering in great force
for afternoon coffee. And a carriage drew up at the door. A tall young
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Large Catechism by Dr. Martin Luther: Sanctification, that through the same the Holy Ghost, with His office,
is declared and depicted, namely, that He makes holy. Therefore we must
take our stand upon the word Holy Ghost, because it is so precise and
comprehensive that we cannot find another. For there are, besides, many
kinds of spirits mentioned in the Holy Scriptures, as, the spirit of
man, heavenly spirits, and evil spirits. But the Spirit of God alone is
called Holy Ghost, that is, He who has sanctified and still sanctifies
us. For as the Father is called Creator, the Son Redeemer, so the Holy
Ghost, from His work, must be called Sanctifier, or One that makes
holy. But how is such sanctifying done? Answer: Just as the Son obtains
dominion, whereby He wins us, through His birth, death, resurrection,
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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 Twilight Land by Howard Pyle: carried her home, he went all through the town and marked a cross
upon every door, great and small, little and big, just as the
princess had done upon the door of Jacob Stuck's house, only upon
the prime-minister's door he put two crosses. The next morning
everybody was wondering what all the crosses on the house-doors
meant, and the king and the prime-minister were no wiser than
they had been before.
But the princess had brought the ruby cup with her, and she and
the king could not look at it and wonder at it enough.
"Pooh!" said the prime-minister; "I tell you it is nothing else
in the world but just a piece of good luck--that is all it is. As
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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 Ozma of Oz by L. Frank Baum: this new story "real Ozzy," I shall be very glad indeed that I wrote
it. But perhaps I shall get some more of those very welcome letters
from my readers, telling me just how they like "Ozma of Oz." I hope
so, anyway.
L. FRANK BAUM.
MACATAWA, 1907.
1. The Girl in the Chicken Coop
The wind blew hard and joggled the water of the ocean, sending ripples
across its surface. Then the wind pushed the edges of the ripples
until they became waves, and shoved the waves around until they became
billows. The billows rolled dreadfully high: higher even than the
Ozma of Oz |
