| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Fables by Robert Louis Stevenson: the trees. "Whom have we here?" said he.
"These are only vegetables," said the philosopher. "They are
alive, but not at all interesting."
"I don't know about that," said the stranger. "They seem to have
very good manners. Do they never speak?"
"They lack the gift," said the philosopher.
"Yet I think I hear them sing," said the other.
"That is only the wind among the leaves," said the philosopher. "I
will explain to you the theory of winds: it is very interesting."
"Well," said the stranger, "I wish I knew what they are thinking."
"They cannot think," said the philosopher.
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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 Copy-Cat & Other Stories by Mary E. Wilkins Freeman: no other boy had a mother who was quite equal to
his. Sally Patterson was small and wiry, with a bright
face, and very thick, brown hair, which had a boyish
crest over her forehead, and she could run as fast
as Jim. Jim's father was much older than his mother,
and very dignified, although he had a keen sense of
humor. He used to laugh when his wife and son
came in after their coasting expeditions.
"Well, boys," he would say, "had a good time?"
Jim was perfectly satisfied and convinced that his
mother was the very best and most beautiful per-
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