| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Salammbo by Gustave Flaubert: with a light touch of her finger raised a lock of her hair which was
falling too low.
Her hair was covered with gold dust, was crisped in front, and hung
down behind over her back in long twists ending in pearls. The
brightness of the candelabra heightened the paint on her cheeks, the
gold on her garments, and the whiteness of her skin; around her waist,
and on her arms, hands and toes, she had such a wealth of gems that
the mirror sent back rays upon her like a sun;--and Salammbo, standing
by the side of Taanach, who leaned over to see her, smiled amid this
dazzling display.
Then she walked to and fro embarrassed by the time that was still
Salammbo |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Magic of Oz by L. Frank Baum: 4. Conspirators
Kiki Aru didn't know much about Oz and didn't know much about the
beasts who lived there, but the old Nome's plan seemed to him to be
quite reasonable. He had a faint suspicion that Ruggedo meant to get
the best of him in some way, and he resolved to keep a close watch on
his fellow-conspirator. As long as he kept to himself the secret word
of the transformations, Ruggedo would not dare to harm him, and he
promised himself that as soon as they had conquered Oz, he would transform
the old Nome into a marble statue and keep him in that form forever.
Ruggedo, on his part, decided that he could, by careful watching and
listening, surprise the boy's secret, and when he had learned the
The Magic of Oz |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Rescue by Joseph Conrad: her feel so exotic. It also forced her to alter her usual gait
and move with quick, short steps very much like Immada.
"I am robbing the girl of her clothes," she had thought to
herself, "besides other things." She knew by this time that a
girl of such high rank would never dream of wearing anything that
had been worn by somebody else.
At the slight noise of Mrs. Travers' sandals d'Alcacer looked
over the back of his chair. But he turned his head away at once
and Mrs. Travers, leaning her elbow on the rail and resting her
head on the palm of her hand, looked across the calm surface of
the lagoon, idly.
The Rescue |
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 Flower Fables by Louisa May Alcott: so kindly give us food, it were most cruel to treat them with aught
save gentleness and gratitude. Now will you stay with us, and learn
what even mortals seek to know, that labor brings true happiness?"
And Thistle said he would stay and dwell with them; for he was tired
of wandering alone, and thought he might live here till Lily-Bell
should come, or till he was weary of the kind-hearted bees. Then they
took away his gay garments, and dressed him like themselves, in the
black velvet cloak with golden bands across his breast.
"Now come with us," they said. So forth into the green fields
they went, and made their breakfast among the dewy flowers; and then
till the sun set they flew from bud to blossom, singing as they went;
Flower Fables |
