| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Nada the Lily by H. Rider Haggard: it was not enough, till in the end both of them swore by their heads,
and by the bones of Senzangacona, their father, and by many other
things, that I should be the first man in the land, after them, its
kings, and should command the impis of the land, if I would but show
them a way to kill Chaka and become kings. Then, when they had done
swearing, I spoke, weighing my words:--
"In the great kraal beyond the river, O ye Princes, there sit, not one
regiment but two. One is named the Slayers and loves Chaka the king,
who has done well by them, giving them cattle and wives. The other is
named the Bees, and that regiment is hungry and longs for cattle and
girls; moreover, of that regiment the Prince Umhlangana is the
Nada the Lily |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Macbeth by William Shakespeare: Macb. What man dare, I dare:
Approach thou like the rugged Russian Beare,
The arm'd Rhinoceros, or th' Hircan Tiger,
Take any shape but that, and my firme Nerues
Shall neuer tremble. Or be aliue againe,
And dare me to the Desart with thy Sword:
If trembling I inhabit then, protest mee
The Baby of a Girle. Hence horrible shadow,
Vnreall mock'ry hence. Why so, being gone
I am a man againe: pray you sit still
La. You haue displac'd the mirth,
Macbeth |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Light of Western Stars by Zane Grey: free distance. Madeline's ears filled with a droning hum like
the sound of a monstrous, hungry bee and with a strange,
incessant crinkle which she at length guessed to be the spreading
of sheets of gravel from under the wheels. The giant car
attained such a speed that Madeline could only distinguish the
colored landmarks to the fore, and these faded as the wind stung
her eyes.
Then Link began the ascent of the first step, a long, sweeping,
barren waste with dunes of wonderful violet and heliotrope hues.
Here were well-defined marks of an old wagon-road lately
traversed by cattle. The car climbed steadily, surmounted the
The Light of Western Stars |
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 Thuvia, Maid of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs: "There is no question of royal prerogative here,"
returned Vas Kor. "You ask me to become an assassin in
your stead, and against your jeddak's strict injunctions.
You are in no position, Astok, to dictate to me; but
rather should you be glad to accede to my reasonable
request that you be present, thus sharing the guilt
with me. Why should I bear it all?"
The younger man scowled, but he advanced toward
the locked door, and as it swung in upon its hinges,
he entered the room beyond at the side of Vas Kor.
Across the chamber the girl, hearing them enter, rose
Thuvia, Maid of Mars |
